The Press.
London, England, 1857-06-06 00:00:00

COUNT CAVOUR ON SIR R. PEEL.

COUNT CAvoun, in the sitting of the Sardinian Senate
of the 20th ult., made the following observations
respecting the policy of the late Sir Robert Peel.
The policy of England having been quoted as an ex-
ample for the gradual introduction of free-trade
measures, Count Cavonr said :
England was the first to advance in the path of econo-
mical reforms, and for that very reason she was obliged to
advance cautiously. But, gentlemen, when the reform
was accomplished, do .you think that those who opposed it
declared that it was well to have advanced cautiously 9 No,
gentlemen ' • and Sir Robert Peel himself, when he said
free trade had calmed the crisis of 1547, expressed his
regret that he had not had the courage to propose it twenty
years earlier, to prevent the crisis of 1824. 1 therefore
think that it would be a folly not only to follow the example
of England in the reforms realised, but also in the manner
of accomplishing them. Let us learn by the experience
of others ; let us be warned by the errors of other nations
not to commit similar errors ourselves ; and when we
oehold those nations who have attained great prosperity
proclaim certain principles in an absolute manner, let us
adopt them, and apply them to as full an extent as it is in
our power to do. Many of the reforms which we have
boldly adopted were only accomplished gradually in Eng-
land. The Corn-law Bill only passed after a struggle of
twenty five or thirty years. The struggle commenced in
1817 and lasted till 1846, when Sir Robert Peel caused the
bill to pass. And here, while following in the steps of
England. we have yet adopted free trade at once ; we have
even gone ahead of England, for she maintains still a duty
—slight, it is true—while we have abolished it altogether.
And now I must reply to the quotation of Sir Robert
Peel as an authority. I repeat it, I entertain the highest
admitation for that statesman ; I believe that few men
have rendered greater services to mankind than he has.
Yet I do not believe that Sir Robert Peel was always in-
fallible in his political career. It is my opinion that Sir
11. Peel would have left a much more illustrious name
behind him, if, instead of having been compelled by cit.-
cinnqances to introduce reforms, he himself had originated
them. I think that Sir Robert Peel would have left be-
hind him a fame unequalled in history, if, instead of pro-
posing the emancipation of the Catholics in 1829, be had
proposed it in 1825 ; I think that his name would have
eclipsed all thosellof ancient Tend modern statesmen if
the reform of the corn laws had been initiated in 1840—a
good harvest year— instead of being passed in consequence
of the famine which desolated Ireland, and instead of
being in some measure a consequence of the potato
disease. In fact, if Sir Robert Peel had been the originator
of reforms, he would at his death have left to his friends
a political inheritance far different from that which he
bequeathed to them. If Sir R. Peel had associated his
name and his whole cat eer with successive reforms there
would be no need of recording at the present time a
strange fact which has taken place in England—namely,
that a party consisting of eminent men, including the
most eloquent speaker in Parliament, and the most able
legislators, has been completely routed at the late elections.
And this, gentlemen, is the fate of parties who allow them-
selves to be led by public opinion, and who wait to the
last moment to carry out reforms which they have not the
courage tc introduce. I trust that the Senate, convinced
of this truth, will give its support to the present Govern-
ment, which, while following the example of Sir Robert
Peel, nevertheless deviates from the course he adopted by
making itself the originator of reforms, not wishing to
grant them to any popular pressure, nor to the pressure of
unforeseen circumstances.

T HE PRESS.