The Press.
London, England, 1856-07-19 00:00:00

SPLIT IN THE LIBERALS.

THERE have been for some time strong symp-
toms of a split in the Liberal party, and a
remarkable article in the Daily News of Wed-
nesday is one of the many signs of the fact.
We are not surprised that there should be a
strong disinclination amongst many Liberals
to serving any longer under such a chief as
Lord PALMERSTON. This feeling of incipient
hostility is gradually swelling into louder
tones, and it is reported that in the course of
the autumn it will be manifested in open
demonstrations preparatory to overt acts in
the next session. It quite impossible, in-
deed, that Liberals of any spirit could submit
to the leadership of a Minister who, while
professing Liberalism, acts on the most abso-
lutist principles in foreign affairs. It is now
found out that his fierce and flashy speeches
of former years were little more than fustian.
Hungary abandoned to its fate, and the
Italians left to Austria, along with the uncon-
cealed sympathy with every act of the Empe-
ror of the FRENCH, must show Liberals that
that there is no chance of Lord PALMERSTON
realising their views.
And now that the war is over, another sec-
tion of Liberals interested in domestic ques-
tions begins to grumble about supporting a
statesman whose views on social questions
are, after all, those of what is called " a Tory."
It cannot be denied that Lord PALMERSTON
has kept his slippery seat partly because he
got an indirect kind of support from some
country members, who looked on his Lordship
as an effective drag on the Liberal party.
They knew very well that " PALMERSTON was
" no Reformer," and some of them could quote
the jeering and scoffing words in which the
Viscount's pen satirised Radicals of all kinds
in the New iVhig Guide. The Noble Lord
calling Mr. WILLIAMS of Lambeth " my
honourable friend," and his ridiculous habit
of bestowing the same designation on ultra-
politicians with whom he is not familiar, could
deceive nobody His speech on the Irish
Church, his brusque opposition to certain
measures of the Manchester school, and the

peculiar manner in which his Lordship de-
Borted himself towards Mr COBDEN and Mr.
RIGHT, confirmed the country members to
whom we allude in their views of Lord PAL-
MERSTON.
But there are some " smart" people who
say, " Oh ! the age in which we are living is
" one of Toryfied Liberalism, and my Lord
" Pam is just the man for the situation"
Indeed ! So, then, a popular party, the joint
forces of the great Whig connection and of
the " friends of progress," is to be worked in
honour of the incarnation of Toryfied Libe-
ralism ! In other words, the Premier is to do
the work of the Conservatives, while pretend-
ing to be a Liberal ! There is a show of plan
sibility in waiters on Providence taking such
a suspicious view of the pretensions of Lord
PALMERSTON, but their bare statement of their
reasons for adhering to him convicts the pro-
gressive Liberals of utter f..11y iu supporting
such a politician.
Other persons, also, of no small importance
are beginning to think that it is not an agree-
able thing to be used as mere catspaws by
" clever Henry John." Doubtless it is adroit
in his Lordship to play upon so many instru-
ments together, but it is rather silly in sen-
sible persons to allow themselves to be mani-
pulated and cajoled by the gay deceiver of
Parliamentary connections. It is now recol-
lected that a dozen Members of the House
never asked Lord PALMERSTON to become their
chief; he never, until now, headed a party,
and, canting with the cry of the hour, he has
never, during life, taken that plain course
which is respected by Englishmen.
But besides, even supposing that " an age of
" Toryfied Liberalism" was a right construing
of the time, still such a period would empha-
tically call for vast administrative energy.
Now, it is well known that, with great oppor-
tunities, Lord PALMERSTON was the least suc-
cessful Home Secretary that was seen for
many years. A truly great man, even if liable
to the various reproaches of inconsistency,
levity, and want of fixed creed to which Lord
PALMERSTON is obnoxious, might make amends
for his shortcomings ; but who will affirm that
Lord PALMERSTON is a great man ?
Owing to the circumstances of the Crimean
contest, and with the help of " the jobbery of
Liberalism," Lord PALMERSTON has for a time
kept the Liberals quiet ; but we fear very
much that the result is likely to be purchased
dearly by a tremendous reaction, which will
carry the Liberal party infinitel3 further than
if it were left to the constitutional metaphysics
of Lord JOHN RUSSELL. We sincerely believe
that, in such a point of view, Lord PALMERSTON
is a most dangerous Prime Minister. Such a
state of things demands more than ordinary
vigilance on the part of the Conservatives.