The Press.
London, England, 1858-02-20 00:00:00

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No. 251.—V0L. VI. LONDON, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 20,1858.
STNMPEI) D
.. .. sTxpENry.
UNSTAMPE ..FIVEPENCE
... ,71,1•••••.•,....5d.....,1
Et Vrtss. diversion been judiciously treated. But evidently does not consider the abstinence
from growling and fighting as an element of
when confronted by his own weapons the .
infantine goodness. "It is his nature to," as
Premier was helpless. He succumbed at the pious lyrist hath expressed it; and through-
once to an attitude of menace and insolence, out his career, while the country has been
LONDON, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1858.
and has done his utmost to destroy those feel- buried in profound peace, and happily uncon-
ings of amity and cordiality with which
scious of his proceedings, ho has been fighting
little diplomatic battles on his own account,
France had been hitherto regarded. On the in which the words fleets and armies figured
LORD PALMERSTON has let slip an opportunity
probable result of last night's division it freely, and has accustomed himself so much to
of consolidating and purifying his reputation an atmosphere of hostility, that when guns are
would be premature to speculate. It is per- fired and blood is shed he is perfectly at
which may never occur to him again. A large
fectly obvious that as a Foreign Minister home. He sees nothing odd or abnormal in it.
amount of general popularity had long floated Not to legislate in time of war is equivalent in
Lord PALMERSTON has lost the confidence his mind to no legislation at all. These are his
round his name, but few of his admirers had
of the country. And as it was prin- real views. He did not become Prime Minister
been able to shake off an uneasy suspicion of till war was raging; he could not continue
his character. We need not now recall to our cipally in this capacity that it was Prime Minister if war ceased. If legislation
originally accorded to him, the issue and fighting cannot continue together, neither
readers' minds those various transactions with can Lord PALMERSTON and office.
foreign Powers which ,have of late years given would appear to be obvious. Whatever faults It is perfectly natural, therefore, that his
have been attributed to Lord PALMERSTON, it Lordship should wonder at those who desire
just offence to the people of this country. to prosecute the war with vigour, and yet de-
Butwas at least believed that the honour of this
indications have not been wanting that precate legislative interference at the same
whenever the Premier should be called upon country was safe in his hands. That article of time. That be himself affected to take the
same view on a similar occasion does not in-
to mediate between the British people and Our faith demolished, what remains? It is for fluence our judgment. That was a necessary
any first-class Power of whom they were Parliament and the public to return a deci-
manoeuvre, but these are his true sentiments.
We would Observe in passing that his reply to
traditionally jealous, he would be found un- sive answer. Mr. DISRAELI on the subject of a Royal Com-
equal to the task. His conduct in the case of mission was a sheer misrepresentation of that
gentleman's language. Mr. DISRAELI said that
Mr. CRAMPTON would not have been tolerated THE INDIA DEBATE. our policy ought to have been to send out a
had our quarrel been with any European State. Sout time must elapse before the Minister's commission when the rebellion was put down
—an opinion which was stated by Lord Par.-
But to the Americans we could afford some " Friends " who support the present Dictator- MERSTON as if it had been expressed in favour
sacrifice of dignity ; to the French, it must be ship can be seriously diminished in number. of sending one out while the rebellion was still
It is not in a single twelvemonth that men will raging.
said frankly, we cannot.
bring themselves to confess they have But it is, after all, the financial aspect of the
Yet it was still in Lord PALMERSTON new measure which ought to weigh more
'8
been duped. They will hope against hope, especially with the House of Commons The
power to have shown that our suspicions were and even when hope is gone, shame will pre- Premier's simple ipse dixit cannot be allowed
unfounded—to have proved that his diplo- vent them from avowing their real sentiments. to weigh against so probable a peril as Mr.
We are not, therefore, suprised to find the DISRAELI pointed out. If a Minister of the
'mule skill did not consist merely in the corn- Crown becomes answerable for an Indian loan,
same men who supported the Chinese policy will
monplace arts of insolence and subservience. of 1857 supporting the Indian policy of 1858• sibility from his colleagues? The creditor
lie had an opportunity of showing that he It is too early to expect that their eyes should will maintain that he " looked to " Govern-
could cope worthily with an antagonist of have been completely opened. Lord PALMERS- Tent in reality, whatever.his ostensible sesu-
ray. That he should do so is in accordance with
TON may, it is true, employ arguments on the
equal weight—that he could he firm and dig- all the laws which regulate similar transac-
present occasion exactly the reverse cf those tions. And on the other hand, if Parliament is,
nified without the employment of threats— by which he first sought to gain their confi- as Lord PALMERSTON alleged, to control Indian
that he could be conciliatory and temperate dence. He was then, like Moloch, for war, finance, they make themselves answerable in
public estimation for Indian deficits. To
without descending to servility. But in that and war alone. No change of policy could be
quote the case of railway companies and our
admitted while the sword was still unsheathed Australian colonies is wholly irrelevant. Is
calm self-possession which is inseparable from Civil amendments were quite incompatible there a Minister and Council of Australia?
true strength of character the Premier with a vigorous prosecution of hostilities. Does Parliament control the expenditure of
But the reasons which seemed so convincing railways? Ministerial advocates must indeed
has ever been deficient. Tho moment
to his admirers when applied to an unjust war be in a plight when such arguments as these
are thought worth adducing. The present
of trial came, and he failed miserably. His suddenly lose all force in their eyes when India Bill is a grand step towards centralisa-
well-preserved reputation crumbled to the applied to a just one. They ar3 still under Lion. Our railways and other companies are
dust at the first substantial touch. The people the spell of one of the most adroit mystifiers of
.alwaysl cited as instances that centralisation
public events that Parliament has ever known ; is alien to this English. spirit and unconnected
of England were indignant at the abuse of with English prosperity.
and, notwithstanding the inconsistency of his
their hospitality evinced by the Italian con• We cannot regard this aspect of the question
own language, and the weighty reasons for without the gravest apprehensio le
spirators, and they sympathised warmly with deliberation advanced by the Opposition, are of this country are already, d': ut
^ -
the position of the French Emperor. A silly still obedient to the whip. most. The income tax, w i ',. . ~
soon to shake off, is rivett .e . r
and impertinent ebullition of feeling in the For Lord PALMERSTON himself perhaps eel.. There is a deficit in the .41.saywer(u. fr.
French army turned for a moment the tide of tain excuses may be found. The Noble seven millions. The India
...: • ni1(0 w 34.0
paid its expenses for yea . . ,: . 11,-*
their sympathies. But these would soon have Viscount has never been in the habit of re broke out. This deficient • i''.,/„,, . ' to
garding war as an"accidental exigency." He
lowed back again had the cause of their
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