The Press.
London, England, 1856-06-14 00:00:00

GOVERNMENT DELAYS.

THE second week in June has now passed ; the
Epsom and Ascot races are over ; the London
season is half through, and how is the state of
affairs in the House of Commons ? That
is a question eagerly asked in the most
opposite quarters. The business of the
country seems positively brought to a
stsnd-still. We were told that the Palmerston
Ministry would abjure " party " considerations,
and concentrate its attention on practical
measures. Has it done so, or is it showing
any symptom of setting about the work of
clearing off the accumulated subjects awaiting
Parliamentary solution ?
It is obvious, after the debate of last week,
that a measure of army reform cannot be ex-
pected from the present Ministry. The tone
of Lord PALMERSTON upon that most important
subject is in the bland style of courteous and
self-satisfied " routine." Like every old Minis-
ter, Lord PALMERSTON is an optimist in all re-
lating to the public offices, and lie may be
pronounced an inverate " obstruction." The
country has no reason to expect " measures "
from a man of his mould, and he is quite
ready to pervert playfully the saying of Lord
JOHN RUSSELL'S friend, " Mr. BURKE," about
" Reformation being one of those great pieces
" which look best—at a distance !" The finan
cial projects of the Government are still more
unsatisfactory. The " City " grumbles un-
easily. and asks about the " Bank Charter Act,"
and it is not to be quelled by stereotyped puffs
of Mr. ROBERT LowE's meddling attempts at
commercial legislation.
" Education " is, of course, beyond the con-
trol of such a Cabinet. It will never take up
any line on that greatest of moral subjects.
The Premier has no ideas about it; the Home
Secretary is too jaded to apply to it ; Lord
LANSDOWNE is too old, the Duke of ARGYLL LOO
young, Lord JOHN RUSSELL too " one by," Mr.
BAINES too sectarian, and the Ministry col-
lectively too bored to perplex itself with such
tiresome work. Ah ! pray, good people of
England, do not bore the Cabinet. It is weary ;
its nerves are strained ; its mind has got
languid ; the dogdays are approaching, the
town is becoming offensive, the Thames smells,
the grass in the Parks will soon be brown, and
the Premier is tired. He wants a quiet nap,
and only asks for a comfortable dose. Do not
waken him. It is early yet ; it is only in the
middle of the nineteenth century ; remember
that the Premier was up " about town" at the
end of the last. Do not press him too hard.
It is bad taste to do so ; it would be unkind ;
the Ministry has taken to its sofa, and put on
its slippers. Come, Mr. Bull, do not frown.
Do not raise your voice. Only an entire
session has been lost. No other Cabinet
could do nothing with such high gusto as the
present.

free from the unpleasing coarseness of his
later days. Yet, though Lord PALMERSTON had
aristocratic position, and was not without the
important resources of " fashion," and though
he was an efficient debater, " the leadership "
was carefully kept out of his hands, even
though Lord JOHN RUSSELL had no reputation
to spare for caution. Of the two rivals (the
fact sounds like a sarcasm) " Lord JOHN "
was thought more conciliating and discreet !
Now, it is worth while recollecting these
antecedents of Lord PALMERSTON, because we
fear that there is a large party in America
which bitterly remembers the activity ex-
hibited by the Noble Viscount in trying to
inflame the Oregon question into a war. It
was partly in consequence of Lord PAL-
MERSTON'S conduct at that time that politi-
cians of the Liberal party (like Earl GREY)
were justified in holding aloof from his Lord,'
ship in 1846, when Sir ROBERT PEEL resigned,
and the settlement of the Corn question was
offered to the Whigs. The polemical reputa-
tion of Lord PALMERSTON prevented that
result. Nor would he have ever afterwards
been thought of for Prime Minister but for the
accidents of war. He did not win the Premier-
ship—he dropped into it by chance.
Such, therefore, is one of the worst Ministers
that England could possess at the present
time. His acts, his speeches, his despatches
—not to allude to other writings of a non-
official kind— are all remembered by the
officials of the United States, and his policy
unfavorably contrasts with that of Lord
CASTLEREG/i, the Duke of WELLINGTON, and
Sir ROBERT PEEL, on previous occasions, when
the amity of the two countries was endangered.
It is nothing to tell the Americans that our
Foreign Secretary (I ord CLARENDON) is con-
ciliatory even to timidity, when they know
that our Prime Minister is Lord PALMERSTON.
The weakness of Lord CLARENDON'S character
is no check upon the blustering explosiveness
of Lord PALMERSTON, who wishes to keep up
his name as a War Minister. It would not,
accordingly, surprise us, if even now the Whig
party amongst us were meditating on the
chances of a schism between Lords PAL-
MERSTON and CLARENDON. That there is 8

une nas now passed ; tne from calculations of this nature. What was
ss are over; the London it, for example, that for so long a time kept
1, and how is the state of back Lord PALMERSTON from being at the head
of Commons ? That of English affairs, except the conviction that
a statesman of his swaggering style and
y asked in the most bellicose spirit would embroil us with other
The business of the countries ? Lord PALMERSTON, notoriously,
itively brought to a pushed hard to acquire predominating in-
told that the Palmerston tluence in the Liberal party. At one time it
was hoped by his friends that he would tri-
umphantly party" considerations, obtain " the leadership " of the
attention on practical Whigs. Many years since, when his Lordship
)ne so, or is it showing was in full possession of his vigour, he had
ting about the work of claims to that post. He had official experience,
ulated subjects awaiting a love for power, a facility for dealing with individuals, while his manners were then
n ? free from the unpleasing coarseness of his
the debate of last week, later days. Yet, though Lord PALMERSTON had
y reform cannot be ex- aristocratic position, and was not without the
nt Ministry. The tone important resources of " fashion," and though
pon that most important he was an efficient debater, " the leadership "
I style of courteous and was carefully kept out of his hands, even
." Like every old Minis- though Lord JOHN RUSSELL had no reputation
is an optimist in all re- to spare for caution. Of the two rivals (the
offices, and he may be fact sounds like a sarcasm) " Lord JOHN "
tte " obstruction." The was thought more conciliating and discreet !
to expect " measures " Now, it is worth while recollecting these
nould, and he is quite antecedents of Lord PALMERSTON, because we
ully the saying of Lord fear that there is a large party in America
d, " Mr. BURKE," about which bitterly remembers the activity ex-
ile of those great pieces hihited by the Noble Viscount in trying to
a distance !" The finan inflame the Oregon question into a war. It
overnment are still more was partly in consequence of Lord PAL-
" City " grumbles un- MERSTON'S conduct at that time that politi-
the " Bank Charter Act," cians of the Liberal party (like Earl GREY)
lied by stereotyped puffs were justified in holding aloof from his Lord,'
s meddling attempts at ship in 1846, when Sir ROBERT PEEL resigned,
and the settlement of the Corn question was
!ourse, beyond the con- offered to the Whigs. The polemical reputa-
. It will never take up tion of Lord PALMERSTON prevented that
test of moral subjects. result. Nor would he have ever afterwards
leas about it; the Home been thought of for Prime Minister but for the
to apply to it ; Lord accidents of war. He did not win the Premier-
the Duke of ARGYLL too ship—he dropped into it by chance.
SELL too " one by," Mr. Such, therefore, is one of the worst Ministers
, and the Ministry col- that England could possess at the present
perplex itself with such time. His acts, his speeches, his despatches
pray, good people of —not to allude to other writings of a non-
he Cabinet. It is weary ; official kind— are all remembered by the
Led ; its mind has got officials of the United States, and his policy
s are approaching, the unfavorably contrasts with that of Lord
isive, the Thames smells, CASTLEREG/i, the Duke of WELLINGTON, and
will soon be brown, and Sir ROBERT PEEL, on previous occasions, when
He wants a quiet nap, the amity of the two countries was endangered.
Infortable dose. Do not It is nothing to tell the Americans that our
ly yet ; it is only in the Foreign Secretary (I ord CLARENDON) is con-
nth century ; remember ciliatory even to timidity, when they know
up " about town" at the that our Prime Minister is Lord PALMERSTON.
lot press him too hard. The weakness of Lord CLARENDON'S character
o ; it would be unkind ; is no check upon the blustering explosiveness
nto its sofa, and put on of Lord PALMERSTON, who wishes to keep up
Sir. Bull, do not frown. his name as a War Minister. It would not,
mice. Only an entire accordingly, surprise us, if even now the Whig
ost. No other Cabinet party amongst us were meditating on the
such high gusto as the chances of a schism between Lords PAL-
MERSTON and CLARENDON. That there is a
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