The Press.
London, England, 1854-07-01 00:00:00

THE CABINET CHANGES.

Lord DUDLEY STUART, on Thursday, referred to
the recent changes in the Ministry, which affected
six important members of the Government, and re-
specting which he thought the house should have
received further explanations than had been yet
afforded them. He dwelt upon the "scurvy treat-
ment" inflicted on Mr. Stnttt, and the unfitness of
Sir G. Grey for the Colonial Secretary. Every ap •
pearance bore out the truth of a remark that, in the
present Administration, all the round men were put
into square holes and all the square men into round
holes. This was most strongly exampled in the
case of the new Minister of War. " Why," as he
asked amidst general cheering, " why was not Lord
Palmerston made War Minister?" The whole
conduct of the war was left in the hands of four
Peelites—namely, the Minister of War, the Secretary
at War, the First Lord of the Admiralty, and the
Chancellor of the Exchequer. He declared that the
country had hoped, and its enemies had feared, that
the War Department would be given to Lord Palmers-
ton. The Duke of Newcastle could not feel hurt
at having such a man preferred to himself :

THE PRESS.

" Was it not a shame that a man like that, with his ca-
pacity, with his reputation, with his political experience of
half a century, should waste his time and his powers in
dealing with common sewers, county rates, and armies,
not of soldiers, but of policemen ? (Cheers and laughter.)
It was difficult to believe that people were in earnest if
they did not take the means best calculated to carry out
the object which they professed a desire to attain. (Hear,
hear.) He doubted whether the Government were in
earnest about the war. He did not doubt that the noble
lord was the best man to direct it. Let him be appointed,
and then both friend and foe would see and feel that the
Government were in earnest (Hear, hear.) Such an ap-
pointment would be far better than all the recantations,
retractations, and explanations which had been made in
another place. (Laughter.) It would be better than pro-
fessions of a desire to carry on the war with 'vigour, than
the production of despatches, already refused in that house,
for purposes of personal vindication, or than any observa-
tions about ' disastrous ' treaties, intended, if possible, to
neutralise the effect of ' disastrous' speeches. (Cheers
and laughter.) Something must be done if the Government
intended to reacquire the confidence of the house and the
country. That confidence, long declining, was now pretty
well lost, as was shown by the proceedings of that house.
What measure had the Government been able to carry—
what measures had they not been obliged to postpone or
withdraw? (Hear.) What universities had they been in?
That showed that they were not in the position which they
ought to be. It was true they had carried the taxes for
the war, but what was the reason of that? Why, because
the people, whatever the Government might be, were really
in earnest, and because that house shared in their feelings,
and therefore would not refuse the necessary means for
prosecuting the war with vigour. lint neither the people
nor the house would tolerate half measures, nor would
they have a balf-and-half Ministry. (Cheers and laughter. )"
The speech of Lord D. Stuart, which was on the
motion for going into committee of supply, was
received in perfect silence from the Treasury
bench.