The Express.
London, England, 1856-01-31 00:00:00

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LONDON, THURSDAY, JANUARY 31.:

We know that it ought not to be so—we feel that
it shows a blameable indifference to an important
public event—but we really cannot get op • strong
feeling either way about this Cambridge Election.
Both candidates are so unimpeachable is point of
character, so correct in point of orthodoxy, so taste-
fully neutral in the tint of their politics, that we feel
a real diffidence in saying scything on either side.
Were our personal predilections strong, our difficulties
would be greater still. As matters now stand, it is
hard indeed to say whether Mr. DENMAN or Mr.
WALPOLE would be most injured by our support.
Probably the cause of either would best be served
by a partisan article from this journal in favour of
his opponent. But even if we were sure of this, it
would be very difficult Codetermine on behalf of which
of the two candidate, the partisan article should be
written. Whether to injure DENMAN by advocating
the came of WALPOLE, OE WALPOLE by advocating the
cease of DE1111•N —this would be to us the really per-
piecing question. Individually, both men have very
fair claims to the honour, scab se it is, cf representing
the University of Cambridge. Mr. WALPOLE is un-
doubtedly the older and better known of the two can-
didates ; bat amongst Cambridge men Mr. DENMAN
hail acquired a k;nd of celebrity which is
gotten in the after life of Englishmen bred together
in the same university. Captain of the first Trinity
boat, Captain of the Poll, first in the Classical
Tripes—the younger candidate evinced a com-
biaation of physical and mental powers sure
to exercise a captivating influence upon all the
wen of his own standing. Since his call to the
bar Mr. DINILtE'S legal career has been marked ,1
by the valuable characteristics of manly good
sense, a power of vigorous and argumentative speak-
ing, chiefly evinced in the defence of prisoner, at
sessions and assizes, and a high degree of moral and
intellectual integrity, principally displayed in the
important and delicate functions of a legal arbitrator.
He is, beside*, tae son of his father, and should any
oeceston arise for their manifestation, would no doubt
display on the arena of public life those really high
qualities of English spirit and resolute determina-
tion which, in defence of what he deemed to be con-
stitutional right., made the late Lord Dizenur so
utterly regardless of the displeasure of the Crown
and the opposition of the Senate. These are emend
and sterling qualities—quite sufficient to render Mr.
DENMAN an entirely unobjectionable representative
for the University of Cambridge.
We really fear we have goes too far—we trust
nut : that which we have written has been simply
the result of a somewhat deliberate judgment exer-
cised upon the facts of Mr. DENMAN'S 411.11•1' as they
have been brought to our knowledge upon authority
on which wo can place implicit reliance. But we
beg to assure the honourable and learned aspirant,
that though we have been thee led to extern an I
opinion se to his Sines. for the post at which he
aims, we utterly disclaim all sympathy with many
of the views—mere dissolving views for the meet
part—which in his programme be appears to dis-
pose, and ice earnestly protest against the injustice

of being supposed to have cast any suspicion an hie
"Conservatism" by the dubious support of a Liberal
journal.
i As to Mr. WALPOLE, let it be at ono, admitted
I that his personal fitness as • representative of the
University is quite u great as, and far more
generally and publicly conspicuous than, that
of Mr. DENMAN. In the imposing class of
our political respectabilitiee, Mr. WALPOLE takes
Senior Wrangler rank. He has always " kept
his gig," and kept it in the highest order and most
gentlemanly style. The general soundness and
sobriety of his parliamentary career, which would
be unimpeachable in a mere mediocrity, Is an
' additional recommendation to a University eon-
stitoency in the case of a man possessed of
very fair average talent. His political virtue,
without being " fugitive, cloistered," or purl-
topical, may perhaps without offence be desig-
Dated as somewhat prudish and prim. There is no
danger of his being impelled, on the one side, lath
the generous errors of an elevated enthusiasm : had
it rot been for his indefensible vote on the
Turkish Loan, we should have thought there was
as little chance of his lapsing Into the opposite
, extreme, of a mean compliance with the low exi-
gencies of faction. As to his address, it cannot be
said of him that " he doth protest too mach r bet,
at all events, he does not insult the good sees" Obis
venerable Alma Mater by seeking to impasses kw,
as a profession of principle, the luminous avowal
that he is "Liberal—but Conservative." WM
knows what lightnings of concealed Liberalism may
not yet break forth from the convenient cloudiness of
his address? When was the illustrious Sir ROBERT
ever more obscure than in those political manifesta-
tions that immediately preceded the great hurricane
which swept Lway the Corn-laws?
Au ardent contemporary, who devotee to the
cause of WALPOLE all the honest warmth of the
great conntry-parson interest, reckons the chances
of hie success, as it were, per capita, and enu-
merates the imposing array of " Heads" that
figure on his committee list. Very ornamental no
doubt ; but it would take more " Heads" than the
most cannibal of New Zealandsa could conveniently
string on his war girdle to outweigh those European
names of BABBAGE, ♦tart, and MACADLAT, which
illustrate the committee of Mr. DENMAN. After all,
perhaps, may it not turn out that the seal of our
contemporary is a little misdirected P Has he forgot-
ten that an illustrious candidate is in the field for
Midhurst, whose modest hopes are doomed to an
early blight if Mr. WaLroLa, unsuccessful at Cam-
bridge, should be driven to fall back on the con-
stituency which be has only jut ceased to
represent P L not the true outset rather be-
tween Mr. GEORGE DENMAN and Mr. fiamora WAD.-
WI, than between the former and Mr.War.routP It
la painful to reflect on the possibility that Mr.
Denman's success at the University might deprive
the House of Comm, us of one so likely to adorn its
camells se the elcquent Recorder of Hull, the judi-
cious abbreviator of " Blackstone," the immortal
author of "The Lily and the Bee." Nevertheless,
Even to this sacrifice a strong sense of public duty
might impel us to submit. Could we see any lust
and reasonable cause of "going in" for DENMAN
rather than for WALPOLZ, we meat perforce reconcile
suasive' to the frightful alternative of seeing
Wearies go to the wall, where, by-the-bye, in the
simple days of chalk and Dr. EADY, an illustrious
namesake has often been before him. But, as we
said at the outset, we really cannot prevail
upon ourselves to diminish the chances of
either of these excellent and respectable men,
by pronouncing decidedly for either. With a slight
alteration, we venture to reproduce a certain Mayas
of a certain wicked wit, as conveying with sufficient
accuracy our feelings on this momentous occasion :
Danwarr's mild, end WALPOLE, too
(No ono o'er tlos fact denied) ;
• Which is mildest of the two,
Csatbridp csa alone dreide.
Which is mildest, Cambridge, say—
Choose between them, Cambridge, pray.
Upon the relative merits of the mild liberalism of
DENMAN and the mild toryisni of WALPOLE it
is not for us to attempt to decide : we wash our
bands of the business altogether, and leave the diffi•
salt discrimination to the unassisted sagacity of the
great sod venerable community which cannot go far
wrong sport whichever candidate its choice may tall.

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