The Press.
London, England, 1857-03-28 00:00:00

STATE OF THE COUNTRY.

(SUPPLEMENT TO " THE PRESS," SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 18570

GRATIS.

322

awful to imagine what lie must have endured after •
wards at Brookes's- Whatever the punishment may
have been, it was always sufficient to deter from a repe-
tition of the offence. (Laughter.) But now, when the
offence is committed by 48 persons, distinguished
members of the Whig party, not only are they not to
be punished, but while others are to be punished they
are to be rewarded by the retention of their seats.
(" Hear," and laughter.) The noble earl the Presi-
dent of the Council hates the treason but rather
likes the traitors; I also join with the noble earl in
desiring that no mischief should happen to those 48
persons. They have given one good honest vote,
and I hope that they may live to give many
more with better result. (Hear, hear.) I confess
that I have an old feeling in favour of the old Whigs.
Some of my old predilections are remaining about me,
and I confess I do not see that any injury would
be done by the continuance of that great party in
strength. I cannot say the same thing with respect to
those who are, as my noble and learned friend sitting
at the table once expressed it, " Whigs, and some •
thing more." That is quite a different thing.
("Hear," and laughter.) With respect to the
gentleman termed " Radical," I entertain very much
the opinion which I recollect having heard expressed
in this house with his usual classical felicity by the
late Marquis Wellesley, " radice in Tartara tondit."
Whether all of that class go to that termination I
will not say, but undoubtedly of late there have been
unveiled certain circumstances with reference to

pecuniary transactions which lead to the conclusion
that that expression, if not generally correct, is not
absolutely inaccurate. (Laughter.) But if those
gentlemen who, being friends of the Government,
voted against the Government, are not to suffer,
why should the
gave their confidence to the Government ; and why,
then, were they to be expected on this serious ques-
tion—on which so many honest Whigs voted against
the Government—to give confidence to the Govern-

suffer ? They never

went; and why are they to be punished for not, on
that occasion, giving a confidence which they had
always hitherto withheld ?

There is another party, small in numbers, but
great in intellect, ability, and knowledge of public
affairs, called the Peeßtes. I never belonged to that
party, nor have I properly belonged to any party
since the Duke of Wellington ceased to lead one in
this house ; but I have the greatest respect for my
old colleagues ; and they were certainly in a position
in which no man could question the propriety of
their giving an independent vote, for they had not
given their confidence of late to the Government;
and therefore really I do not see how any of those
three different parties, against whom this charge of
coalition has been made, can justly suffer in conse-
quence of the dissolution.

And now allow me to state very shortly the cir-
otunstanoes with which some of your lordships at
least may not be acquainted, in order to show what
are practically the effects of this war which has been
so recklessly undertaken by Sir J. Bowring. (Hear.)
I did not know the other day all that had taken
place, but I mentioned to your lordships the fact
that the interruption of our trade with China would
produce the greatest possible distress. I have since
seen something which goes beyond all that I had