The Press.
London, England, 1854-03-04 00:00:00

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for a real decision. It would be wise, he
urged, to wait until a certain messenger had
returned from Russia, bearing news which
should be decisive on the question of peace or
war. The time required for the passing of
financial measures had been uttderrated, acid
its extension was desirable. A delay LIMA
after the Easter holidays would give an oppor-
tunity to introduce the Scotch and Irish bills
as well as the English. Worse excuses were
never made by schoolboy ; yet to excuses like
these the House listened with patience, every
member present knowing as well as Lord Jont;
himself that the bill was shelved, and most
members knowing why and by whom. Mr.
HUME alone, in his octogenarian simplicity,
refused to adopt the popular belief. Warmly,
indignantly, the Nestor of reform protested
against the violation of pledges solemnly given,
and the abandonment of measures formally
introduced. Poor Mr. HUME ! so well versed
in politics, and so ignorant of politicians!
Could not your half century of experience
teach you that a Ministerial majority absolves
all offences, and that two years of office held
under false pretences may in some circum-
stances he a very good joke? But we mis-
take much if to Lord JOHN RUSSELL—who,
whatever his faults, is a man of honourable
mind—the " amiable credulity" of his vete-
ran supporter were not more painful than
the taunts and censures of his political an-
tagonists. For what reproach so bitter as
that of the friend who, naming the very act
which you are about to commit, says, " If I
believed you could be guilty of such a thing,
our acquaintance must end, but I know you
too well to think it possible?" The Minister
might afford to look down from the height
of an established reputation on such a critic
as Sir JOHN SHELLEY ; but the anticipated
condemnation of his oldest and most honest
ally must surely have cost him a pang. It
may be, indeed, that among those who cheered
his angry but feeble retort a large majority
were not the dupes but the accomplices of
his deception. But the people out of doors
have no such interested objects to serve; in
their eyes the delay of the bill means its
abandonment; to them there is nothing
laughable or admirable in the sight of par-
liamentary tergiversation ; nor do they see
with pleasure the self-immolation of a distin-
guished character before the altar, not of party
but of intrigue. Past quarrels should not be
revived ; but the assumption of superior
purity both provokes and justifies retaliating
criticism ; and the scene of last night could
not but recal to us the memorable words of
Mr. SIDNEY HERBERT, used eighteen months
ago, " If you wish to see a spectacle of humilia-
" tion (which God knows is always painful),
" look on the Treasury Bench!"

MONA STIC AND CONVENTUAL

INSTITUTIONS.

ON Tuesday last Mr. T. CHAMBERS moved for
a select committee to inquire into " the num-
" ber and rate of increase of conventual and
" monastic institutions in the United King-
" dom, and the relation in which they stood to
" existing law ; and to consider whether any,
" and if any what, further legislation was
" required on the subject." Lord JOHN Rus-
SELL, on the part of the Government, opposed
the motion, but it was carried against him,
chiefly in consequence of the calm, statesman-
like, and convincing speech of Mr. WALPOLE in
its favour.
It cannot be denied that a belief does exist
in England that all the inmates of convents
)t thr --tirely of their own free will ;
their position, not
the world, but as
ies have in par-
to prevent corn-
. the lady devoted
the world without.
unjust and desti-
t not be for the

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