The Press.
London, England, 1858-03-06 00:00:00

THE PRESS, MARCA 6,1858.

Government at all. Driven from that lofty position,
with the remainder of the Palmerstonian press, were
it were in skirmishing order, firing shots at any indi%
thought within reach. Generally their " practice "
practice of the Globe especially. Lord STANLEY and S'
were more particularly singled out, and each tii
missed. Lord STANLEY had refused to co-operate
that was certain. The next day the list of the Minf
Lord STANLEY'S name in the middle of it. Sir Jos
declined to join the Earl of DERBY; and following
came some complimentary remarks on Sir Jomes character
ties. Nescia men: hominum !la. A few hours afterwards
PAKINOTON is announced as a Minister; and shortly
us himself in his address that he never had the least
matter. " Jawkins," says Mr. THACKERAY in his
Papers," " is usually considered a rather well-informed.
on similar grounds, we suppose, is usually considered
" informed journal." But Jawkins just now cannot -
ance at. the exposure that has occurred, and seeks
geanco ou the innocent authors of his discomfiture.
Sir JOHN PAKINGTON'S fault that Jawkins made a premature
ment. The Right Hon. Baronet could not help not bavin-
tation." But our contemporary seems to think he ou
only to accommodate the Globe, and attacks him
pression in a style as empty as it is inconsistent. Th,
Jawkins' satire which requires any answer, and we
noticed it all but for the sake of commenting gene
ness of mind displayed by certain anti Ministerial
the childish irritability they exhibit under a chang(
could not have been deferred long. They lift up thk
affected surprise at the irruption of strangers into the sacred precincts
of Downing-street, the charmed circle of the Whig oligarchy, which no
profane foot might penetrate Is it possible that the placemen of a
quarter of a century, the politicians grown grey in humbug, and in-
trigue, and routine, have been displaced by a phalanx of new men, un-
learned in the mysteries of office, with nothing but youth and energy
to back them! Their astonishment is something like that of the
old Austrian marshals when defeated by NAPOLEON BONAPARTE
against all the rules of war. While we are on this subject we
may as well notice the remarkable consistency and ingenuousness of
the Time: newspaper upon the subject of Reform. Last November
they told us in more than one overwhelming leader that Parliamentary
Reform could not possibly be undertaken in 1858. We quote from a
leader of Nev. 18th. Speaking then of the Ballot and Triennial
Parliaments and the ten pound franchise, &c., the Time: remarked—
" Have we here such severe, urgent, large and popular grievances that
" we must instantaneously deal with them or fall into utter confusion?
" Not a moment to be lost on the question of Triennial Parliaments or
" the Ballot? Cannot the equalisation of constituencies and the
" abolition of property qualification wait one session ? We think
" they can. Some of these grievances—if grievances at all—it is
" ridiculous even to speak of as serious, and of none can
"we say that. they are pressing." But now that Lord PAL.
MERSTON is dethroned, the Times adopts this very delay as a weapon of
offence against Lord DERBY. How the people will endure that Reform
should be postponed a year, says our guide and philosopher, remains
to be seen. Why did it not " remain to be seen "in November last?
"Wits have short memories, and dunces none," says the poet. But as
the interval of time between the two statements is so very short, we
fear that nobody but one to whom memory was wholly denied would
have committed such a blunder. That it was intentional is, of course,
a supposition not to be entertained.

The reports from " the Butt Committee" read like chapters of a
romance. The characters, too, were of a most striking kind. We
had an Indian Prince and his interpreter ; the group of the COFFEY
brothers ; Mrs PARR, "a trafficker in opera-boxes" at a certain house in
Bond-street, where she carried on business as " Ryan and Co."; Mr.
IskAc Burr, M.P. for Youghal ; a mysterious visitor warning about a
conspiracy ; and several heads of departments, altogether a very
" spirited grouping," as painters say. It was our professional duty to
read the evidence through de die in diem, and we were also present at
the Committee on HOMO days. The case, as far as the petition of
EDWARD COFFEY was concerned, turned entirely on the question
whether certain pecuniary arrangements, admitted by Mr. Burr him-
self, were made in 1856 or 1857. On this point the assertions of Mr.
EDWARD COFFEY, the petitioner, were direct'y at variance with those of
Mr. Burr. The latter was repeatedly pressed by Sir JAMES GRAHAM ;
and on last Tuesday the Honourable Gentleman said, " So, help me
" GOD, no offer of a pecuniary payment was made to me until the pro-
" postal that I should proceed to India." The Committee's finding,
according to the brief report of what fell from Sir J. GRAHAM on Wed-
nesday, was " tantamount to that of an acquittal." It is, however,
important to note that a most serious question of privilege still
remains open for the opinion of the House of Commons. The agree-
ment still exists between ALL MOORAD and Mr. Bun., the last of whom
is under obligation to proceed to India and act as political attorney
for Au MOORAD. Now, the restoration of the Ameer's lands can be
effected only by official persons in India, all of whom are subject to
departments at home, and in the last case of appeal to the House ?f
Commons. Can a Member of Parliament, with a pecuniary interest in
so serious a case, act as the paid agent for a given person, whose cause.
on petition may at some future time he brought before the House of
Commons? If he can do so in such a case as that of Am MOORAD,
why not in other cases? It is obvious that, by a lax ruling upon

on, our contemporary,
were fain to retire as
individual whom they
3e " was bad, but the
d Sir JOHN PARINGTON
L time the mark was
sate with his father--
[inistry appeared with
JOHN PARINOTON had
ng the announcement
s character and abili-
afterwards Sir Jens
.tly after that he tells
least hesitation in the
his immortal "Snob
med man." The Globe,
lered " a rather well-
iot conceal his annoy-
3ks to wreak his ven-
re. Really it was not
premature announce-
laving the "least hesi-
ought to have had, if
m in yesterday's im-
There is nothing in
we should not have
enerally on the little-
rial journalists, and
tinge of fortune which
p their pens in well-
) the sacred precincts
g oligarchy, which no
it the placemen of a
in humbug, and in-
dank of new men, un-
Mit youth and energy
ling like that of the
4APOLEON BONAPARTE
e on this subject we
Lnd ingenuousness of
rm. Last November
er that Parliamentary
3. We quote from a
Ballot and Triennial
he Time: remarked—
pular grievances that
into utter confusion?
ennial Parliaments or
astituencies and the
session ? We think
evances at all—it is
and of none can
W that Lord PAL-
delay as a weapon of
I endure that Reform
philosopher, remains
" in November last?
iys the poet. But as
is so very short, we
wholly denied would
Dational is, of course,
ad like chapters of a
t striking kind. We
group of the COFFEY
at a certain house in
Ryan and Co."; Mr.
itor warning about a
s, altogether a very
professional duty to
I were also present at
us as the petition of
ply on the question
3d by Mr. Burr him-
,he assertions of Mr.
ariance with those of
Sir JAMES GRAHAM ;
i said, " So, help me
to me until the pro-
Committee's finding,
r J. GRAHAM on Wed-
It is, however,
on of privilege still
mmons. The agree-
err, the last of whom
as political attorney
meer's lands can be
whom are subject to
ppee
eca
rul s
ot
iona
person,
ywh eh osoo Huse of
interest
causein
before the House of
that of Am MOORAD,
y a lax ruling upon