The Express.
London, England, 1852-12-22 00:00:00

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LONDON, WED.YESDAY, DECEMBER 22.

TOP ominous silence still maintained respecting
the relative position in the new Cabinet of the
Whigs and Peclites—to say nothing at this nio-
went about Itadicals—betokens, we fear, the
likelihood, at all events, of a false position being
assumed by that political section in which the Re-
formers have most interest. It should never be
forgotten that the followers of Sir ROBERT
PEEL can only be regarded as really Li-
beral upon the one,—now settled,—question
of Free Trade ; and that to entitle themselves to
reeognit• as positive friends of polit:eal progress
they must at least give in their adherence to a sound
plan of electoral reform. Hitherto they have been
F"the Trade Tories, and in that character claim to be
admitted to the Cabinet now being reared on
the fall of the Anti-Free Trade Tories. The
Carlton Club looks coldly upon them as no longer
completely belonging to the Conservative set.—
and naturally enoug'a, since it just now remains
very doubtful whether they really adhere to
the section which glories in Major BEILESFORD,
or whether they may be enrolled in the more
advanced class who belie .e in the wisdom of pro-
gressive reform. On this point they must decide,
—and should decide quickly,—for upon that deci-
sion rests more than their own future political wel-
fare. If the Peelites advance honestly, they will pro-
bably win what they have never yet really possessed
—sympathy in their favour out of doors. Though now
claiming ball the seats in a Cabinet, they number
only about 35 rotes in the House of Commons,
and are comparatively destitute of everything like
populer weight in the nation. At present they
are a clique—a clever clique perhaps—but still only
• clique. Will they move on? Will they adopt
another and a real Reform Bill? Will they bid for
popular support by deserving it? If not, why should
the House of Commons permit them to hold office?
With whatsafety can Lord Jolts Russet 1. venture into
alliance with them, if he desires to retain the
support of those who have hitherto rendered
b.im the moat efficient aid? The Whig leader
can of course, if he plasm, give any parliamentary
section the benefit of his experience, and of his voice
and vote—he may carry to any opposite came the few
followers who, from friendship, party sympathy, or
old ties, may think well *o make his road their road.
But the strength of the liberal Whig leader resides
in the confidence others place in his judgment, and
should that judgment fail in the present emergency,
the veteran chieftain may expect to find himself
very properly forsaken by those who have in many
• former struggle been his strength is the
fray, and the sharers of his victories. He must not
forget that, having won his spurs as a simple psrlia-
men tare knight, he became an accredited and success-
ful leader of the host, through the grades of which he
rose to chief co•nmand,—and should he now so far

forget himself, his principles and his pledges, as to
consent to play second fiddle in a mere predatory ;
political army, he will surds- be playing false alike
to his past charalter and to his future fame. With
him Principle should alone be the spotless banner I
under which he should take new parliamentary service.
If he serves at all, he mast serve nobl3, and in a
great national cause. He is pledged to Electoral '
Reform—he is pledged to advance religious freedom
—he is pledged to the promotion of education—he is
the author of a scheme for extending the franchise,
with a view to making the House of Commons some-
thing more like a real house of the people than it I
now is. To fall back from these pledges, by
leaguing himself with men adverse to such
reforms, would be nothing less than politi.
cal suicide. Friends and foes would have
to utter the fatal fall'n, fall'n;" and to
mourn over the wreck of a political reputation and a
historical name. If in a moment of fatuity any such
step could be taken by the leader whom the Liberals
have so often followed—those Liberals could only
echo the regrets of his more immediate friends, and
see that in his self-sacrifice they were not also
swamped. If Whigs leap willingly into a Peelite
abyss, it is incumbent on their allies not to follow
so absurd and fatal an example, but to stand aloof
till wiser men and sounder councils offer a lead that
may be worthily followed.
Whatever Ministry is formed will have leisure
for maturing their measures; but it can scarcely
be safe to leave for that season of comparative
inaction the settlement of the basis of their
propositions. The real Liberals in the new Cabi-
net can only be safe by the general subscription at
once of at least two or three main prin-
ciples for future action. It will not be enough
dust they should undertake to advance Free
Tr/de by abolishing those Customs duties which
give to the revenue little worth colleeting;--it
is not enough they should employ the national sur-
plus in taking off such duties as those on paper, on
soap, and on timber, in preference to the cheapening
of beer, or each like schemes---it is not enough to say
steps shall be taken to brim the whole sus raised
by taxation et the esemby nadir the direct control
of the Home et eimment oar is it enough that
points like the letehmeat et tbe Cape Constitution
--or of the Canada Chirp Mosrves dispute—or the
abolition et tressepeetolisa to Vats Diesesn's Land—
should Iss. pat lbeweed es sollsieM iodisation' ctpre-
ramin abgbaulth Mach deem as therresesigmar
timed mead. el seem% be tam Wr
Wiest, bet mei blieelleas eased -be regarded as
solielmet guarantees et prinegrar to justify the reten-
tion Opiate in times Eke the present. We must have
Electoral Referee--we must blot out the infamies of
Election Bribery. Intimidation, and Corruption—we
must get rid or the system that sends more than a
hundred went= esParliament with the accusations
involved to *Min petitions hanging over them.
What meld be said eyonist the Derby ites has been
repeated efisa earegh ; what can be said for
their seemieree bee still to be seen. The
late Ministry 'were expelled because they were
avowedly men of reaction ; their successors
men take office only as men of progress. The
greet question now to be solved is whether that
progress will be sufficiently marked to justify popu-
lar union for their support, and to make
Parliamentary government once more powerful by
putting it in accord with the progress of national
intelligence and the growth of national needs and
national requirements.

Tim farewell message of MILLARD FILLMORE to
Congress,—like the floundering of our late Ministers
in the debate on Me.VILLI Eas's resolutions—is the last
sigh of Protection. The moribund PRESIDENT, like
the defunct PREMIER, gently recommends a Protec-
tion in everything but name. Ho would impose
duties on imported manufactures, for revenue it is
true, but also to " encourage" the home mender.-
hirer, by enabling him to compete on equal terms
with the foreigner. But the lame of power of
the PRESIDENT who speaks thus—is out. The na-
tion at the Presidential election has by an
overwhelming majority declared against his party
ar.d its Protectionist doctrines. In a few weeks the
Free Trade PRESIDENT elect will' be installed in
office, to co-operate with a Free Trade Congress.
One immediate advantage may be fairly anticipated
from this change. The coquettish procrastination
with which the overturn from Canada, and the other
British North American provinces, for the removal
of restrictions on their trade with the States of the
Union, have been received at Washington, is not
likely to be much lonrr persisted in. Free Trade—
" unlimitted competition"—should become the eras
instead of the exception over the when
American continent north of Mexico. The Anglican
race on both sides of the Atlantic henceforth recog-
nise and act upon the principles of Free Trade; there
is no risk even of a brief relapse into Protectionist
theories.
It mast not be imagined that it would have made
any permanent or essential difference in this respect
even if the Presidential election had again fallen
out in favour of any other American Whig. The
limited powers of the chief magistrate in the Republic

under it impossible fee him to stem the national
will, whenever there is any important OW
elide at issue. Bat • willing.,Free 'reader
will go to work more pleasantly then a fettered Pep.
,
teetienist. The regulations for extending Fro Trade
between the United States and the 4titish American
provinces willpruyrra more smoothly, and conse-
quently more speedily, under President PIERCE than
under President FILLMORE. ho far there is reason
for congratulation in the triumph of the democratic
party at the late election of President. It has con.
med the ascendancy of rational views of commer-
cial policy. But everything human has its dubi-
ous or displeasing, as well u its fair
side. No man, no set of men,—are right
in all their opinions, or wrong in all
their opinions. The Protectionist heresies of the
American Whip are in part compensated for by their
sound and reasonable opinions and sentiments re-
specting war and military glory. On the other
hand, it is a sad drawback on the Free Trade comic-
tiorui of many democrats, that they are madly ambi-
tious of a fighting reputation for their country. The
Whigs have ever been the advocates of a peaceable,
non-aggressive, non-intervention policy. The demo-
crat orators arc but too fond of rounding. their
periods with belligerent images, and worse still, they
are as ready to strike as to speak of striking.
We are reluctant to prejudge the PRESIDENT
elect, who enjoys so fair a reputation among many
nut the least intelligent and judicious of his country-
men; but keeping in mind the antecedents of his
party, it is impossible to steer entirely clear of mis-
givings. It will be a great relief if the first Message
of President Fleece is as rational on the subject of
war as the last of President FILLMORE.

The passages of the Message indeed which relate
to foreign policy and war are the gems of the docu-
ment. They are expressed exactly in the sense of
the father. of American independence--a sense too
little appreciated by many of their descendants.
Towards the close of the Message, President Flu:
moue passes in review a number of topics to which
circumstances have prevented his devoting so much
attention as he could have wished on this and former

occasions. The chapter on wars and foreign policy
is the longest and most laboured of these supple-
mentary expositions, and its spirit is in every respect
commendable. Mr. FILLIMORE reminds hiscountrymen
of the high philosophic spirit in which the fouriders
of their republic repudiated all but defensive wars,
and refused to entangle themselves in the petty
dynastic intrigues and diplomatics of old Europe.
He points to the too prevalent disposition
in many quarters to depart from this old
and true faith, and warns against the silly ambition
of emulating the monarchs of the Old World in their
lust of territorial acquisitions, and of the exercise of
influence in the councils of neighbouring states. And
in exact conformity with this abstract reasoning is
the tone and temper of that part of the Message
which is devoted to the foreign relations of the
United States. The rights and the dignity of Ame-
rica are asserted with the calm firmness of a truly
brace man; but the pervading tone is pacific,
and errors are freely admitted. No diplomatist of
the Old World, hackneyed in the conventionalities
of his trade, could have had the courage to
confess an error in the handsome manner in which
we find admission—so unpalatable to human vanity—
made with respect to the title of Peru to the Lobos
islands by the American PRESIDENT. The temper
in which the fishery squabble with Great Britain is
touched upon is admirable.
With much intereit we have watched of late
movements in the United States which seem to be
sympathetic of the growth of a national party com-
bining some of the best features of the old democrats
on the one hand, and of the old Whigs on the
other. The great merit of the democrats has been
their exemption from the mere hereditary conven-
tionalities of the Old World. Their minds have been
more open to new and important truths. Hence
their ready reception of the doctrines of Free-trade,
codifying law reform, and the like. This exemption
from prejudice has been attended by a swaggering
affectation of contempt for all who did not partici-
pate in thiir views, an undue contempt fur the
opinions of others, au over-readiness to substitute
biome for argument. From these faults the
Whigs, as a party, have generally been exempt.
'f hey have studied the graces and decorum, after the
European fashion. But unfortunately this assertion
of a dignified self-respect and this regard for the
feelings of others has been accompanied with a dis-
position to adhere to old European superstitions in
regard of protected trade, indirect and undue in-
fluence in elections, and the like. It would be a
proud day for America if a new party, winnowing
the wheat of both the old ones from their chaff, shall
make the nutritious graia its own ; and it will be a
proud day hereafter for President PIERCE if he shall
have the discrimination and moral courage to make
the principles of such a party his rule of action
during the time that he fills the office of chief
magistrate.
This is a matter in which England has quite as
deep a stake and interest as America. It 11 most
desirable that these two great nations should in their
dealings with each other approximate the maxims
of their international law as closely to the dictates of
natural reason and equity as possible. This will not
only be conducive to their mutual interests in their
dealings with each other, but will enable them to
take the lead is the march of civilisation, and set an
example to other states. It ought to be the mission
of these two great nations to initiate anew and more
rational policy, to shams the diplomatists of the Old
World out of their traditionary trickery, their inces-
sant nibbling at small or illusory advantages by dis-
creditable means, by setting them a better example.