The Press.
London, England, 1854-01-28 00:00:00

ON, SATURDAY, JANUARY 28, 1854.

our eyes from the proceedings taking place in
South Staffordshire. The support upon
which the most advanced Radicals can
reckon, as against the most moderate Con
servatives, though it be an evidence, is by no
means the most distinguished evidence of the
policy of the Cabinet, which, professing itself
Conservative, is content to derive its chief—
we should say its only—public support from
the Democrats and covert Republicans who
take council at Manchester. The latter school
of politicians is by no means destitute of
political discernment : it has convictions on
its part which are definite if they are danger-
ous ; and it is free to express them. In the
fair exercise of this freedom its leading mem-
bers ostentatiously proffer their support to the
friendly Cabinet. Those who are incessantly
occupied in disparaging our English system
and our English policy—the enemies of the
Church—the aspiring class who disclaim
attachment to a " feudal aristocracy," the
reluctant subjects who have sneered at "the
" barbarous splendour" of the throne, have
met and proclaimed their confidence in the
Conservatism of Lord ABERDEEN.

WILLIAM the Silent, said SCHILLER, never
trembled in danger, because he had trembled
beforehand; and the preliminary tremors of
a salutary caution may add confidence to the
bold and courage to the brave. As Con-
servatives on their side must now perceive
all the grounds of their credulity vanishing,
they will recognise the necessity for combined
council and action, lest they should have
pressing occasion hereafter to reproach their
present tardiness.

The inclination of the Ministry has become
manifest ; yet this is not all which is
implied in their position. The vice of a Coali-
tion is this—it is an agreement among pub-
lic men, who think each others' principles
pernicious to the country, to act together,—
each as much on behalf of the principles
which he deems pernicious, as on behalf of
those which he considers beneficial. They
agree that they will merge their individual
views, to render their joint administration
possible. While in opposition, this motive
of cohesion is wanting, and they relapse into
honesty. But place, and power, unite those
whom concienco would keep asunder. In
order to effect their official project—to turn
thinkers and statesmen into administrators—
another sacrifice is indispensable. This is
the sacrifice of party,—in other words, of that
mass of unbought support and general ad-
herence which their antecedent views may
have procured for them'respectively. Reduced
to a collection of eminent individuals, fortified
with the munitions of power, but dissociated
from party and from that which procured
them party support,—their principles, they
speedily find themselves, whatever their
executive abilities, in that situation in which
Lord MELBORNE*B Cabinet was felicitously
depicted,—though the description was not
more applicable then than now,—a " mass of
" squeezable materials."
XBOP tells us that the fox could not per
suede his Ip'be to imitate his example. And,
as some ladies remain in the State in spite
of the official. announcement that party is
obsolete, it follows that a Government
such as we have described must endeavour to
replace the legitimate support which they ab-
jured in the act of taking office by propiti-
ating with abject assiduity the parties which
will listen to their overtures.

I%k.

PRICE SIXPENCE.

The only parties which have yet pronounced
in any general sense their adhesion to the
Ministry are the parties of the Romish propa-
ganda and of Radical aggression. The former
had signed its compact of adhesion at the
Treasury, and the latter proffers its vouchers
from Manchester. With these allies, and sub-
ject to the pressure which a forced dependence
on such support makes inevitable, and on the
other hand with the pretext of " Conserva-
tism" exploded, the Coalition now commits
itself to the chances of the session.