The Press.
London, England, 1856-08-30 00:00:00

LONDON, SATURDAY, AUGUST 30, 1856.

ABERDEEN'S Administration was framed on the
principle of " large measures" of Reform. Its
only large measur..l was the Russian war—a
war which ordinary firmness on the part of
the Britis.h Government would have prevented.
The relations of this country with the Conti-
nental Governments at the present time are
not such as to make us extremely satisfied
with the policy that gave occasion to the
contest.

The writers who suppose that an Opposition
is for ever to hold out bribes to the people to
assist them to overthrow the Administration
for the time, are profoundly ignorant of what
is the theory, and what ought to be the prac-
tice, of party government. There are times in
every nation's history when the battle of prin-
ciples languishes; when the party of change
is content with its gains, and the party of
Conservatism desires movement to consolidate
existing institutions. The line between parties
will not then be sharply drawn, and efforts
will not be wanting to efface their distinctive
marks and mix them together. Connection is
then 'a valuable bond to prevent a fusion
which would change government by party
into government by corruption, which would
subvert the loyal influences of traditional
principle and of old companionship, and leave
each politician to consult his own inclination
or interest; which would reduce the contest of
principles to the simple mercenary issue of
a strife between outs and ins—between those
who want to get, awl those who have to give.
Beyond the preservation of principle, it is
one purpose of an Opposition to keep a Go-
vernment in reserve. While an Opposition is
vigilant, the nation has its choice not only
between systems of policy, but between sets
of men. It is unquestionably for an Opposi-
tion to show capacity for affairs, and zeal for
the public interest ; but such capacity and zeal
may be shown in other ways—as they have
been shown by the Conservative Opposition
for years past—than by attempting to create a
rivalry for change, or by proposing great
schemes merely to dazzle the popular unnd.
In his best days, when in 1835 he resisted
the whole force of the Reform party, Sir ROBERT
PEEL triumphantly refuted the argument we
are now called on to repel. It supposes, he said,
that statesmen are ever to be on the look out
for change ; that they are to sink down into
mere agitators ; and are to excite storms that
they may be called on to guide them. This
never can be, and never will be, the policy of
Conservatism. Its strength, we say once for.all,
must consist, not in its biddings for .Demo-
cratic support, but in its principles, its con-
nection, its perception of public requirements,
and the capacity of its members for adminis-
trative business. It repudiates change for
the sake of change, or when it takes the
shape of hazardous experiment. But it is
false to attribute to it reluctance to improve-
ment.

Progressive Conservatism is no new thing,
as some persons affect to treat it. The Con-
servative spirit in this country, whatever
shape it has assumed, or in whatever party
forms it has been embodied, has always been
essentially progressive. We concede that no
party can stand at this time which does not
acknowledge that it has work to perform, and
which is not only willing but earnest to
effeot it. But there is a wide difference
between a disposition to ameliorate the social
state of our people, and to widen and confirm

STAMPED .... SIXPENCE.
UNSTAMPED..FIVEPENCE.

the foundations of our national empire,
and that heedless advocacy of great schemes of
change which the Conservative party is urged
to adopt.
In one respect, the hints of our opponents
may be useful. It, is for a party in Opposition
to survey, without passion or prejudice, the
actual state of affairs. Those of its members
who hope to rise to eminence must go through
that work which Mr. BURKE tells us he went
through to thoroughly acquaint himself with
the social and political state of the nation, and
which Lord STANLEY is practically going
through at the present time. If there be any
truth in the observations we threw out last
week, that the number of persons who take an
active interest in political questions, is from
various circumstances being gradually con-
tracted, it becomes a more urgent duty on the
part of professed politicians to devote them-
selves more earnestly to the study of politics.
They must rely less than heretofore on public
opinion, and more on themselves. They must
consider that in the absence of all political
excitement it rests with them to mould opi-
nion, and really to direct the policy of the
country. With so grand a task before them,
indifference would show want of capacity, or
want of inclination for political life. While
the public apathy lasts, the chances must be
greatly in favour of that party which ranks
among it the most vigorous, enlightened, and
best instructed minds.

"THE PRESS" MIND THE LATE SIR

ROBERT PEEL.
ON Monday last the. Morning Herald began a
leading article with the following sentence
:
THE PRESS. the champion of Sir Robert Fell.!- Does
not that fact at once account for the present weakened and
distracted state of the Conservative party?

Now, as it was only on Saturday last that we
corrected the errors of our contemporary con-
cerning a particular charge against Sir ROBERT
PEEL, it seems rather extraordinary thitt such
"championship " should be the cause of an
alleged state of things which for weeks past
our contemporary has told us existed for some
time! How could the fact of THE PRESS con-
futing on August 23rd the erroneous asser-
tions of a contemporary " account for the
" present state of the Conservative party," as
seen through the disordered vision of dim-
sighted observers? Even if THE PRESS had
been " the champion " of Sir ROBERT PEEL on
last Saturday, such " championship " could
not possibly have caused a state of things said
to be in existence long prior to the 23rd of
August. The logic of our contemporary is as
ridiculous as his narrative is erroneous.
It is not true that even in a single instance
THE PRESS acted as " champion " for Sir
ROBERT PEEL. The Herald, -ting

our arguments on Maynooth
answer them, ripped up an
charge against Sir ROBF.RT
matter of fact that which Si

time positively denied. Wt
R. PEEL was misrepresentel
by the Herald. It is n(
PRESS is, or was last week,

of Sir R. PEEL. In that
w•e stated that "we are

" the fame of Sir R. PEE:

in misrepresenting
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