The Express.
London, England, 1855-02-02 00:00:00

IMPERIAL P.

by merely violative feelings—(hear)—mak a government,
as seen as these real objects of the war have been attained,
will listen to the dictates of humanity sad of taw policy,
and will Ica no time in realising the advantages of pesos
so soon as they an honourably come to that cionelasion.
Hy lords, I do not know that I have any ream to detain
you further. I have merely risen to mouses the fat,
which your lordships will have already anticipated, that we
only hold alms till our sumemers are appointed. (Hear.)
The Duke of NEWCASTLE—I can :mike year lord-
ships I wish that I could, ea this arealoa, follow the usual
soma of ministers who tender their resignation, and eon-
tent myself with the 'animations that have been gives by
my noble friend late at the head of the government. There
are two reasons why I wish, for however short a time, to
trouble your lordships, while I depart from this and pru-
de*. In the Amt place, my lords, it would have been my
duty, under any chatmetaaces, had I been present, what-
ever might have been the reeult of the division in the Howe
of Commons, to have made a statement la say own behalf.
Bat there is another reason why, la answering the speech
of my noble band (Earl Grey) the last time the house met,
with referent* to the coustruotlon of the war department,
I sated to your ladshine that cm this occasion I should
wish to make a personal statement. That is, in soar
quince of another statement, which was made in the other
house, by the noble lord, late the President of the Council,
which I mum but feel has so materially afforded my peal•

HOUSE OF LORDS.-THUBSDAT, Fla 1.
Tbs Loan Czawczza.oa took his scat o the woolsack

at 5 o'clock.
There was a large attendants of peen, sad the galleries
appropriated for Miss and members of the Rouse of Co-
inous, so well as the. spaces around the throne, were well
Ailed.
The ex-ministers occupied their venal oats. There were
present the Berl of Aberdeen, the Dab of Nematode, the
Date of Atoll, Earl Grassille, and the Earl of Clareadea.
IMPRISONMENT FOE CONTEMPT.
Lord BROUONAM presented a palsies tram Obarlons
Jones, of Merthyr,Tydvil, wheat liegieulldlsci as "IS Ili
woman," who, for some asialsolimi amyl at Imre,
bad been imprisoned fora eassaabaubialisa.
The LORD CHANCELLOR. was isisielsoi to say that
a bill wea mpreparation which would lead to an eland.,
of the whole law at this sabject.

THE MINISTERIAL CRISIS.
The Earl of ABERDEEN rose,
_sad spoke am follows
My lord". after the vote of the How of Commons on
Monday night, your lordships will readily imagine that her
Majesty's ministan at once resolved to plan their naive-
trans in her Majesty's hands. I therefore was commis-
tiontd by the whole of the members of tbe government, to
take their resignations, for the purpose of laying them be-
fore her Majesty, who was graciously pleased to accept
them. We therefor* now only bold oar olSen until our
successors shall be appointed. My lords, I wish to say that,
in opposing the vote of Monday night, and in thinking it in
some degree unconstitutional in itself and liable to many
objections otherwise, it is not my desire, nor that of any of
my colleagues, to parent any inquiry into our con-
duct. An impartial inquiry, I believe, would fully stab.
Bah that no iadifferome has eziated to the wants of our
army in the Crimea, or any angina of erotica
sad preparation for the .supply of those wants and the
araissey of the onditios of our troops. This, therefore, I
Where will be the result of any impartial inquiry into that
subject; and especially I oust emmider my noble friend
near me (the Dake of Neweastle) to kart mot with great in-
justice. It is my conviction that his cooduet, the more it is
inqalred into, will be found marked by a degree of assiduity
and labour, attention and interest to the duties of his office
which has been exceeded by any one who had filled
that department. I am not at all surprised at the feeling
which generally prevails throughout the country. (Hear,
hear.) The public,:althougb;theyttnay net moos anenrately
Piet vitally and feel strongly. They sot that Watteau,
have occurred which it was beyond the power of the SOW
minders employed to prevent; and they very naturally
tarn to the government u an object of censure, as offering a
mark for their disapprobation. I make no complaint of
this. I think it perfectly natural ; and I submit to the na-
tural con.rquence. Bat, my lords, when I speak of
the sufferings and privations which oar troops have endured

don as a public mu, that I feel it incumbent upon me.
however inconvenient, and however personally inespable
may be, to make some co:planation' to your lordships. My
lords, no man can feel man than I do the ineonvesienee of
thrusting upon parliament or upon the public what I may
call domestic differences between colleagues in a sables;
even at the moment of separation. But, my lords, in the
speech to which I have referred the noble lord (Lord J.
Buseell), placed the justification eats course he had taxon
almost so ezeissively upon my aseeptanes of and upon my
enbesquentamtiattanes in the Secretaryskip of the War De-
partment, that I feel it necessary to state to your lordship
some omissions which were made by the noble lord, sad some
ezplanations ocesequent upon the words which fell from
him. The noble lord said, in one of the letters which he
addressed to my noble friend at the had of the govern-
ment, and which he read to the other house, that when the
two Secretaryship of State were divided, he yielded to my
strong wish that I should occupy the war department,
thereby undoubtedly implying that he had been opposed to
that arrangement, that he had remonstrated against it, and
had been overruled. My lords, I venture to say that such
was not the case ; and if now I presume to offer any ex.
planation with reference to what took place in the cabinet,
I beg to say that I have followed the proper course, and
have applied to my sovereign foe permission to make thus
uplanatioas, without which, in virtue of the obligation
which rests upon all privy councillors, I should have been
precluded from doing so. My lords, in the cabinet in which
it was deeided that the two offices of Secretary of State for
the Colonise and Secretary of State for War should be
divided, a discussion took place, in which 1 felt it
my duty to point out to the cabinet the diffi-
culties which would follow upon that separation,
unless, before it was made, the duties of the new secretary-
ship were accurately defined, and some definite plan was
laid down. (lies:, hear.) And I stated at that time to the
noble lord that I thought he, in advocating that measure,
ought to have provided as with a definite plan. I told him
that I was encembered at that moment with two such
laborious °Mesa that I had really no time to consider the
organisation of the department, and that I regretted that,
before the measure was adopted, some definite plan had not
been laid down. But the noble lord szpressed his opinion
that, in defenses to the wishes of parliament, that step
should be immediately taken. It was determined upon by
the cabinet ; and I am sure the noble lord mat admit that,
se far from his being considered to assent to my wishes,—l
appeal confidently to any of my late colleagues who ait near
lee whether, at the conclusion of that discusdon, my last
words were not those :—" The cabinet having now decided
that the two secretaryship shall be divided, all that I can

is the Crimea, I ;set my that the impress stations whisk
have been node Dave been very greatly esaggeratied. I do
not under-rate individual safferlag—far from it ; for I know
that it ha. existed in the army to • degree that has bun
most painful and distressing. What I OW= is, u to the
inhume that is to he drawn with respect to oar military
position. This, I think, has been grossly exaggerated. My
lords, I see no cense whatever for discouragement or dismay
Is looking at that position. Oa the contrary, I see every
reason to indulge senguioe hopes of ultimate mum Ice
the first place, the condition of oar own forces hes been re-
cently greatly Improved. Stores, provisions, all appliaages
have been recently increased, and have very much tended
to improve the actual conditioa of oar foram. My lords, the
Emperor of the French has recently addressed the kill&
tine body of that country, and has told Humps that his
army consists of 681,000 men. Sines t►at time,
he has ordered an additional levy of 141,000. With
each a force se this, animated by the determined sal with
which he has espoused the cause in which we are both
engaged, I way that that is a fora which, if employed in
any degree is the man proportion that we have devoted
oar own army to the service, must entitle as to look with
great confidence to the success of such an enterprise. My
lords, we have very recently concluded a treaty with the
King of Sardinia, ►y which is placed at our disposal, for
immediate embarkation to the Crimea, a force of 15,000
admirable troops. to be placed under the command of Lord
Raglan. That is • most admirable and important addition
to our forces. Is addition to this, my lords, we have con-
cluded a treaty with Austria; and our engagements with
that state are sow brought to that point from I'M& the
most important advantages may be confidently expected.
My lords, we have come to an understanding with the
Austrian governmeat on the terms of peace to be proposed
to the Emperor of Russia. Her Majesty has agreed to adopt
those proposals, and the Russian minister has accepted, or
professed to accept, those conditions, so proposed,
so understood, by the allied powers. Austria has
also eng'ged that, if these terms be not accepted,
and do not lead to the mutation of a peace, she will
be prepared to join her military efforts with our own.
Now, my lards, you are hers is the alternative of a peace
which will secure all the objects for which we are contend-
ing, or which will ensure the assistance of that great mili-
tary power whose army is now raised to the amount of
600,000 men. With these pros jects, my lords, it is Lupo'.
aible for me to entertain apprehensions—unworthy appre-
hensions (bear, hear)—from those casualties to which all
armies are liable. This, my lords, is our military prospect.
I shall not at this time detain your lordships by any view
of the state in which the country is placed at the present
moment, in respect;of its domestic afire. I might revert,
nadoubtedly, to what bus been accomplished is the sun*

say is that, so far as lam personally concerned, I am
perfectly ready to retain either or neither." (Hear, hear.)
My lords, that is my strong wish which bee been spoken of
by the noble lord. I can only is, that, in any discussion
of which I heard, I never understood for one moment that
the noble loud had expressed any desire that my noble friend
Lord Palmerston should occupy the war department. I
did hear—eada was informed by my noble friend lately at
the head of the government—that, for a time at least, the

noble lord Masai bad contemplated the possibility of Lord
Grey taking the department; and most undoubtedly if that
had been the ease, I never for an instant should have

thought of standing in his way. But I should wish it is be
distinctly understood, and I will say, that I not only did
not express a strong wish to continue in the war depart-
meet, but that I expressed my 7011111111 MI to retain either or
neither of those offices, as my colleagues might think best
for the public service, and might advise her Majesty. I do
not at the same time hesitate to say that when, to the best
of my belief and knowledge, no other member of
the cabinet was put forward to occupy either,
I did not shrink from the duty, assuming that,
as I certainly did feel, I should have been found unworthy,
having held these seals for three months, if I then shrunk
from what I knew to be a post of difficulty and danger.
When I say a post of difficulty and danger, there are many
of my private friends in this house and elsewhere who know
the observation which I made to them, when told fre-
quently by them that I had done unwisely is leaving a de-
partment where they were kind enough, perhaps ptejudiced
enough, to say I had gained some slight reputation. My

of the last few years, embracing various measures of mush
importance ; especially I might advert to that solid system
of finance established by the wisdom and npported by the
torivalled eloquence of my right hon. friend the
Chancellor of the Exchequer, by which the pro,-
psrity of this country, notwithstanding the state
of war, has . been maintained undiminished, and
all its transactions, commercial and domestic, have been ear.
Tied on without interruption. I might also refer to the
condition of her Majesty's navy. I might not only advert
to the condition of that navy, but to the administration by
which it has been brought to the condition in which it is
at this moment. I am not aware that a single objection his
been, or can be, brought spinet the administration of the
navy. My lords, I have already instanced examples of
the success of our foreign policy in the advantageous
treaty which we have concluded with Sardinia, giving an
immediate accession of such a valuable force, and the impor-
tant treaty with Austria. That is enough to show your lord-

swutotheia eras this, without retereaee to the Colonial-

Ice—" I am well aware of what I have done; I know
that in this new department, whatever success may attend
our army, I shall never derive any credit; bat this I also
know, that if there should be disaster, upon me alone will
come the blase and the public indignitics." (Hear, hear.)
My noble Mend opposite, who is generous enough to teem,
is one of the friends to whom I made that dr
serration. My lords, I think I Ism said iamb to
prove to your lordships how unjust hays boss the
Icomplaints which have been made, in parliament
and elsewhere, of my presumption and my sell
love, which bighted apes keeping this aloe. I hope I have
@efficiently ezplalned to your lordships the conduct which
has been characterised by some as arrogance, and by the
noble lord to whom I have referred, in the more patronising
phrase of " oonunendable ambition." (Hear, hear.) My
lords, I will parnover in the eorrespondence the letter which
the noble lord (Hassell) addressed to my noble friend late
at the head of the government, on the 18th of November,
in which he mys, " It was my intention, in writing the
letter, to avoid throwing any blame upon the Deb of
Newcastle; indeed, I think he deserves very peat credit
for the roadie= he has made." I do not wish to dwell
use this letter, or to attach any importance to it, because
the nab lard has himself stated, in the speech to which I
have millanod, that in reality we must consider that letter
as map what our friends on the other side of the Atlantic
Ow phased to call " soft sawder "—(a laugh) ;—and
la has stated, when he spoke in those terms of
Ilk that my removal from office was his object. Si
weir, 'writer ; se MIN guomingot mode. (Hear, leer.)
I have said that the noble lord his read extracts.frem them
letters which have rendered it absointsly neesseary for me
Meth to asks eseensents and to give OW extracts to en-
glostba. New, my lords, I mast but feel surprised,
tibia the whole gist of the aside burs geed was to repe-
al* Ile astillimilebill lasso and meshed to retain it
emit int ihst enspdesd eat be did not quote the
Mowing seals= hen the WM of ray noble friend on
the 21st of Nate tier, in answer is that which he had re-
oohed. The way beginning of that letter was in these
Words : " I have shows your letter to the Duke of New-
tootle, and site In Maw Herbert. They,both—es might
have boss apastsg—streegly urged me to adopt say such
wrianganset, with respect to their oilers, as might be most
seadeefte to the public service." (Lead cheers.) My
lords, I have slows you that I did not insist apes holding
the nab of the yeast department ; and when say noble
Mead (Loyd Aberdeen) pissed that letter le ray hands,
my immediate answer was: " Don't give Lord John
Mason any pretext for (pails' this goverment. (Laughter.)
Oa no aosonat resist his wish to remove sae frees ay eMee.
De with Ise whatever is beet foe the public tarries. (Lend
theses in both sides of the house.) In. that way you with
NM* us suet; is that way yea will be serving the QOM II
Wt." (Chests.) My lords, the ant madame in whist' I
as obliged to quote from the speech of the noble lord is
mhos, having read a portion of one of the lettere of ay
sate hind, he awl these words, " I then went on to give
sem instances of woes whieli had been sontaitted." Now,
By leads, the impression predassd upon the postaie mind
was, of mum that these ernes were of a grave Amster,
1
lint upon this hod lisped the lately of sun troops in the
Moss, sad perhaps ill the esesetioness that we have

ship the proof of our exertions, sad the successful result of

the negotiations of my noble friend near roe, the Secretary of
State, for the Foreign Department. (Hear, hear.) The
treaty with Austria especially has been throughout con-
ducted with a degree of ability, and caution, and prudence,
which, in my experience, extemire as it is, has been nn-

equalled. And hate I think it right to gap
that we have fall reason to place the muse
entire confidence is the consistency sad pod faith
of the Austrian government. Pima the fink
without disguising their ardent desire to pause pose;
they have sever proposed to do that by the =Win of asy
ethos* great Earopsan interests In the ardaismume of
which we were all engaged. And Wirehair. I *Mk. haw-
ing proceeded with such good faith, with is* miatios Is
they have done throughout the whole of this insoislim.l6lll
that we have a right to rely upon their dimness and their
adherence to the common cause for the Mare. My bads,
have said that I will not refer to any 111/16111/10 of the late
goversment, however important they may have beta; bat
I may mention that, even last year, which was set so bait.
fel is legislative measures as the year piesediag, severtha
less many meet admirable lassearee were passed, whisk
were quits esilleleat to maintain the character the gams-
meat had already attained. It is 'sough that they IrM be
duly estimated in Mare. My lords, the present want of
the watatry is a strong goversmest. (Hear, hear.) Hew
that is to be acquired is set for me to say. Bs.
most has iodised, very mandestly, to the Debi.
sari opposite (Derby) the bosom of having bees
leguested by her Majesty to sadertake the forma.
ties of an admisistraties. fleeing him In Ms pls... I
will sot anticipate the statement which be so doubt will
make. I will only say that the secessitg exists; sad I 1111
maddest that her Majesty may rely en the pairislies of
these who may be called epos. (Hear.) Ima only my,
*a myself, and, I believe, for my colleagues Mee Sher vast
any 'dadaist:allot that is called into mistime, sad yid*
shill present itself fee the approbation of pirlientest.lmid
Tessim that sweet which in the pretest aids is so
tiepatly required by the great Mamas that are at stake.
To myself, I sea 'sly add that the ...soden to power of
tie aubh 'Melt% ter may ether man, will set istorfere
with any Mews of alas. I de trait whatever the ga
woman% may be, that they will carry ea this war with
Wider, with sem, used with a Mew
*sly to the legitimises
41Sii of all - -
hominids
by buPiPiad
beim, diveitid

fn red On Monday sight. The business of the military da-
wns egostabod la a latter of the noble lord dated the .been "flied on develd be regulated and to which I ro-
of November: " I will give you an intones bat too preg-
nant with warning. Belly in Oeteber, I wrote to the Bake part. **ate had Peoehrosly been carried on by the heads of
of swami,
as the wiliest of transferring the ofth Beg/. th,m, departments, who met at my office, somewhat is the
an the. at the Finns to the Crimea. He informed ma form of .• hoard, though not with the strict formality of
in answer, that he had obe wished to de so, and that be one. It n'es proposed, therefore, that greater formality
Order in Council That board
an .
had ohs wished to seal between 2,000 and 3,000 ma, the should be g.'ven to it, and that it should be constituted
of miens roginsate, the Crimea. Now why either by e auto or
"phi nal able to carry hit inteliffies into effect ? Because was to sought os. the secretary of State for Were the
NM set reams the ebstaeles put in his way by ether Lary at War, the Commander-fin-Chief, and the Master-
asportments, and bows* the Prime Minister did not at General or the Ordnance. The noble lord said that this
lOW evarsomas those abalniss. At a much later time, the question had been brot•ght before the cabinet, and that it
qth he. WPM, and his only to-day that I see by a tele- had been decided adverse ;Y to his opinion. Now, my lords,
"aphis 'impish hem Lard Stratford, dated on the 18th a proposal was brought forward by the noble lord himself,
last., en the Grimm (which conveys that regiment) had which was agreed to ; and we had every reason to believe that
loft Coostaainapn hr the Crimea. But, in the meantime, the noble lord was an entirely coosentiag party. i.lut in the
Lard Begin imi imported that he wished he had been able coarse of the evening • proposal was seat by the noble lord
M plum la the podia of Balaklava, on the 26th of October, to ray noble friend ; and as it is of soma importance to
a more eneidelabla fine; and also, that on the 6th of my CAW, I will road it to your lordships :
November, the WOO of lakermann were defended by no " Agin Dreaarv---
soon than 8, Doltish infantry. What can be done by a
single British regiment was seen on the 6th of October,
when the 93rd alone saved the position of Balaklava by
nob firmness and gallantry. Had 6,000 more men been at
Lord Raglan's disposal en the 26th of October and the
6th of November, how much more fruitful, though not
more (Won, might have been those memorable days."
Then were the errors which I was supposed to have soar
atittod ; end now let me give the orpiment. of Mosel
anon, which I gave to the noble lord in writing ea balk
ossaskan And lint, with regard to the 97th Regiment. I
Wormed him that several days before I had received his,
letter, it had bean my desire to send forward that noble
regiment to aid Lord Raglan in the Crimea ; but that I hat
applied to my noble friend the Secretary for Foreign Allis
to know whether it would be safe to move that regimen
from the Firma, and whether the objects for which it had
ban sent thither had been sufficiently attained. In
arm to my question, say noble friend produced a letter,
10110 I rather think he had received that very day, In
cosh the most mown stress was laid upon the mainte-
maim of the British and French force in the Firms; and
in which my noble friend was told that if it wee withdrawn
the reneguinm which it had been sent to prevent would
immediately occur. Now, will any man maintain that a
Secretary for War, alter having received such a statement
from the Foreign Minister, would hays been justified
in removing that regiment, at all hazards, from the
Firma,, and sending it to the Crimea ? [Hsu a
Peer made a remark.] The noble lord says :
that it was subsequently removed. It was subsequently
removed, beaus some few weeks afterwards my noble
friend, whom I had earnestly pressed to let me know the
first moment when a change might take place, informed me
that although it would be impossible to part with the mili-
tary fora it might be somewhat reduced. On receiving
that statement, I immediately desired General Farms,
the general commanding at Malta, to select one of three
regiments of 600 men which he considered, from the qualifi-
cations of the officers, to be the fittest for the service, and to
send it to the Firma, in order that the 97th, the strength of
whisk was 1,000 men, might go on to the Crimea. The sp-
end error of which the noble lord complained was this,—
I was desired by him to send out two or three thousand
drafts to the Crimea; but there wen two renew', which I
explained to the noble lord, why those drafts should not be
sant. First, Lord Raglan had written to say that the last
drafts wore so young that when exposed to cholera,
which at that tints prevailed, they had rapidly fallen sick
and died ; and he therefore deprecated, unless
subsequent pressure should arise, the sanding out of
those drafts until they should have grown more ma-
tare. The second reason was, that at that
time we had exhausted all the steam transports. Others
were of wane daily expected from the colonies and other
parts of the world; but at that moment the Admiralty was
sot able to supply tts with transports, in which to convey
ems troops. I say, therefore, my lords, that it is perfectly
teas that these " errors," as the noble lord has called them,

" Jan. 22, 1855.
0. TIN committee of the Route of COIIII2IORII on army sad
navy expenditure recommended that the army departments
should be simplified and consolidated. What is now pro-
posed is. that there should be a board of Secretary of
State ; 2 Secretary at War ; S. Mester-General of Ord-
nance • 4. Commander-in-Chief; 6. Inspector•Oeneral of
Fatheads''s. It is contemplatsd that there shall exist at the
same time a Board of Ordnance, consisting of—l. Thablaster-
General ; 2. Th. Storekeeper-General; 3. The Surveyor.
General ; 4. The Clerk of the Ordnance; under whoa di-
rection the Inspector-General of Fortifications will remain.
It seems obvious that these two boards, acting at one and
the same time, Instead of consolidation and simplification,

would produce complication, disorder, and day. There
are but two modes by which unity of direction
and rapidity of action can be procured. The one
is to gire the Secretary of State the entire direction of
all 'meting °dices and boards connected with the army ;
the other as to maks a board, with the Secretary of State
at the head, absorbing the Board of Ordnance, and con-
trolling the whole civil and military management of our
military force. The constitution of this board and its func-
tions would be:

" 1. The Secretary of State, to preside over the board
and be responsible to parliament.
" 2. The Secretary at War, to pay the army and control
its finances

" 3. The Master-General of the Ordnance, to arm the
army and the navy.
" 4. The Commander•in-Chief, to command the army.
" 6. The Clerk, Storekeeper, and Surveyor of the Ord-
nance, all in one, to lodge the army.
"6. The Commissary-General, to clothe and feed the
SZOly.
" This is nearly the Duke of Richmond's plan.
" J. Rueszu.."

The noble lord said be had no reason to think that his
views would be adopted by the cabinet. But when the
noble lord says that, I can most positively state that I have
Ino reason to think that his views would have been rejected
by the cabinet—(cheers)—bean the first step which
my noble friend took on receiving the communication from
the noble lord, after showing it to my right hon. friend the
Secretary at War, was to send it to me. In my answer I
said that there were but two points on which the noble lord
differed from my right hon. friends in the cabinet. One of
the two was that he wished that there should be a new
board, absorling the Board of Ordnance, and having two
additional members. I said that I thought this principle
manifestly right, for as I was not very fond of beards, I
thought it would be proper to institute a superior board,
and do away with the inferior boards. As to the second
point, the two additional members, I doubted whether one
of them should be added, and as for the other, there was no
such officer as commissary-general. Formerly there was en
officer called the commissary-in•chief, but that office was

abolished many years ago. I believe that so far from the
noble lord having reason to complain that his
views connected with the war have not been
carried into effect, I have already stated that I
knew of no preposal of his which was rejected;
and I may equally say that I know of no objection of his
which wuoverrnled. (Cheers.) I aced hardly say that
upon such important questions as the conduct of the war,
there were differences of opinion upon incidental matters
of detail; but this I may say, if I were to point out the
member of the cabinet from whom I received the moat gene-
ral assent to my views when they were discussed—most kind
and generous as were all my colleagues—it was the noble
lord. (Cheers.) If I were to point out, I say, throe mem-
.

were laid before me; but it is also true that they were
answered; and although en the 28th of November those
errors were brought forward as reasons why I should quit
my dial, at a date anterior to that, but subsequent to my
answer, I had the better fortune to satisfy the noble lord ;
for in the last letter which I received from
him before he returned to town, he used the words which I
am about to read. These letters, I may observe, were
written, as from their date your lordships may conceive,
from Scotland and front Scarborough, at a time, when the
noble lord, like other members of the government, had re•
sorted for the purpose of health to distant parts of the
country. I do not complain of the noble lord, or of any of
my colleagues, for doing so ; but it was not my good fortune
SO resort to the country either for health er for any other par-
pose—fir day by day and hour by hour, during the whole
of 1854, it was my duty to remain in town to exert my
humble abilities for the service of the country. In a letter
from the noble lord which finished the correspondence,
and which was dated the Bth of October, he said—" You
have done all that can be done ; and I am sanguine of suc-
cess." (Loud cheers from both sides of the house.) Let
me explain to your lordships that, after the proposal
which I made to my noble friend with reference to
my readiness to leave 'the cabiaet, I did not even say that
I positively refused to change the office I held—disagreeable
to me as inch a coarse would have been on personal grounds,

ben between whom there was the most complete identity
of views, I should say that there was a more complete
identity on all questions between the noble lord and myself
than between any other members of the cabinet. (Loud
cheers.) I have already referred to the easy manner in which

I consented to abandon any views which I understood to
be adverse to the institution of the board ; and, perhaps,
it might be said that I ought to have insisted upon them a
little more strongly;; but I did not feel that I was in a posi-
tion in which it would have become me to oppose the general
views of my colleagues respecting public matters. Not-
withstanding the arrogance, self-love, and presumption

which I am supposed to have exhibited, I was not unaware
—God knows it would have been strange if I had been—
that the public feeling had been roused against my adminis-
tration of the war. I felt shortly before the meeting of
parliament that the feeling of the public mind had become
so strong that it would be impossible for me, in justice to
the public service, to continue to occupy the office
which I held. My lords, the meeting of parliament
being so close at hand, I felt that if I had
read aright the history of constitutional government,
it would not have been proper at such a moment to antici-

inconvenient as I believe it always to be to the public m-
ead vice, implying, as it does,an arrangement never very obvi•
owe to tie public. I made,however, no such objection. What,
thew, was the reason why my noble friend did not avail
himself of the offer that I made him ? He (Lord Aberdeen)
did not ast, as from the statement that was made in the

pate the verdict of parliament with regard te the manna
in which the duties of my office have been performed.
(Cheers.) The noble lord, in kis statement the other night,
said that until notice of his motion was given by Mr. Roe-
buck, he had not fully considered the course which he
aught to take. My lords, I had. (Loud cheers.) I bad
Maturely considered it, and I had made up my mind that
fey algid career was practically brought to a close ; but I
mode up my mind at the same time that I would face the
Will of censure in your lordships' house, and that I would
submit the conduct of my administration to the House of
Cornmeas. (Cheer:.) I stated my determination to
the noble lord at the head of her Majesty's government.
I did not tell any other of my colleague', from motive' and
feelings which I think, my lords, you will appreciate, but
I told my noble friend that, whatever might be result of
the discussion in the House of Commons, whether the go"
vernment succeeded by a large majority in their resistance
to the motion, or whether the other alternative prevailed,
I would equally tender my resignation as soon as that
judgment had been given, and the verdict of parliament
bad been pronounced. (Cheers.) My lords, no doubt that
was the origin of the :amour to which the noble lord re-
farred—namely, that an arrangement had been proposed
which the noble earl at the head of her Majesty's go-
vernment had found it impossible to recom-
mend, but which he had found perfectly con-
sistent with his honour to adopt now. My lords,
I am sorry that each a statement should have
gone forth, but it is betakes. I told my noble friend that I
should secede from the cabinet; that I would not consent
to exchange places with my noble friend the Home Beers_
tnry, or take the office which the noble lord (Lord J. Ras.
sell) has quitted. I said I was confident that the public
interest would he best served by my retirement, and that
after the obloquy which had been cast upon me, to continue
to remain in the cabinet would be unworthy of me. When
therefore the decision of parliament had been pronounced,
I would take my seat on ens of the beeches not occupied by
those in office, and I would attend there night after night,
so that wh discussion arms I might be ready
to defend the policy to which I had been a party .
for I should feel just as much bound to do so as if I con:
joss& in office. (Hear, hear.) Now, my lore* I have
41.8 with the speech of the noble lord, which la the subject
anus explanation on my part. Various accusations have
burn tame against me ; and one of the most prominent is
estet issapaeity. My lords, I should be the last man in the
world Waft to repress any opinion upon that. I am ready
okay" awe in the hands ofrney countrymen. I cannot but
aldipakiarst:: ill:oases:7es:
oaf
ouraanotbehar:g:ilewooterwaoirtusettfaiziMpgialallatiOnessdli*Cliareihenosic:7oilifinajyet
hayesttrinoMbfeeniawfoidbitrhtue misfortune.
Nether
sash a cause, I will leave to the vs:dimmer o.)f theThefuputurMeic.
ban bad a right to every hour and every minute of my
dame, and not one hour for recreation or amusement have
I presumed to think myself entitled to. (Chars.) My
kegs, I have boas charged with *Offence*, and that is a
doer dill twee painful. ladifibrense, my lords, to the
Mow of my country ! Indifference to the mass and
*Ms et our army! My lords, ea a father I have
glees hostages Wiwi such • Mae. I have two sans in
the two brambles of the sorties, and that I think should be
a safilsient amnia to the sharp. (owls Indifference
al a widen! My lords, mail a sleepless night have
I wog in thinking over all those things for which 1
the public think I should have cared. God !meta

House of Commons would appear, upon his own responsi-
bility, or from any anxiety or regard for me, generous and
kind as his conduct towards me has ever been. He did not
tale upon himself to reject the proposal ; but he laid the
proposal before the whole of our colleagues, and the proposal
was--it is not for me to say whether rightly or
wrongly—but it was unanimously disapproved of
by the whole of my colleagues. (Hear, hear.)
The last letter of the whole series which passed between the
noble lord and me war dated the 3rd of December, when
the noble lord had apparently returned to his original idea,
for he said he should bring the subject before the cabinet.
It was not, however, brought before the cabinet. Parlia-
ment met tea days afterward., on the 13th of December ;
land it was my duty to make a long statement to your lord-
ships, in vindication of the conduct of the government, and
MN especially of the department to which I belonged.
fity sight hem friend the Secretary-at-War made a similar
seilleMed la the House of Commons, and the debate in
sad Wass seated, I believe—of course, noble lords oppo-
site will not agree is that view—but the result was satis-
factory to the government. Three days after that, on the
1113th of December, a cabinet was held; at the close of which
I exchanged words with two or three of my colleagues, who
said that, from the moduct of the noble lord in the cabinet,
and hem the istsmat be had shown in the matters which
had been limemed, they felt very confident that he had
shambled the *pinions which he had entertained and had
wild Se uprise. But we were not left altogether to cos-
IM this point, for in the coon of that very evening,
s amsonmitea which my noble friend had with him, be
Illiffamly tell my noble friend that he had changed his
views, sad that be had abandoned any wish that he had
anormined for a change. (Hear, hear.) I should not go
me farther into this point, for these matters are probably
mad men interesting to myself them to any of your lord.
allp—(eheme)—but my sable friend (the Barl of Aber.
Mss) rush& me that as same which the noble lord se-
eped for W akinileammeof his proposal was this. Not
tuft Wiled walk Ike spina of his faithful and attached
Yeaie la Ike millsella bad consulted another friend—
ad hem rap knowledge of that noble lord I em
sang that he (Lord Jolla Ramell) could not
have had a better adviser. Well, the noble lord told my
noble friend that from the answer he had received he was
mugged and convinced, and had abandoned bin views.
(Cheers.) Having disposed of the personal part of the
question, the noble lord proceeds to discus* the ant gam
the question of mean& He said that, having been ogled
apes %oppose the motion of the her. end learned member
for he felt himself pined in a &Henn position,
hunupe—l will quote his wards--" because be could
meg, that measures bad bees taken by whisk these evils
sell! yeelsaisi, gad by whisk the administration meld
effplar/igneessated." Now, my lords, I think the fair
NMI jest laimmat from this statement is, that the noble
11111 lad propel& M him eolleague measures and suggested
amingemeate wilds they bad been unwilling to adopt. I
men enly say that, as the bent el my belief, mak was sever
the ewe. I know due siemens which were propmed by the
able lord, and whisk were reheeted.ll know of so prom*
whisk wen aide by him, and which woe sot atespisd,
exempt one. That moped referred to myself is this
maser. The sable lord said that at the cabinet whisk Wei
Saturday prosodies the Tuesday,

be satisfied ; and that whatever they m►y think of my caps-
city, they wilt be ready to omit casting these unjust stigmas
upon me. (Cheers.) As regards what I have done during
my official administration, I believe, and trust, and hope
that I at lout shall gain some advantage from the investi-
gations of that committee which the House of Commas
has decided to have. I can only say that at
far as I am concerned I shall ujoke to lay
before that or any other fair tribunal everything
that I have dons with perfect fairness and open•bandednem.
I am not now about to enter into any defence of the con-
duct of the war. The noble and learned lord (Lord Lynd-
hurst) ha given notice of a motion ; and although I;presume
it is doubtful whether, under the circumstances, it will
come on upon the day fired, I suppose that he will perse-
vere with it; and, in that case, whenever the subject is cils-
mead, I shall be prepared to meet it. lam not inclined to
shrink from any attack, or to shelter myself behind any ex-
cuse. Wh that motion is brought on I will be here
to

speak upon it, and moat assuredly I will net shrink from
it. I shall be prepared to defend the conduct of the go-
vernment, the conduct of my own administration, and the
conduct of the whole cabinet, .who uninvolved with me—
Lord John Russell included. (Cheers.) My lords, you shall
hear from me no complaints of treatment I have met
with, either in parliament or out it. I only refer to it now
to say that, whoever may be my successor in the office which
I have lately held, he shall meet with no ungenerous
treatment from me. I know that in both houses of parlia-
ment I have many bitter political opponents, but I trust
that I have but few personal enemies. (Loud cheers.) But,
if I have, Ido not except even them from the promise I
have made ; and to them, alike with my friends, I extend
my offer of whatever assistance I can render. (Cheers.)
We were informed the other night in the House of Com-

mono that a hon. member went over from the miniegrial
side of the house to the right bon. gentleman the leader of
the opposition, and asked him whether he would be a party
to a vote of censure, not upon government, but upon me u

an individual. I say that even if the individual who sent
that message should be the War Minister, my assistance
shall be rendered even to him. It will L my duty, lam
bound to the public, to render my assistance to whoever
msy be the War Minister. Whoever may succeed me, I
will endeavour to make his path easy ; and will support him
whether in this house or out of it. If my past experience
be of the slightest value, he shall claim it and have it,
whether he takes my acts as an example or a warning. He
shall meet with no feelings of jealousy on my part. The
crisis is too important, the interests involved are too great,
for any such feeling. I shall rejoice In the success of any
War Minister, whether that success be attributed to better
fortune or greater ability. My lords, I fear that I have
occupied your attention too long. I will conclude the last
speech which I shall address to your lordships from these
benches with the earnest prayer that, whoever may receive
from the Queen the seals of the War Department, may
bring to bear as arduous labour, equal seal, and as earnest
devotion as he who now quits that office ; that he may meet
with a success which I have not met with, and that in
meriting and obtaining and securing that success he may
also receive that approbation of his country which it has
been my earnest desire, but bas not been my good
fortune, to secure. (Cheers from all parts of the house.)
The Earl of DERBY—Wh►tever may be the irregularity
of the course which has been pursued by the noble duke is
his pointed reference end in his answer to the speech of the
noble lord late his colleague in the other house, I am quite
ready to admit, and I am sure your lordships will admit, that
that statement is env which will render the irregularity the
less to be regretted, at the same time that it must be con-
sidered his vindication a sufficient apology for making it.
I can easily understand the desire of the noble duke, as a
minister of the crown, to vindicate himself against charges
which have affected most materially his character and his
position. I should not for a single moment have made
any reference to any part of the proceedings in
the other house of parliament, so far as the noble
duke is concerned, if I had not felt it incumbent on me in
the observations, the few observations, that I shall
make to notice with regret one statement that fell from
the noble duke. The noble duke, in speaking of the assist-1

&ace which he should be able to render to his successor,
stated that some gentleman in the other house of parliament
crossed over the floor of the house. and asked his concur-

recce to a motion not directly impugning the government.
but impugning the conduct of the noble duke. Of that state-
ment, of that person that unknown individual in parliament,
of that fact or anything like that fact, 1 can only assure the
noble duke I have been and am in complete ignorance. But
if the noble duke means that the decision which has been

come to by the House of Commons to express their opinion,
not only on the conduct of the noble duke, but of her Ma-
jesty's government, and of which I say nothing—l say, if
the noble duke conceives that that vote was the result of
, concord, of previous communication directly or indirectly ,

. -
between any parties whatever, to the beat of my belief and
knowledge, the noble duke is absolutely mistaken.
The Duke of NEWCASTLE—My statement wu founded

on the speech of the right bon. gentleman the leader of the
Opposition in the ether house. He made his statement is
his plane in parliament. That is my authority, and the
right hen. gentleman expressly said that he repudiated the
offer that'bad been made.
The Earl of DERBY, after some sarcastic observe-
tions, continued —On the resignation of the noble red
her Majesty did me the honour of commanding my attend.
lance yesterday morning at half-peat 11 o'clock. I had a
long audience with her Majesty, in which I hardly need
say that I met with that which everybody who has been
admitted iato the presence of her Majesty univereallymeste
with, the most condescending kindness and that manner
of treating a subject which must increase the esteem which
everyone so honoured must feel for her Majesty. I do not
think it would be for the public advantage that I should
at this time avail myself, even if I had the per-
mission of her Majesty, of the opportunity of stating
all that poised on that occasion, all the sub-
sequent transactions. I think it would be incon-
venient to the public service that while negotiations are
going on, such statements being publicly made, they should
be prematurely made. It might lead to the serious incon-
venience of the public service of this country. When I say
while negotiations are going on, I mean previous to the
formation of a government. I think it is the duty of every
public man, whether he accepts or abstains from accepting
the charge of forming a government, to be prepared at the
proper time to give a proper explanation, both to his own
friends and the country, of the motives and reasons which
have led to that acceptance or refusal. But I think that that
explanation should not be given till a government has been
actually formed, end I shall therefore on the present occa-
sion content myself with saying that, feeling deeply grateful
to her Majesty for the confidence she has displayed
in me—feeling conscious of my own inability to
discharge the functions that would be imposed on
me feeling at the gems time that the very
difficulties with which the country is surrounded would be
an additional inducement to any man of honour and cha-
rector not to leave her Majesty unassisted to grapple with
I those difficulties, I yet felt that in the present state of
affair', end in the present condition of the House of Com-
mons, I was not able to offer to her Majesty that assurance
lof being able satisfactorily to conduct the affairs of the
government which would induce me at the present moment
to accept the task which her Majesty was pleased to impart
to me, and consequently at this time I have no charge from
her Majesty to attempt the construction of a government.
Further than this I think it would notbe proper that I should
say, ensept this, that I concur entirely with the noble earl
opposite, that whatever government may be formed, the
gnat interests of this country require at the present
semeime---the difficulties, the emberramments, and I may
Impart pedl of the country require—that if it be possible
ere sbeeld obtain a strong government. And whatever
Ilinieement may be entrusted by her Majesty to carry on
de pent wax in which we are engaged, and the great poll
deal affairs in which the country is now involved, that man
b undeserving of the character of a patriot and of an honest
lleen villein* sot to the utmost extent of his power give,
11e IM goeUniMeit of the Queen a disinterested, and, u far
•he Oin, a medial support. (Cheers.)
Their lordships then adjourned at five Vfielltee ea seven
O'clock.

HOUSE OF COMMONS—T=2mm FEB. 1. 1
The Sraiazz took the chair at the tonal hour.
PETITION PRESENTED.
Idasaos Durine.—By Mr. L. Kixo, from Ms. James
Costello, of Richmond, for abolition of.

PRIVATE BUSINESS.
The following hills were read a second time :—B barn
Gas ; Brighton Improvement Commissioners and Ypal
Corporation ; Bristol and Exeter Railway; Lands improve-
ment Company ; Liverpool Docks ; Xasmouthabire Rail-
way sad Canal ; Oldham Gm sad Water; Beath Reatern
Railway (Capital) ; Swansea Docks ; and Meta Railway ;
Bills.