The Express.
London, England, 1851-02-28 00:00:00

MINISTERIAL CRISIS.

Lord Stanley having communicated to her Ma-
jesty the Queen his inability to form a cabinet, Lord
John ltussell has again been entrusted with the task
of re-constructing a cabinet. This evening nt five
o'clock Lord Stanley, it is expected, will state all the
facts connected with the late events. The statements
made in both houses will appear in a second edition
of the Erin% sa.

At five o'clock yesterday Lord Stanley proeeedcd to Buck-
ingham Palace, and nt an audience of the Queen expreswd
his inability, at the present moment, to form an adminis-
tration. This proceeding is understood to have resulted from
the unwillingness of Mr. Gladstone and Viscount Canning
to agree to certain arrangements under which Lord Stanley
proposed to carry on the government.
A muting of the leading members of the Peel" party
took place yesterday morning at the residence of the Right
Hon. Sidney Ilerhert, in Carlton-gardens; Mr. Gladstone,
Mr. Goulburn, and Mr. Cardwell, were among those
Present.

tiir James Graham called upon Mr. Gladstone yesterday,
and hud an interview with the right hon. gentleman.
After Lord Stanley had placed his resignation in the
hands of the Queen, a despatch, written by Ills Itoyal nigh
ness Prince Albert, was forwarded to Lord John !lessen at
the noble lord's prisate residence in Cheshamsplace.
At eight o'clock last night a communication from Sir
James Graham addressed to Mr Majesty was received at
Buckingham Palace.

Her Majesty immediately replied to the right hon.
baronet.

The Earl of Aberdeen, Sir James Graham, and Mr. Card-
well were in constant communication during the day.

According to the Times, it is understood that on
the meeting of the lloase of Commons Mr. Cobden
intends giving notice that he will submit a resolu-
tion expressive of the determination of the house to
refuse its support to any administration that is not
pre•lared faithfully to adhere to the free-trade policy
adopted in the year IM6.

LOED POLLTNGToN .LND TILE LATE ELECTION FOR
PONTEFItArT.-It will be remembered that on the morning
of the nomination, a fortnight ago, a Mr. Jefferson, school-
master, proposed, iu opposition to the lion. B. Lawley,
Lonl Po'Legion, on the ground that his lurdship was a
supporter of protection. Ile also averred that his lordship
would consent to acne if elected. This was contradicted
by the liberal party ; and the result was that Mr. Lawley
was returned by a very large majority. Lord Pollington,
who was at the time a considerable distance from home,
ihas now addressed a letter to the electors of Pontefract and
the adjacent districts, in which his lordship expresses
his relent and surprise that he had been put in
nomination against his friend Mr. Lawley, and
thus at the same time being made the subject of a
defeat. lle states that rather than enter parliament
by means of the forfeiture of promises macle to his
friend, he would remain out all his life.. His lordship
adds, that he is also unwilling to be represented as the
enemy of free trade in its fair and honourable sense. lie
voted in the last parliament for the free importation of corn
front our colonies when Sir Robert l'etl refused even that
small concession ; and when, in accordance with the ad-
dresses, both printed and spoken, made to them in 1841, he
voted against the immediate and total repeal of the corn
laws he grounded his vote on the fact that it was unjust
to remove protection until they had removed restriction
from agriculture.

VAGRANTA IN THE METROPOLITAN DISTRICT.—
Yest,rday a return to parliament obtained by Sir George
Grey was printed, from which we gather the number of
vagrants taken up within the metropolitan police district in
the last ten years. It seems that the largest number was
in 181:1, when 6,515 were taken into custody, and the
smallest number in 1816, when 3,748 were taken up. In
the year 1850, 3,810 were taken into custody, of which
2,406 were convicted, and 1,404 were discharged. In the
ten years 52,107 were taken into custody; 28,873 were
convicted, and 23,234 discharged. In three months ending
January last 1,022 vagrants wer: taken into custody ; 660
were convicted, and the remainder discharged.
DESTRUCTIVE FIRE IN PATERNOSTER-ROW.—Last
evening, about 20 minutes to 6 o'clock, a fire broke out on
the premises of Messrs. Themes and John Cuthbert, tallow
merchants, Nos. 42 and 43, Paternoster-row. Messrs.
Cuthbert carry on a very extensive business as tallow mer-
chants and inciters, and notwithstanding the confined na-
ture of the neighbourhood they have had a steam-engine
and several boilers for melting tallow constantly at work
for many years past. A great many complaints have been
made by the neighbours at various times, and the danger to
the surrounding property from the liability of Messrs.
Cuthbert's premises to take fire has been represented, but
all to nu purpose, and it has remained for the accident of
last night to put an end to the nuisance of a tallow melting
business in the very heart of the City of London. The man-
ner in which the tire originawd is thus described. In the
basement story, as well as in the upper floors of the building,
were several large copper boilers far melting fat, some of them
holding nearly one ton weight of tallow. Only the two
boilers on the basement story were at work yesterday after-
noon, and while the men in charge were tending these the
lower part of one of them suddenly gave way, and the fat
fulling into the furnace the whole of the lower portion of
the premises were very soon in flames. The hooks, and
such other valuables as COUla be speedily got together, were
rescued by the clerks ; but such was the rapidity of the
flames that it was found impossible to remove an 7 of the
tallow, of which there were many hundred tons on the pre-
mises. The engine from Faningdon-street was soon on the
spot, and the \\ atling-street and \Vest of England engines
soon followed. There was an excellent supply of water,
and by great exertion, after about half-an-hour's hard
work, the fire was so far got under as to set all fears for the
surrounding property, at rest. Messrs. Cuthbert's premises
are completely gutted, and some valuable machinery de-
stroyed, but of the tallow there will be a very large salvage.
The fire occasioned great alarm in the neighbourhood, and
large crowds of spectators assembled, but admirable order
was preserved by the police.
BURGLARS' ANDATTENIPT TO MURDER AT WINDSOR.
—The Dean and Canons of Windsor have contributed the
sum of 201., to which government has added 501., as a re-
ward for information leading to the appaehension and con-
viction of the accomplice of Ash in the burglary and mur-
derous attempt on the lives of Mr. Tucker and Mn. Whit-
taker, of Clarence-road, Windsor.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.
HOUSE OF LORDS.—FRIDAY, FEE. 28.
The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the woulsack at
a quarter before 5 o'clock.
'There was ,i Isrgc attendance of peers, exidently in:expec-
tation of some statement being made with reference to the
ministerial crisis. Several members of the lower house were
present in the gallery assigned to them.
NEW PEER.
Baron Broughton de Gyfforil (late Sir J. C. llohhouse)
was introduced. by Lord Elphinstone and Lord Glenelg, and
took the usual oaths. lle took his seat on the front minis-
terial beach.

VICE-CHANCELLOR'S BILL.
On the motion of Lord LANGDALE, this bill was read a
third time, and passed.
THE MINISTERIAL CRISIS.
Shortly after fire o'clock the house ti a• well filled. Oa
the ministerial benches were the Marquis of Lansdowne,
Earl Orey, the Marquis of Normanhy, the Earl of Carlisle,
the Earl of Clanricanle, and Lord Langdale.
The opposition benches were also well filled. Lord Stan-
Icy occupied his usual place, as did the Earl of Aberdeen,
Lord Brougham, the Earl of Hardwick, , the Marquis of
Salisbury, Lord Reilesdale, and the Earl of .Mahnesbury.
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE, after presenting some
petitions, said that last Friday he was in the confident ex-
pectation and siuesre hope that that was the last
occasion on which he should appear in public as
part of the ministry. Ile then stated that Lord J.
Russell was by the command of Her Majesty engaged in
the attempt to re-construct the administration. lie was
then so engaged, iu conjunction with a noble earl in that
house, and a right hon. baronet a member of the other
house. But, before that night (Friday) closed, the attempt
failed. A communication was then muds to a noble lord in
that house (Stanley) to ascertain whether he was able to
undertake the duty of forming a ministry; but, at the end
of two days, that noble lord had communicated totter Majesty
his inability to do so. That communication was dated at a
late hour pseerday afternoon. What he had uow to state
was, that he hail that morning, by her Majesty's commands,
attended on her Majesty, who, after making every effort
she possibly could to employ in the construction of a minis-
try thou., who were beat qualified to do so, was now, in this
unprecedented state of public affairs, deairoua of pausing
and taking further advice, _especially that of a noble and
illustrious duke (Wellington). He had been summoned by
her Majesty, and he trusted the house would acquiesce
in the propriety of her Majesty pausing and taking such
advice as she might deem necessary before taking a further
step in this most important crisis. (Hear, hear.) Ile could
not sit down without ',Latin!: the one consolatory circum_
stance in these difficulties -- that the differences and
ditticuLies which had presented themselves had in
no one instance turned upon personal questions, but
upon honest and conaiendous questions of principle.
(Cheers.) lie was confident such bad been the
case in the whole of these transactions, whether carried on
by the noble lord opposite or by others. (Hear, hear.) On
behalf of all public men, not alone of his own party, ho
would observe that, though great sacrifices of private ease
and comfort might frees time to time be requiml of them,
they could neve: be called upon to make the sacrifice of a
prolonged attempt to carry un the business of the country
without a promise of that support which was alike necessary
to the honour of the crown and the efficient service of the
public interest. (Hear, bear.) The opposite could not hut
be detrimental to the honour of the crown and to the pub-
lic interests at large. (Cheers.)
The Earl of ABERDEEN said it was ineumlsht on him,
to explain to the houssithe motives for his combed, and
which had led to the decision he had taken. On Saturday
morning he was commanded by her Majesty to attend her;
he did so on the eveuing of Sat urday, and, atter an audience,
in which he humbly cap:eased his readinesa to co-operate in
the reconstruction of the ministry, he subsequently met, in
her Majesty's pm mac, Lord Joint Russell and Sir Janos
Orahani. They again met Lonl J. Rumen on the follow-
ing day ; lie iommunicated to them the basis on which the
government was to be reconstructed, and the principal MCA-
sures he proposed. This was between •1 and 5 o'clock on
Sunday. On Monday they entered into an (mouths:Lion of
the proposals. On some they entirely agreed ; on
others mutual explanations might have led to an
agreement ; their difference was confined to a single mea-
sure. He felt an invincible difficulty in the way of' adopt-
ing the measure for repelling what had hem called tho
papal aggressions, to which decision :he had been led by
deep conviction and feeling. He felt that this legislation
must prove utterly ineffectual. It was difficult enough at
all times, by force of law, to give a criminal character to acts
in themselves indifferent, so as to secure the
ling obedience of mankind; but when such acts
proceeded from a sense of duty and religious
obligation, they were beyond the sphere of legis-
lation. No doubt they might persecute, but they could not
repress. For two hundred years they had tormented very
effectually, but instead of diminishing, they had increased
ropers-. his thought lie saw in that measure a retro-
grade step towards a epoxies of legislation which
he hoped hail been for ever at an end. Sour obso-
lete enactments, it was true, still remained on tho
statute-book, against which the legislature had expressed
its opinion. But, though believing that uo breach
of the law had taken place, he was fully sensible of the
insolent tone of the papal document. This might have been
matter fur negotiation, but it was no ground, in his opinion,
for a law infringing on the liberty of their Roman catholic
fellow-subjects. Ilia right hon. friend (Sir J. (indium)
fully agreed with him in this view, though they haul no
previous conference on the subject, and, until the day before
the meeting of parliament, he had not the most iLstant
hint of what was the opinion of the right tun. baronet.
This was the case with all those noblemen and gentlemen
with whom he hail usually acted in political life ; and even
to this moment, he was ignorant of the opinions of slime of
them. It was true the noble lord (J. Russell) had proposed
to them material alterations sod tnodilicationa of the Eccles
siast tad Titles Itill,which might have removed some objection
to the measure itself, hut must have excited great disappro-
, bation and disappointment to all those representing the
popular feeling, and the remnant of the bill would have
been equally regarded as offensive and oppressive by tho
I Roman catholies. They therefore declined to make them-
selves parties to a measure from which they could not anti-
cipate any good, and from which they feared much evil.
The noble lord's attempt being at an end, her Majesty was
pleased to send for him (the Earl of Aberdeen),
and request him to undertake the formation of a
ministry. Fully sensible of his own inadequacy to
the teak, he still felt that there were circum-
, stances in the state of the country which might
justify him in doing so. But knowing that a measure of
penal legislation hail been introduced, and had received the
II assent of a large majority of the lower house, and would
probably do so in that house, he had been led to intrcat her
Majesty to spare him the difficulty of the task which she
was graciously desirous to impose upon him. Ile had
felt that it would kindle a flame of religious
' discord throughout the country, and would inevi-
tably increase the difficulties with which they had to
contend. Nevertheless, he was confident that a great
change would soon take place ; and he trusted their lord-
ships would give him credit fur the sincerity of his convic-
tions, and believe that nothing would have induced him to
follow the course he had adopted but the conviction that he
was acting on the principles of truth and justice. (Cheers.)
Lord STANLEY said it was his duty to take that, the
earliest, opportunity of explaining the negotiations
in which he had been engaged. The late adminis-
tration having resigned their offices, or come to a determi-
nation to do so, on Friday last, a formal announcement to
that effect was made to her Majesty on Saturday morning.
On that day, her Majesty had done him the honour of
stating, that believing him to possess the confidence of
large body in that and the other house, she had thought it
proper to impose on him the duty of forming an adminis-
triton. Ile had thought it his duty to ask her Majesty
the grounds on which the late administration had resigned,
and had :learnt that they were the same in substance
as had been stated in that and the other house;
namely, the divisions on Mr. Disraeli's and Mr. L. King's
motion,. He (Lord 8.) must be permitted to doubt
whether those were the principal causes. He could not but
think that that moat difficult question of the papist aggres-
sion had much to do with the decision of the late govern-
ment. With difficulties so grave on one side and the other
—a state of protestant feeling excited in the country by the
prime minister's letter, and on the other an 'Mensal
feeling produced in another body of their su, , ..:.rs,
that this Was not a subject for legislation. He
could not resist the conviction that this question la: .a had
much weight with the government in inducing them re-
sign. The financial question was also one on a hied, they
must have felt much difficulty, owing to the universal dis-
satisfaction produced by the budget of the Chancellor of the
Exchequer ; and in this state of things, the hostile division

f Thorwlay night might not have been an unwelcome° '
fee anion. (Hear, hear.) After the interview with
her Majesty ate had addecwc•d to her a letter,
for the oaks of placing on record the principles no
which be was pre pared to undertake the government.
some portions of which, by her Majesty'.• permission, be
would read. After referring to the two divisions on Mr.l
Disraeli's and Mr. L. King's motions, the latter of which
was tarried by • majority or 100 to 64, there being in the
minority 17 protectionists, 27 ministerial members, and only
10 independent members—(hear, hear) —he went on to say
that he had stated this to her Majesty ; also his impression
that the number of his friends opposing the motion would
have been greater, hut for a suspicion that the government
was not acting honestly on the question. After adverting to
the eircunutances of the dissolbtion of the late government,

he had stated that after the opinions he had eapre•sed, and
the vanction he had given to the motion of Mr. IJiVmell,
declaring it the duty of the goetinnunt to take effective
measures for the relief of agricultural distress, it was len-
povvilde for him to taae office without a determination fully
to it al with that diArtvv, and apply such remedies as he
thought proper. (Hear, hear.) Were he to take office on
any other ground, be felt that he should be dis-
honoured. (Ucar, hear.)
(Left speaking.)

MOUSE OF COMMONS.

TIIE MINISTERIAL CRISIS.

The house was, if pew.ible, more crowded than on Mon-
day evening laxt, in expectation of the minixterial explana-
tion. re-native to the tinuamciions of the pet week.

On the ord. r of t:ke day for the rweond reading of the
Er( kriamiral Title, Bill.

linst J. ItUSSEI. nr:e,'and in the first instance addressed
himself to what be term, ,l the peremptory and discourteous
contradiction he had received from the hon. member for
Ducks on Monthly evening last. The noble lord read a
letter from 11.1t.11. rehire Albert, summoning him to the
palace in etmacquence of Lord Stanley declining to act, and
subsequently a letter from Lord Stanley substantially con-
firming his (Lord J. Russel) statement. (This portion of the
noble lonia observations was res.eived milli loud chars by
the hoer. The nubile lord then proceeded to nar-
rate the I mccedings of the past week. Lewd Stanley
bating been sent for, red leaving declined to
act, I.oed John Ittesell had been again summoned lo
the paL•re, and in pienmance of dime:ions f ont her 31ajes,y
hat communicated with Lord Aberdem and Sir Janes
Graham, but both hod declined the respmrtiltili.y of the
rafril •ia..:cal Titles Bill, deeming any legislation on the
'whim t unnee--sary. Under the unusual difficulties of the
situation, her Majesty had sent for an old and
tried friend of the crown, not has eminent fur
his sagacity in civil mat.ers than his imperi.h.
wide renown in the unlit of lottle. (Loud cheers.)
ifs meant "'course the Duke of Wellington, who was then
salvising her Majesty, and so the matter rested at pr.seent.
Ile (Lord J. ltessell) had only therefore to request the
further indulgence of tne house until some ar-
rangenio nt had been come tp. Menu. hile he wished to
repudiate the at...us:nit& of having resigned from any fear of
meetin4 the difficulties of the present crisis. Ilad he rt•-
sign,tl when the commercial world was in a state of contu-
sion, Iredantl we. in a state of famine, or when all
Europe in a blare of revolution, such an accusation
With. 11.. v. Is en it mettle, but now, with a full was...nu:v.,
and the country in a stale of prosperity, such un accusation
ma- ridiculous. There were three great pints which had
b. n lately much under diww,sion, to which he v.isheol to
istitlnvo a few obaervati.ms. The first was the ceelesimikal
Imes hill. IM that sulieet he wished to say Vont lee had
neat altered his opinion as to the necessity of vinelica.ing the
supreme:, of the crown and people of Englund, as
itgaMst the se.uniption of any foreigh power, but at the
• .n. time twine /lamed that although the bill had been
most carefully teamed, there were elauseswhich would in-

t. rf. re with onlination, collation, and bequests. be was
most willing to have those eLlusas altered. (Derisive cheers
from the Irish members.) To the extent to which
110 v would re. interfere. Ile WM the more con-
firm al in the. count, f.stm ascertaining that Meh-
l...imp Murray, a prelate of well-known modem-
ton, 1ar,.1 costsconener. such as he had indicated from the
lan. With respect to free trade, he cli•irevil no merit for
it• adoption. 'sir IL Peel gave the mecit to the hon. menthe,
for Ili. W- .t Itidiag, and eertainly to that hon. tutiaber in
conjunction wills Sir IL. Peel the merit war due. Ile hail only
to ,ay %list he (Lord J. Ito-.ell) had tarried out that policy
w att. rel. rent, to bk. sugar shuns and the navigation lams.
and he was tirmly convinctil that the whole of the changes
in our comm. rcial polity, milv,equent to 1315, hail mu.
rr. 11 I. nt on the people or Ett4l,nl which they
would (not willingly r linquish. (Loud cheer..)
With n.sptet t.. un *tension of the cketorul franehire, the
subj. et ball 16 fully diseu•sid in the e: Line*, and it had
Ins is unanimon.ly determined that, under all the cirrus'''.
'twos's, a postp.inement until nest session would be the
twist addable course.
.peaking. ]