The Press.
London, England, 1856-05-03 00:00:00

THE WEEK.

THE debate on Kars, though very unequal, has produced some remark-
able speeches. The opening address of Mr. WHITESIDE was acknow•
1 edged to be one of the most brilliant Parliamentary efforts within
memory. The orator never flagged or lost self-possession for a
moment. His management of his materials was admirable. He wove
them into a continuous history of the whole case, yet only seemed to
use them in illustration of the principles he desired to establish.
His mind was always above his matter, and his eloquence adorned the
prosaic statements he had to make. Never was a Blue-book made
so attractive before. His action, corresponding to the animation of
his genius, is extremely graceful and impressive; and hence the
sneer of Lord PALMERSTON, that his speech was wonderful to see!
The taunt was ill-judged, as friends and foes alike concurred in
bearing testimony to the extraordinary ability of this oration, and to
Vie effect it produced. It was unfortunate that Mr. WHITESIDE was
answered by a couple of mere counsellors, who with perverse ingenuity
ilsisted in criticising the strategy of OMER PACHA,—one of the ablest
generals Turkey has ever had,—the military details of the
w'iole Asiatic campaign, and the dispositions of SELIM
PACHA The discussion, which dragged on Tuesday, became
..animated when Sir E. B. I.vrron rose on Thursday; his
polished sentences and conclusive reasoning elicited warm ap-
.plause even from his opponents. Sir JAMES GRAHAM was the next
important speaker, and certainly never did a man deliver a more
~damaging speech to the cause he intended to support. With his
mildest tones he clapped blisters upon every Ministerial sore, exposed
-every fault of the Government. with heartless severity, and, at the
conclusion, declared that he must on his conscience vote in their favour.
As the close of the debate drew near Mr. DISRAELI rose. The atten-
tion of the House was fixed in a moment, and with good cause, for
some time has elapsed since so brilliant, so happy, and so powerful a
speech has been heard. Opening with a homethrust through Sir
JAMES GRAHAM and the Member for Greenock, Mr. DISRAELI, in a
few powerful sentences, vindicated the Opposition from the
charge of a factious movement, and with cutting scarcasm suggested,
that if the Opposition desired to upset the Government it would possibly
seek for an " artist " behind the Ministerial benches ; then grappling
with the main question, with immense power he drew a graphic
picture of Russia contending single-handed against united Europe,
•• aid contrasted her sustaining a position in the Crimea for eleven
inths, and organising and carrying out an invasion of Armenia
and besieging Kars, with the " vigorous and energetic " prose-
c dim of the war adopted by the English Government. Never were
h tppier hits given than in the review of the " energy and foresight "
displayed by the Government in their conduct of the war in Asia. Not
o•ie of them missed. They were so true that the Liberal Benches
t iemselves were compelled to acknowledge them. And the readiness
of his power of repartee by which he turned a Ministerial " Oh !" into a
outing parallel between Lord PALMERSTON'S conduct to Lord ASHBURTON
a:id his conduct to Lord STRATFORD, at the same time contrasting the
o urse pursued by Lord PALMERSTON on that occasion with that by
Mr WHITESIDE on this, drew hearty cheers from the House.
The speech sparkled with wit and humour, and resounded with
oratorical power. After so brilliant a display, how vapid were Lord
JOHN RUSSELL and the Premier. The attention of the
House was no longer fixed, and
,tho diviaion was restlessly looked for.
No one had anticipated 60 large a majority for the Ministers. The
public can new
„judge what tie " Administrative Reformers" and
i• Independent Lihsra)s
,are worth when the whip is cracked in
their ears to the tilta
re of "a Palmerston or a Derby," the key-
note of the Ptni4'S, press-to his supporters on Monday.

The Ministers and their friends must be enviously at a loss for
subjects of reproach against the Opposition, when they revert so con-
stantly to the two measures which have met with resistance—the
Foreign Enlistment Bill, and the Turkish Loan. As to the first
measure, it has been completely inoperative as regards the operations
of the war, not a company having joined the allied armies, though we
have been involved by the act in a " nasty " dispute with America ;
and as to the seetmd measure, the Turks did not receive a shilling
until after Kars had fallen, and the active operations of the war had
ceased. Both measures were just in time to be too late. The Oppo-
sition, in each case, was favorable to a policy which would have raised
men more quickly, and have afforded the finances of Turkey less
embarrassing relief.

An amusing story is going the round of society in Dublin. A
certain Dean, who is desirous of standing well with the Castle, and
who has frequenuMeyviews with the pr 4 I,ieutetiant, gave his Ex•
cellency a letter to read which he had Just received from a gentleman
in the' (*him fohnerly his Excellency's private secretary. His
Excellency read.with -much satisfaction till he came to a postscript,
which it seems had escaped the Rev. Dean's notice, and then his face
darkened, and he. asked the Dean whether he had read the whole
letter. " Yes," replied his reverence, " very amusing, isn't it." His
Excellency returned the letter, and the confounded Dean then read,
" Can' it,'be 'true that that' iss, C— is going to marry Rose
?" naming a young lady; one of the belles of Dublin. Whether
is Excellency imanger, oc the Dean in distress, disclosed the story, is
not known. We can only say that the tale is generally credited, and
excites unhonn4ed.nierriment in, the why circles of the Irish capital.

Varcon"Mtutiow. paid a visit' to our metropolis yesterday. We
cann'ot 'doubt' that he will be ivatmly welcomed by the social circles
whit+ still' retain 1/24 0" plOaking a recollection of his invariable courtesy,
frankness, and hospitality. We hope that he may be able to afford

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