The Express.
London, England, 1853-12-27 00:00:00

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I.O.VDON, TUESDAY, DECE.VBER 27.

YeirmertAv it wu announced that Lord PALMER'
nox bad retracted his resignation, and yesterday the
Tines celebrated the event by turning its coat once
more. Oa Friday, the 16th of December, the Times,
in communicating to the public the intelligence that
Lord PALYEILSTON had tendered hit resignation of
his 011109 as Secretary of State for the Home Depart-
ment, observed that " no motives short of the most
imperious dictates of conscience and of duty would
justify a Minister of the Crown in retiring from its
service at a moment of so much importance to the
interests of the nation and the world." This was
the mildest form of reproach with which the vagaries
of his lordship were wilted. In a second article
the Times poured out the vials of its wrath to the
very dregs upon the unfortunate ex-Minister. The
public were asked to believe that Lord PAL-
iimurrox's motives were little better than mere ca-
price—that there was something in the month of
December which seemed to make Lord Pm.reinarron

snmanagcable—th‘t the cocstellation which presides
over the winter solstice must predominate in his ho-
rosoope—that December, 1831, saw him abandon the
eollesgues with whom he had acted five years—that
Demobs; 1832, saw him unite himselfagain with his
old friends and that Deoember,lB33, beholds another
breach of the friendship which had been re-established

a year ago. In other words, Lord PALMERSTON had
no better reason for his conduct than lunatics have
for the alleged exaggeration of their disease at the
period of the fall mnoo. "The dims", of breaking
up Cabinets," said the candid Tintes,"Deenla to have
assumed with him a chronic form." In short the
evident design of our contemporary was to insinuate
that his lordship had little ether motive for
bringing a Ministry to a dead-lock than a mischievous
propensity for indulging his malice, which developed
itself in fall force annually somewhere about Christ-
mas time. Tho article then went on to state that
Lord Pntatrusxon had acted on anti-liberal prin-
ciples—that he separated on one occasion from his
colleagues on account of his sympathy with the abso-
lutist revolution in France—that he separates from
them now " because he cannot make up his mind to
reform in any shape—to

or di._
any extension of the suf-
frage, or any removal of thaw small and
corrupt boroughs which still disgrace our
constitution. Like the Duke of WELLINGTON in
18:30, Lord PALMERSTON "is against all reform, and
resigns his place because he will not form part of a
Reforming Ministry." After this we were told that,
by Lord PALMERSTON'S resignation, the Liberal
cause had lost nothing—that he was a "Tory of the
Old School," and that, however his loss might be re•
gretted, it would hare been still worse to " keep Mai
at his own terms." A statesman who can give no
better reasons for breaking up a Ministry
than wantonness and caprice, who goes poli-

deafly mad every winter, who detests Liberal
principles, who is a representative of a school of poli-
ticians whom Englishmen in general would hate
were they not too weak to attract any feeling
strati., than contempt, who is not worth buying at
his own price, is better out of an administration than
ie it, and this was the evident conclusion to which
the Times wished to lead the public mind. There
Was a palpable desire to show that the Inas of Lord
PALMERSTON was a " good riddance." This was on the
16th of December,ll days ago. Yesterday, 10days after
the "damaging" remarks on the Holm SECRETARY%
character, Lord PALMERSTON is represented by the
nows in a totally different light. Reformed, we
suppose, by the castigation administered to him by
our contemporary, his lordship appears in its
columns with a coat of whitewash. He comes for-
ward as a pearl of price. Nothing is too dear to be
offered in exchange for such a valuable item in the
composition of the Cabinet as Lord Paurazavort.
lie has come back not as a repentant inner, bet as
an invaluable friend. " The zealous mediation of the
Duke of NEWCASTLE, the sagacious and patriotic
advice of the Marquis of LANSDOWNE, and, we
must add, the excellent temper and public spirit
shown by the Ministers mat nearly engaged in this
diecussioa, have led to this satisfactory result." The
" mediation " of a Duke, the "patriotism" of a Mar-
quis, the " public spirit " of Ministers all set in motion
to obtain the " satisfactory remelt" of gaining beck to
their sides a colleague who leaves them in the lurch
at a moment's notice, who has a "chronic" tendency
to break up Ministries every December, who is en
anti-Liberal, an old Tory, who is not worth
the price he sets on himself! Who would imagine
that the Peerage and the Ministry would have bid so
much for so miserable an object? How are we to
aceennt for each fatuity P
The only way to get over the difficulty is to for-
get the character written out, ten days ago, for the
servant who gave warning, and read the new cha-
Meter given to the servant who consents to return
to hie place. Yesterday, the news, "turning its
book upon itself," is pleased to aware the public
that Iced PALMERSTON on the 16th, and Lord
Pautcarron on the 26th, are two very different
peruses. It affirms that "Lord PALMERSTON
and the colleagues with whom he is spin united
have been actuated by higher motives of public
duty" than those which have been ascribed to them.
The political lunatic of the 16th is said on the 26th
to be a great master of diplomatic subjects, bringing
to them an extraordinary amount of political experi-
ence, combined with great fertility of resources and
natural energy. " Ile contributes," we are told "to
the service of the Crown, not only the advice he may
tender in the Cabinet, but his eloquence and
popularly in Parliament, and the confidence
he has obtained from the nation." The man
sot worth the price he asks for himself is suddenly
found out to be invaluable. The break up in the
Cabinet would have been the most distressing event
for the nation, the reoonsolidation of it is a national

blessing. " Lord PALMERSTON'S return to office is
not the triumph of one section of the Cabinet over
another, nor has it been purchased by concessions or
arrangements which can produce any alterations in
the course of public policy ; but it is the triumph of
union and public spirit over a partial dissension, and
it gives a fresh security for the duration of a Govern-
ment which is identified with the best interest of the
country."

So much for Lord PALMERSTON, who must chuckle
amazingly at the extraordinary rapidity in which,
for party purposes, he is metamorphosed from a sin-
ner to 'saint. We believe we indicated the true esti•
!nation in which the intelligence of the nation held
Lord P LMERI,TON, by a reference to the thermo-
meter of the pocket. We pointed out to our
rtaders the fact that the effect upon the funds
of the auaouncement of the Holt: SEcat.r.tat'a

resignation was—half•a•crowo. We asserted also,
what is well understood in the political world, that
Lord l'aLmusiust has scarcely any •' following,"