The Express.
London, England, 1855-01-26 00:00:00

COMMENTS OF OUR CONTEMPORARIES
UPON THE MINISTERIAL CRISIS.

I Assuming the cause of Lord John Russet's
resig-
nation to be his reluctance or inability to face the motion
of which Mr. Roebuck had given notice, the Tines thinks
that his lordship's coarse in leaving the other members of
the sabinet "in the lurch" presents a " wide and painful
deviation from the rules of political conduct which have
usually been observed with fidelity in this country." The
effect of the resignation will probably be, says the TIMM, a
desolation of the cabinet. " But, if ►er Majesty is thus
compelled to intrust the direction of affairs to other hands.
' we treat that, in forming a new Administration, the para-
mount interests of the country, the safety of the army, the
honour of our alliances, and the necessities of the time,
will prevail over all other considerations. He must be

something worse than a bad Minister who can choose
such a moment of national calamity for personal
resentment pr party intrigue. The country looks to one
thing only—the formation of a government which shall
reorganise the military departments of the public service
and restore the credit of our arms. Upon that condition
any government may command the support of parliament ,
and the nation; but if these impending changes clinches I
only some miserable rivalry between jealous hotline, or
some artifice of private ambition, they will call down the
severest animadversion on those who can risk the great in-
terests of the nation for motives of so paltry a character."

The Morning Herald mentions various on dies, and enters
upon comments in whieh the " now infamous coalition" is
assailed on various grounds. It is declared to be impossible
for " Peel's clerks" to " patch up an administration."

But under the most favourable circumstances, the army in
the Crimes, it is said, must suffer—whether the cabinet
break up altogether, or endeavour to repair its loos by a
make-shift. " The instinct of self-prevention will induce
ministers under either case to provide for themselves first and
foremost ; and that instinot wilt be the stronger if they
entertain any hope of being able to ride through the storm.
If, on the other hand, the Whip follow Lord John's lead,
and joining with Mr. Roebuck—the petrel of the storm—
overthrow the present Administration, what is to be done in

the confusion that will necessarily ensue ? Some time must
elapse before the new Mlnisten can get into their harness;
in the interval, what will become et the army in the Crimea ?
It is horrible to contemplate."

The Mo►ning awl:wide says that his lordship has "aban-
doned a position in which he
but that the moment is not very happily chosen. "The
ostensible ground is said to be the Impossibility in which
he found himself of conscientiously justifying the Duda**
of the war. But if this be so, it may be thought that he I
should have insisted on a change of men or =course
at an earlier stage, instead of waiting so see the
result of the policy which he sanctioned, and taking
his chance of its turning out well. It is also en-
mound that the Secretary of War offered to
make nem for any statesman whom his colleagues
might deem better qualified for the post, although no can-
did inquirer can seriously profess to believe that the state
of our army would have been materially different, had
Lord Rllenborough, or Lord Grey, or Lord Palmerston, or
even Lord John Russell himself, been installed during the
last twelve months at the War-office." The Monists
interprets public opinion to require " what has emphatisally
been called abroad-bottom administration—that b, one eam-

prising all the beet men that could be induced to set together
cordially," and our contemporary hopes that the remaining
members of the cabinet will " exhibit a little more sell
negation than the distinguished colleague who has abandoned
I them, and will, one and all, bear constantly in mind that
extreme sensitiveness to personal importance or personal
claims is ea unpardonable error—indeed, almost a public
crime—when the dearest interests of their country are at
stake."

The Morning Post says " ws must have a strong
mainstay," sad points to " one dominating head."