The Press.
London, England, 1857-08-15 00:00:00

786

arisen from the complications of this tortuous
policy, and we hazarded the prediction that a
policy so distinct and dissevered from that of
our great ally, France, must lead either to " reac-
" tion at Paris or retractation at London."

The Government of Lord PALMERSTON has
encountered a decided diplomatic, oheck, and
its retractation has taken place. The Noble
Lord at the head of her Majesty's (.government
having acted with the usual presumption
and distrust, boldness and pusillanimity,
indiscretion and cunning, and the fifty other
contradictions which go to make up his cha-
racter, has upon pressure agreed to become a
convert to the views of the four Powers. lie has
resolved to relinquish the very principle for
which he so fondly fought, the legality of
the recent elections in Moldavia, and has con-
sented to recommend to the Government of
the Porte that the recent elections be annulled,
the electoral lists revised, and new elections
ordered to take place. Some people of tried
constitutions, and long practical habits, can
reconcile their minds to part with their old
principles and adopt new ideas ; but there is
nothing especially satisfactory or consoling to
those who hold at heart the honour, the in-
terests, or the dignity of Great Britain, to see
the country, to gratify a paltry spite, and at the
beck of Austria, dragged through the mire of
disreputable intrigue, and, when this double-
dealing is detected and exposed by our
more honourable ally, compelled to relin-
quish pretentious it could no longer maintain,
and cover a discreditable retreat under an un-
tenable plea.
But we are assured by the Government organs,
now driven from the ground they have so lately
maintained, that it is most unjustifiable, be.
cause Lord PALMERSTON has consented to join
the four Powers in a recommendation to the
Sultan to annul the Moldavian elections, to
assume that her Majesty's Government have
" given up their views with regard to the
" future Government and Constitution of Mol-
" davia and Wallachia." The Noble Lord
retains so much the bias of his old opinions
that he denies the means of rendering those
measures effective which he acknowledges to
be indispensable, and secretly intends to
negative that principle which he professes
to approve. The concession, in point of fact,
has been one of " words," not principles.
This is a poor attempt to colour the conduct
of the Noble Lord, as if his retractation were
only a pause in his policy, occasioned by cir-
cumstances unforeseen, but neither affecting
that policy nor placing the country in a new
situation. The trick is too shallow to have
effect. The pliability of the Noble Lord is
too notorious, and we feel persuaded that
this dexterous manoeuvre cannot impose
upon the good sense of the people of England.
At the same time it would be as unsafe and
imprudent authoritatively to pronounce upon,
as it is arduous to attempt to reconcile, the
extremely opposite opinions expressed by her
Majesty's Government at different times upon
the conduct to be preserved towards the Da-
nubian Principalities; and though the Noble
Lord. may not have given up his peculiar
" views," and with studied perversity of temper
may be prepared in an underhand and secret
way to continue that tortuous but turbulent
policy which, upon more than one occasion, has
perplexed his Sovereign and disgraced his coun-
try,we venture to say that such conduct, so in-
consistent with integrity and good faith, would
be unworthy of the British name and of the Bri-
tish character, and could neither meet with the
support of Parliament nor with the approbation
of the country. Lord PALMERSTON, throughout
his whole conduct in this Danubian question,
has evaded the obligations imposed upon him
by treaties. He has neither acted with strict
probity, nor adopted that calm, conciliatory,
temperate course of conduct which should
havo led him to respect the internal adminis-
tration of the Danubian States, and, with the
view of giving them a full participation of all
those blessings which this country so pre-
eminently enjoys, in place of fostering intrigue
and creating uncertainty and turmoil, should
have induced him loyally to carry 'out, and not
flagrantly to violate, the provisions of the
Treaty of Paris.
But from the first Lord PALMERSTON has
shown himself the convenient aid to the pure