The Press.
London, England, 1857-10-03 00:00:00

LIBERALISM IN ESSEX.

IN the world of politics, as in the world of
nature, we meet with striking opposites and
startling contrasts. It would be idle to hope
for either equality or uniformity. A man who
would keep pace with the current of events,
and be conversant with the ever•ehanging
phases of popular opinion, must neither be
dainty nor proud. He must not expect to be
always in communion with the learned, the
powerful, and the great. He must read much
that is dull, and listen to much that is insipid.
It is one of the conditions of a representative
form of Government that there should be
mediocrity as well as genius in public life—
that there should be adventurers as well as
statesmen, and demagogues as well as patriots.
It would he absurd to calculate upon a race of
Chathams or a generation of Burkes. We
must take the good with the bad, the rough
with the smooth. The stranger in the gallery
of the House of Commons receives painful
illustrations of this view. And so is it
in arenas less imposing than the Senate.
In one week you have to deal with Mr.
DISRAELI and Sir G. C. LEWIS, with BERNAL
OSIIoRNE and Sir EDWARD LYTTON. It is
something, doubtless, in this anxious season
to hear the opinions and become acquainted
with the policy of our great men—those who
form popular opinion and lead political parties
—the organs of the Ministry or the chiefs of
the Opposition. But we cannot always be in
this " seventh heaven." We must descend, and
oftentimes by a rough process and an abrupt
transition.

A

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This is the predicament in which we found
out selves when we began to read an account
of a recent gathering in Maldon. When we
discovered that the principal speaker was only
Mr. WESTERN, M.P., wo confess wo felt a
little appalled at what was before us. And ,
perhaps we should have given the matter a
" wide berth," had we not thought that,
as it appeared not only a local, but a county
meeting, not merely a personal, but a party
demonstration, it was a tribute due to the
loyal Conservatives of Essex to take some
slight notice of the Malden banquet.
It may not be a very flattering, but we sup-
pose it is a just, hypothesis to presume that
Mr. WESTERN is a type of the Essex Liberal.
In the greater part of hts address we feel no
earthly interest. It concerns us not to know how,
after some very damaging disclosures in the
committee of the House of Commons of the
means used to obtain him his seat, ho very
narrowly escaped ejection ; nor how ho had
baffled his enemies and chasrmed his friends
by presenting a frivolous and vexatious peti-
tion against his colleague, and been saddled
with the costs. All this is a matter of no
moment to us, however edit) ing as a political
autobiography. But there are one or two
portions of his general observations to which
we wish to refer as illustrative of the absurd
misrepresentations and the monstrous calum-
nies which a man even of this calibre can
palm off upon the credulity of the provincial
Liberal. One of these passages is that in
which he alludes to the disorganisation of the
Conservative party and the want of statesman-
ship among its leaders. We are to take it for
granted that this is the deliberate charge, not
of Mr WEs•rERN merely, for then we would
venture to pass it by, but of that connection
which constitutes Lord PALM E asTos's follow-
ing. He is its organ for the nonce, and how
does he prove his statement? He says there
were two occasions last session when
there was a demonstration on the part
of the Conservative body. The first
of these was on the Bill for admitting Jews to
Parliament, when Sir J. PAKINOTON " made
" a recantation of his principles." Now, we
Are not going to insult Sir JOHN PARINOTON
by defending him from the aspersion of being
either a bigot or a renegade. He can well
afford to treat it with contempt. But when a
man desires to prove that his opponents are
in a state of decrepitude and he in the zenith
of his strength, it is strange tactics to refer to
an occasion where they signally defeated him !
That Conservatism is defunct because the
Jew Bill was thrown out is not a syllogism,
though the Liberals of Essex may consider it
matchless logic ! Why did not Mr. WESTERN
puisue this line of reasoning further? He
might have done so with great effect. He
might have adduced the amendments on the
Divorce Bill, the Probate Bill, the successful
resistance to the motions on the Ballot, Pro-
perty Qualification, and the Irish Viceroyalty.
He might have cited the Act on the super•
annuation tax, carried against the whole weight
of the Government. He might, we say, have '
produced all these and other cogent proofs
that the Ministry is triumphant, and the Op-
position extinct!
to Mr WESTERN'S allusion to Mr. DISRAELI'S
memorable speech on India we regret to find
a still m significant want of candour. He
may not have understood Mr. DISRAELI—that
is more than probable—but. although we might
deal more tenderly with obtuseness, we can-
not pardon disingenuousness. What is his
indictment against Mr. DISRAELI ? He ac-
cuses him of promulgating ":a plan for crippling
the local authorities in India, for taking up a
penitential tone with the natives, and issuing
a Royal proclamation to inquire into their
grievaeces.' Now, did Mr WESTERN really
believe this when he said it? If he did not,
we forbear to offer any homily upon his con-
duct; if he did, we have nothing left but to
compassionate his ignorance.
The Liberals of Essex may beliCie- what
they please. They do not seem to be cast in
a mould which promises much influence to
their opinion; but the country is not so easily
duped. The country has formed a very dif-
ferent estimate of Mr. DisitAzas most able
and sagacious statement upon 'the Indian
crisis. They see in it not only great intellect