The Press.
London, England, 1854-03-11 00:00:00

the sole purpose of proving that Lord JOHT4
RUSSELL was not fit to govern, would wear his
badge ; the philosophical Radicals, the dis-
ciples of BENTHAM and of GROTE, instead of
mouthing pedantic platitudes, would subside
into devoted and well-trained cheerers ; the
Manchester menagerie, with their teeth drawn
and their claws cut, would quail before a
Reformer more advanced than their seditious
societies ; while the former impudence of
BERNAL OSBORNE, instead of flashing second-
hand sarcasms from a distant bench, with the
glance and attitude of a Sadler's Wells 'ago,
would be exchanged for the servile solicitude
that fetches, at the right moment, a welcome
orange for an exhausted chief.
We recommend the Conservative party not
to slumber at their posts. The Reform Bill is
not shelved—we doubt whether it will be
again postponed. Lord JOHN RUSSELL will not
sacrifice to petty interests, and to the cavils of
little minds, his historical career. That is his
master passion ; but we must do him the
justice to acknowledge that he believes the
real interests of the 'Whig party are identified
with the fulfilment of his ambition. The con-
duct of men who aspire to posthumous fame is
not to be calculated by the motives which in
fluence ordinary individuals. What seems a
blunder to a venerable political intriguer is
triumph to the prescient vision of a man of
genius ; what figures as success to an ordinary
politician is a barren commonplace to a states-
man. After some disappointments and many
mortifications Lord JOHN RUSSELL finds him-
self in a commanding position. Either he
will early Parliamentary Reform as a Minister,
or he will dictate his policy as the head of a
powerful Opposition. But he will not remain
in a position which p;-atifies neither his ambi-
tion nor his love of fame. He will sacrifice
every minor consideration for his historical
career. Persons of his temperament are in-
flexible : it is the sagacity of pensive habits
which makes men firm, or, as the superficial
suppose, contumacious. His strong will, in-
spired by the thoughts of hereafter, will master
his mutinous party, and it will require all the
energies and all the vigilance of the Conserva-
tives to maintain the present character of our
Constitution, and to guard themselves from a
terrible discomfiture.

THE DEPARTURE OF THE BALTIC

FLEET—DINNER TO SIR CHARLES
NAPIER.
Wz believe we are correct in stating that the
fleet intended for the Baltic will quit our
shares this day. If we cannot without emo-
tion contemplate the departure of so many
noble ships and gallant men, the feeling is
accompanied neither with depression of spirit
nor foreboding of evil. Humanly speaking,
Sir CHARLES NAPIER goes to assured victory.
The circumstances and conditions under
which we enter into this contest are totally
and auspiciously different to those under
which NELSON sailed for Trafalgar. By a
strange destiny the heir and nephew of our
most powerful enemy at that time is now our
close and trusted ally. His empire, though
not invested with the dazzling glare of con-
quest, is as potent as the first, and far more
firm, because it is avowedly based on the
foundations of justice and respect for the