The Express.
London, England, 1852-02-02 00:00:00

into either male may go far towards determining the
immediate Moue.

And hence the very natural anxiety expressed
by the great majority of the whip that a reconciliation
on any terms should be effected. The quarrel, they
nervously argue, was after all very much in the nature
of a personal one. At worst the offeifee committed
by their ••highly valued" (because highly formidable)
friend was one against discipline, not party. He
may have made a mistake; ho may, have been obsti-
nate iu error; he may have acted in a manner wholly
at variance with his previous professions, and in a
way calculated to compromise the character of the
country for national consistency in the face of tho
world. But what signify all these, compared with
the security and supremacy of unmixed whiggery in
power? Against the party Lord PALMERSTON has
not been accused ofhaving been guilty of any
offence; and by the party he is fully acquitted
accordingly. Nineteen out of twenty even of the
l'anticit's personal friends think and feel, moreover,
that whatever the actual fault of waywardness
or rashness may have been, the penalty in-
flicted in the shape of a summary and an-
cxplaiued dismissal ought to be considered as
an ample expiation; and the few among the
bureaucratic clique who are inadvertently betnived
in monwuts of excitement into saying what they
think, are said to have been heard 'to mutter some-
thing about " too bad," and " not fair," in connexion
with the Viscount's name. Certain it is that among
his former comrades and subalterns there are very
few who would not be delighted, on selfish grounds
were all others wanting, to have the luckiest mid
most laughing of leaders in their camp again.
This widespread a ish has no doubt been father to
the prevalent thought in certain circles that after all
"the banished lord" might return to the Treasury
bench ere long; and that meantime it
,has been
arranged not to make any public exposure of the
cause of quarrel, or if a show of tight there must
be at the opening of the session, it should only bo a
round fought with the gloves. A very pru-
dent notion unquestionably and one the ex-
pediency of which becomes more palpable every
hour. Never did a government stand more
in need of every help and aid it can procure.
After three months agitation regarding its pro-
mised measures, and negotiation iu order to obtain
new allies, it seems certain that if Lord JOHN Rue-
SELL ever meant to offer England a real Reform Bill,
the natural proportions of the measure have been
miserably cut down and crippled from what it was to
have been, and that the only step as yet taken by
way of improving the personal strength of the (ulna-
nistration is the promotion of Mr. Fox MAULE te the
presidency of the Board of ControL Ti, accomplish
this another "cruel eviction" has been rendered
necessary. Our old friend the Baron Baorcnrosi DE
GIFFORD now shares the fate of PALMERSTON, with
this difference, however, that nobody will ever think
of asking him to come back. Truly the Whigs are
singularly fond of performing the tragic part of the
ancient mariners of Tarsus. In 1835, they
threw Lord 111101.%11.431 overboard, beiicving
him to be the cause of all the storms
which they had to encounter. In 1839, the ocean
yawned again, and unhappy Lord GLENELO was
seized while fast asleep, and tumbled over the ves-
sel's side. In 1841 the venerable Lord PLusioxr
met with a similar fate ; last month witnessed the
violent expulsion of Lord PALMERSTON, and now we
witness the crowning, catastrophe of all, in the
forcible extrusion of that old Whig with a new title
—Lord BROUGHTON DE GYFFORD.

Whether this frequent recurrence to what may be
called clearance of offices, ri et armis, is to bo attri-
buted to arbitrary impatience on the part of Whig
prime ministers, or to imperturbable tenacity of place
on the part of their subordinates, wo do not here
inquire. But we must congratulate Lord JOHN on
having rid himself ut last of a colleague who had long
been a mere incumbrance.

But who is to go to the War-office? And who is
to be Paymaster of the Forces? Might not the
same individual discharge both functions—conjointly
—that is, always supposing that he shall bo a
man possessing what has been termed " that
somewhat indispensable appendage—a head!"
Without this qualification wu admit that it would
bean innovation without precedent, and might pos-
sibly lead to inconvenience, if the business of two
hall-sinecure offices Were concentrated in one. Lords
were not meant by Providence to do a day's work in
• day, no matter what the remuneration. A few
rare exceptions there are; but as • general rule, fools
of quality must not be put to do the work of men,
lest they should die of the pip, and so the world
come suddenly to an end. The organs of govern-
ment tell us that we may be nearer to a state of war
than we are apt to suppose. We doubt exceedingly
the truth of these prognostics; but if those who
order their " insertion daily," really believe in them,
they will give a wholesome proof of their sincerity
by putting some efficient and popular man into the
War-office. We should as little desire to see
it filled by a political laequey as by a stupid lord.
We beveled enough of both species of impostors.
The one is incapable of thought as the other is of
action ; and if there is, or is like to be, anything be-
yond a head ckrk's duty to be done in the depart-
ment, the public will expect to see somebody Owed
at its head who has shown himself capable of think-
ing and acting independently. In every case when
a change is to be made, the public must put in its
demand for the appointment of an efficient man.
There are still offices vacant, and still men in offioe
incompetent for duty. And the question arises—
Will the changes and appointments that ensue
include the re-enlistment of Lord PAUSE RSTON ?