The Press.
London, England, 1857-12-05 00:00:00

ytlA,
tion. But subj,
Legislature such is far from being the case.
With them non progredi est regredi in its most
literal sense. The cries of our murdered
countrymen still ring in our ears. The
murmurs of unemployed workmen are growing
loader and louder. And the Government
assembles Parliament on the 3rd of December
to appoint a Select Committee !
It is to be lamented that at this almost un-
paralleled emergency so few of those men
whom the nation is accustomed to respect
should be found in the ranks of Government.
However competent to the ordinary routine of
business, nobody would have named Mr. V.
SMITH and Sir G. C. Linvis as the men calcu-
lated to deal with any extraordinary pressure
in their respective departments. Neither
belong exactly to that class of minds which
retrieve national credit or subdue revolted
empires. The full extent of their inefficiency
time only can reveal ; but it is certain that the
former of these two gentlemen has during the
recess astonished even persons accustoms' to
the little wisdom by which India has hitherto
been ruled. Of Lord PALMERSTON we would
fain speak gently. He is an old man. For
fifty years he has been conspicuous in public
affairs ; and if sometimes failing in dignity
and sometimes in discretion, he has never for-
feited his reputation • for ability. • But it was
the misfortune of Lord PALMERSTON to enter
public life before he was of an age to make up
his mind upon any of the great questions of
political philosophy. Almolt Incessantly occu-
pied from his first entry into 'Parliament, the
Noble Lord never had leisure 'to repair this
defect until his mind • had lost'. the ;plia-
bility requisite for the reception of new ideas.

were afraid to face Parliament with a scheme
of legislation which they knew must be crude
and superficial. If, however, we wanted any
further proof, Lord GRANVILLE'S language is
unmistakeable. He openly says that Minis-
ters will not incur the responsibility of pre-
scribing for our financial sickness. • Quidquid
dicam aut erit aut non. Charter or no charter,
'tis the same thing to him. He could not pos-
sibly be more oracular. But whether his re-
sponse will be deemed satisfactory by the
country is a different question. What should
we think of a physician who after pocketing
his fee insisted on delegating his functions to
the parish doctor? Indications have not been
wanting that the investigation of our Indian
disasters will, if possible, be evaded. Minis-
ters think wisely that what they are not strong
enough to do thoroughly they had better not
attempt,at all. Her Majesty's allusions to the
subject were couched in the vaguest possible
terms, and feelers have been thrown out to
sound the state of public opinion, and aseer.
tain how farit would be safe to baulk public
indignation and shirk Ministerial responsi-
bility. While, lastly, can any one believe that
the mention of Representative Reform was
taked on to the Royal Address for any other
reason than that the Premier was afraid to
leave it out? The recognition of the subject
was cold and distant. It was evidently an
unpalatable intruder—endured, but not
welcome.
Not that we believe Lord PALMERSTON'S
aversion to Reform is based on any rational
dislike of innovation. But he does not under-
standthe subject. And shoulditeverbecomethe
question of the day, others would take the

either
plained away, thp decision to call Parliament
together was announced by the Ministerial
journals, and a grand programme of its in-
tended proceedings was launched forth. Great
were to be its congratulations on our entire
success in every point ; the largest rewards
were to be lavished on the heroes who bad
produced it ; an Indian loan was to be imme-
diately issued so as to put the Calcutta
Government in ample funds ; and, finally, the
East India Company was to be utterly
swept away. Such were the announcements
made in the Post and the Globe, and what we
must henceforth take leave to call the mis-
leading journal. But all men are " the crea-
tures of circumstances," aid of none could
this be predicated more correctly than of those
who are now placed at the head of our affairs.
What might have been proposed in a moment
of triumph they dare not venture oven to
whisper in the hour of gloom ; so the whole
work regarding India for the present resolves
itself into voting a pension of a thousand a
year to HAVELOCK"
Government and e•

poned to a future da,
to what is then ii
refused, and Ministe

which Lord DERBY
cedented, and wl
to the Sovereign
itself. For they
month of her Nfajes%,
decline to give the
fact, degrading

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N0.240.—V0L.V. LONDON, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5,1857.
STAMPED ....SIXPENCE.
lINSTAMPED..FIVEPENCE.
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(117 e V rtss. It was probably a consequence of this that he lead out of his hands. This is the secret of his .
, ,
never attained to a leading place in the coun- concealed opposition to Reform, and is what
,• 1
cils of his Sovereign till past the ordinary age adds fuel to the Cabinet disagreements on the
of man—that he has never risen to comprehen- topic. But we must never forget that oppo- ..
sive views of affairs, and has remained to the sition based solely on motives of seltinterest 'i
LONDON, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5, 1857. last only a political empiric. His practical is liable at any moment to be changed into
energy, which might once have fitted him to advocacy. If his Lordship should once ,
superintend the pacification of India, and the imagine that more danger might be incurred
reputation of which raised him to his present by thwarting Mr. LOCKE KING, or Mr.
eminence, is now broken ; and he seeks in vain, ROEBUCK, than even by submitting to a
A TRIPLE crisis in our public affairs has by the indulgence of untimely mirth, to inspire contrast between himself and more amens•
demanded the interference of Parliament two his supporters with confidence, and to per- plished statesmen, he would yield that instant.
months earlier than their ordinary period of suade them that flippancy and giddiness pro- We sincerely believe there is no proposition of
meeting. Never was there greater need of teed from a consciousness of strength instead Reform, even to the total disrnpture of our
of being a confession of weakness. But even social system, from which he would with-
deviation from the ordinary routine. Butchery could we believe that these unseemly exhibi- hold his assent. Lord GRANVILLE, we must
and dishonour abroad have been aggravated tions of levity were but the wantonness of remember, spoke with more decision than his
by ruin and starvation at home ; and to the power, instead of being, as they are, the efftt- chief. And we trust the united Conservative
tail of these troubles, as if not long enough sions of senile incontinence, the present mo- party will continue on their guard against those 1
ment is surely no time for such displays. Is artful rumours of the Premier's Conservative
already, Parliamentary Reform is appended. it the part of an English Minister to snap tendencies thrown out only to disarm sus-
The distinguishing characteristic of her his fingers and to crack his jokes in the midst picion till the moment for action shall arrive.
~1
Majesty's Speech, delivered on Thursday last, of imperial calamity, and to escape the The future government of India, the regu-
is the pressing nature of the topics to which it serious discussion which such events demand, lation of the currency, and the representation
but which he himself dreads, by provoking of the people are three important subjects on \
„
is addressed. Two out of the three are not his audience to laughter of which they must which the people of England are now looking
only of the highest importance, but demand be heartily ashamed? for sound and final legislation. It is clear that ...
immediate action. There are many questions The combination of difficulties now before something must be dote. Are the 5
3:4
both of foreign and domestic policy seariely, us would tax the abilities of a Cabinet each to whom these questions have been t=
if at all, inferior in essential weight to the member of which had special qualifications the men to do it ?
for the task demanded of him. How touch .
raliditelhmi of Iltasaltfiiillotattietatat of the our- more so the present one! Does, Ate deeded -
rem, which admit of delay without injury to of Ministers, then, evince any emiticiousriess MORE INCAPACITY ON INDIA.
thelitate. Education, criminaljurisprudence, of this unfortunate posture of affairs? The A SHORT time ago, when the telegram had
the whole financial question to a
and military organisation are subjects, for in- reference of brought us, with the news of the fall of Delhi,
select committee, which, it is admitted even
stance, in which the suspense of ayear or two is by the Ministerial organs, can elicit no fresh accounts of the triumphant relief of Lucknow,
not fatal—which may be dropped and taken up evidence, and which is but a superfluous and the entire suppression of the rebellion in every
again without taxing the enerOielsi of Parlia- servile imitation of the course adopted in quarter, and a variety of other interesting par-
ment by the necessity of instantaneous solu- 1847, looks very much as if Ministers did not ticulars which the subsequent letters and
Lion. But with the subjects now before the feel themselves at ease upon the subject. and .
.- •., , r___ 1.),...1;,„.„„,4. „Ai), a „,,1,„„,,,, journals from India either negatived or ex-

IC; loans and changes of
:verything else • -•
day. Eve*
intended )s s ) z.
itershave
r justly de,,
rhich is •••/:
9 it ~have putx. ••••
sty
the meatiqig • trl
the Roy-al •