The Express.
London, England, 1855-01-27 00:00:00

THE QUESTION AT ISSUE.

IT has been alleged that Lard Joust RUSSELL took
his colleagues by surprise with his resignation, and
attempts see made to infer from this that the step
was a mere party move on his part, for the purpose
of breaking up the Administration, in order to place
himself in a more prominent position. After con-
sideriog the circumstances of the case, as far as
they have transpired, free from personal bias for or
against soy of the parties concerned, we ace no miasma
to charge the noble lord with any such insidious
purpose. When the Dake of NEWCASTLE, on the
separation of the War from the Colonial Department,
made tholes of the former, Lord JonN acquiesced in
the arrangement. About the end of October
last, or the beginning of November, Lord JOHN
became convinced that unless the arrange-
ment was altered, there were no hopes of
the war being carried on with the requisite vigour
and ability. A correspondence ensued between the
noble lord and the Earl of ABERDEEN, in which the
former urged the necessity of a change, and pointed
out Lord PALMERSTON as the most eligible person to
take the War Department. The Premier would not
hear of any change. What discussions took place
subsequently, at the Council Board or eletwhere,l
does not distinctly appear but it is evident
that Lord Joni grew more and more dissatisfied,
with the manner in which the war was carried on, and
that he failed to obtain any satisfactory explanation
of the causes of our comparative failure. "There
was something," he said last night, " with all the
official knowledge he possessed, which was
inexplicable in the condition of our army
in the Crimea." Thus matters stood when
Mr. ROEBUCK gave notice of his motion. Lord JOHN
believed that what Mr. ROEBUCK asked ought to be
granted. He knew, at the same time, that his col-
leagues regarded the motion as equivalent to a'vote
of want of confidence, and were resolute to resist it.
What, in such circumstances, could Lord JOHN do?
He could not conscientiously oppose the motion ;
and he could not, remaining in office, sup-
port what his colleagues felt to be a
vote of censure. As Ministerial Leader in the
House of Commons, his taking no part in the debate
would have been a tacit censure of the Cabinet of
which he was a member. There was only one mores
open to him, and that was to resign. Any previou
communication of his intention to his colleagues
could have led to no result. They had already nega-
tived all his proposals. We can only speak of what is
known. There may have been personal irritations
and jarring among the members of the Cabinet that
rendered their working together unpleasant—these

may have had a pert in deciding the course pursued
by the disagreeidg parties—but there is nothing to
show that they exercised this influence to such an ex-
tent as to render it neoeisary that the public should
tale cognisance of them. The people of England will
sot very unwisely if they allow themselves to be
diverted from the consideration of the broad differ-
ence of opinion which exists between Lord lons
RUISILL and a section of the residuary members of
the Cabinet, by the obtrusion of petty personal
piques. Even though it should appear that the poison
of whose views they most approve, whose antecedents
lead them to repose the greatest confidence in
him, may have evinced on some omissions a little
more of temper than could be desired, this ought to
be allowed no influence in their decision as to the
policy and persons they are to support.
_ _

The questiou at issue between Lord Souse RW
sou sad the °abase, as at present constituted, is
this t—Lord /01114 says that the conduct of the war
has been inefficient. He says that there is no pros-
peat of a change for the better until the War Depart-
sat is better organised, and another Minister placed
at the bead of it. He says that a Parlia-
mentary inquiry would establish these positions;
and that as the mode of inquiry proposed by Mr.
Rot acs i■ calculated to elicit the troth, Parliament

ought to adopt that gentleman's motion. The resi-
duary member of the Cabinet say, not merely that
inquiry is uncalled for, bat that it would do harm.
They say that the war will be better conducted
than hitherto, even though no change in the
plumate: of Government takes place. Whatever
may be thought of the question of inquiry, there can
be no doubt u to the necessity of a change of person
and system to inoreue the efficacy of the War Depart-
ment. On this point, the course pointed out by Lord
lonic RUSSELL is the only one that can be pursued
with safety. One featare of last nighe% discussions will
strike the country with a glad surprise. It will learn
with pleasure that Lord JOHN RUSSELL has been
urging the claims of Lord PautensroN to the War
Department; and that the noble member for Tiverton
evinces no personal pique or irritation against the late
President of the Council. This is of good omen for
the impending reoonstruction of the Cabinet.

For it is clear, that, whatever be the fate'
of Mr. Roxinicit's motion, the Cabinet cannot
stand as it is. Lord PALMERSTON said, be-
fore the debate began—" The Government would
oppose the motion. If it wee carried, the result
could be easily foreseen ; if it should be rejected, it
would then be for Government to consider how
far it may be advisable to adopt the sug-
gestions of his noble friend." The country will
not and ought not to be satisfied with mere
partial and patchwork changes. There is no hope
but in the construction of a homogeneous and vigorous
administration. What is required is a nucleus of our
most capable and energetic statesmen, of whose
administrative abilities the country has had expe-
rience, with an accession of new men of baldness
habits, who have acquired in other pursuits that skill
in organising and carrying out extensive and compli-
cated enterprises which it is desirable to introduce
into the various departments of Government.
And the programme of this new Ministry must be a
*areas prosecution of the war, for the attainment
dui honourable, advantageous, and lasting peace.—
D. Nem.