The Press.
London, England, 1858-03-13 00:00:00

THE PRESS, MARaz 13, 1858.

%patch of Count Walewski remained unanswered. That
warning was given in vain. Tan days elapsed, and to that
despatch no reply had been made. It had in the mean-
time been circulated throughout the length and breadth of
Europe. There was not a Cabinet in Europe which bad
not become aware of the fact that the French Govern.
ment had charged the laws and institutions of England
with being favourable to the dastardly crime of assassina-
tion. (Cheers.) Lord Palmerston paid no attention to
the circumstance. He pressed on the second reading of
his bill, and then it was that Mr. M. Gibson proposed that
amendment the terms of which a right hon. friend of
mine, Mr. Henley—one of the acutest critics in Parlia-
ment—pronounced to be as true as gospel, and which was
carried against the Minister in a full house by a majority
numerically the taros as that which in 18. 2 displaced the
Government of Lord Derby. You have all been informed
by the speech of that noble lord of the proceedings which
were consequent upon the defeat of Lord Palmerston's
Administration ; and I feel convinced that no one who
has read that speech can fail to perceive that Lord Derby
in accepting office, when it was, I may say, absolutely
thrust upon him, has done so with a sincere desire and a
firm resolve to discharge the onerous duties of his position
in the manner most conducive to the maintenance of
the dignity of the country, and so as best to subserve the
real happiness and prosperity of its people. (Cheers.)
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With reference to India Lord J. Manners stated that
a measure was now under the careful consideration
of a member of the Government in whose knowledge
and experience of Indian affairs the people of Eng-
land may place implicit confidence, and upon par-
liamentary reform the noble lord remarkad :
I see no reason why I, in conjunction with my col-
leagues, should not when the proper time arrives do my
utmost to devise a measure of parliamentary reform which,
while it would serve to uphold the equilibrium of the
different elements which compose our English social and
parliamentary policy, would at the same time tend to rectify
admitted abuses, and impart additional stability to those
great and time-honoured institutions which have rendered
this country the proud abode of tempered liberty and self-
sustained order. (Loud cheers.)

PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF
EDUCATION.

NORTH

.—Mr. C. B. Adderley, Pre.

sident of the Board of Education, was re-elected on
Monday last without opposition. Mr. Adderley,
alluding to the recent vote which bad displaced Lord
Palmerston from power, expressed his firm convict•
tion that the friendship between England and France
would not be weakened by that vote. The two great
questions with which the new Government would
have to deal would be India and Reform. In the
reconstruction of the Indian Government, it must
be borne in mind that the Government of India
must in future be mainly conducted at Calcutta.
The two cardinal points to which the Home Govern-
ment must attend would be the maintenance of a
special training for the Government servants in India
and the securing Indian patronage front home job-
bing. With respect to Reform, Mr. Adderley thought
that the promise of a Reform Bill from Lord Derby
was far more real than any promise made by the
last Government :
I looked upon it, as I stated here, simply as a juggle
between Lord John Russell and Lord Palmerston. I
thought that each of the two thimbles was anxious to
make the country believe that the pea was under it, in
order that the country might take it up. (A laugh.) And
I am convinced that a promise from Lord Derby, given
under no such pressure, offers a much more certain pro-
speet of realisation. As to my own opinions upon this
subject, I need but repeat what 1 said in so many words
on the hustings at the last election. In a free country like
this, admission to the political franchise ought to be the rule,
exclusion the exception, and as property and intelligence
spread so ought the franchise to be extended pari passe.
It is said that Lord Derby is not likely to introduce such
a measure as might be expected from true Reformers. I
have a great mistrust of those men who call themselves
Reformers. I look upon many of them as simple theo-
rists, mere politicians, men who are prepared to square the
institutions of this old country with their new theory of
last night, end who have a model taken from America to
which they would by some ready and royal process adapt
the constitutions of all other countries. 1 can have very
little confidence in men such as those who recently met
in London, and whose leader stated that representation
ought to be in exact proportion to population—a principle
which would give to London one-tenth of the representa-
tion of England, and would almost exclude the whole
kingdom of Scotland from what lawyers call entering an
appearance in the Legislature of this country. These are
the doctrines of theorists who call themselves Reformers.
I have much greater faith in men who are taking part in
public business, who have a share in the sympathies of
the country, and whose doctrines on this great question,
if not so universally and abstractedly perfect, are much
more likely to be practical and acceptable to the country.
(Loud cheers.)

CHIEF SECRETARY FOR IRELAND.
COCKERYOUTH.—Lord Naas, Chief Secretary for
Ireland, was re-elected last week without opposition.
Lord Naas said :
In Ireland there was much to be changed—much that
needed reform. There was considerable skill required to
prevent party spirit taking ha place al wind and sob,:

udgment, and there was ample opportunity for any o
wishing to do no to serve his country well. With regard
to the future of the present Government, it would be its.
possible that he should enter into explanations, or give say
programme of the measures which the present Government
intended to propose. But he was sure the present Govern.
meat would not be above continuing good measures
originated by the late Government. The spirit of Partyor
of faction would have no place in their counsels, and if
they found good measures prepared for them, and a good
line of conduct marked out for them, they would be the
first to follow it. But they would not follow in the steps of
their predecessors if they thought they had been wrong, and
would not, for any temporary convenience, carry out
measures already framed, or bills already drawn, unless
they were really for the benefit of the nation. With regard
to home affairs, the present Government would devote all
its consideration to measures of improvement and progress.
The opinion of almost every man iu this country was, that
the time had come when some advance might be made in
our representative institutions ; and he was mire that the
men who at present held the administration of affairs
would bring to the consideration of that subject a most
unbiassed judgment, and would propose such measures m
would meet the growing intelligence of the age, as would
guarantee extended powers to the people of this country_
powers which, if extended, would not be found Moore-
patible nith the faithful working of a tree and indepen-
dent constitution. He believed the present Government
was one which, on all general questions, he could support;
bat be would not do so if he could not do so honestly, and
without sacrificing his independence.