The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-06-03 00:00:00

COUNT CAVOUR ON SIR R. PEEL.

In the sitting of the Sardinian Senate of the
26th ult. Count Cavour made some very just ob-
servations respecting the policy of the late Sir
Robert Peel. The Policy of England having been
quoted as an example for the gradual introduction
of free trade measures, Count Cavour said :
Before concluding I must reply to an observation made
yesterday by MM. Sclopis and Galling. They quoted
the example of England and the authority of Sir R. Peel.
M. Sclopis expressed his astonishment that I had not fol-
lowed the example of the illustrious statesman of whom I
have often spoken with great respect, when I declared
that I entertained the highest opinion of English institu-
tions, of the example given to us by the English people in
political and economical reforms. In fact, I more than
once mentioned Sir R. Peel as one of the greatest and most
illustrious reformers of our century. I have no wish to
retract the principles I have often professed before you;
but, while I consider it advisable for statesmen of every
country, especially for the statesmen of Piedmont, to study
the institutions of England, it is because I think they may
learn much to profit by, and also how to avoid many errors
committed by Englishmen. England was the first to ad-
vance in the path of economical reforms, and for that very
reason she was obliged to advance cautiously. But when
the reform was :accomplished, do you think that those
who opposed it declared that it was well to have advanced
cautiously ? No, gentlemen ; and Sir Robert Peel himself,
when he said free trade had calmed the crisis of 1847,
expressed his regret that he had not had the courage to
propose it 26 years earlier to present the crisis of 1824.
I therefore think that it would be a folly not only to
follow the example of England in the reforms realised, but
also in the manner of accomplishing them. Let us learn
by the experience of others ; let us be warned by the
errors of other nations not to commit similar errors
ourselves, and when we behold those nations who
have attained great prosperity proclaim certain
principle in an absolute manner, let us adopt
them, and apply them to as full an extent as it is
in our power to do. Many of the reforms which we
have boldly adopted were only accomplished gradually
in England. The Corn Law Bill only passed after a
struggle of 25 or 30 years. The struggle commenced in
1817 and lasted till 1846, when Sir Robert Peel caused
the bill to pass. And here, while following in the steps
of England, we have yet adopted free trade at once; we
have even gone a-head of England, for she maintains
still a duty—slight, it is true—while we have abolished
it altogether. And now I must reply to the quotation of
Sir R. Peel as an authority. I repeat it, I entertain the
highest admiration for that statesmen ; I believe that few
men have rendered greater services to mankind than he
has. Yet Ido not believe that Sir R. Peel was always in-
fallible in his political career. It is my opinion that Sir R.
Peel would have left a much more illustrious behind him if,
instead of having been compelled by circumstances to
introduce reforms, he himself had originated them. I
think that Sir Robert Peel would have left behind him a
fame unequalled in history if, instead of proposing the
emancipation of the Catholics in 1829, he had proposed it
in 1825 ; I think that his name would have eclipsed all
those of ancient and modern statesmen if the reform of
the corn laws had been initiated in 1840—a good harvest
year—instead of being passed in consequence of the famine
which desolated Ireland, and instead of being in some
measure a consequence of the potato disease. In fact, if
Sir R. Peel had been the originator of reforms, he would
at his death have left to his friends a political inheritance
far different from that which he bequeathed to them. If Sir
R. Peel hadlassociated his name and his whole career with
successive reforms, there would be no need of recording
at the present time a strange fact which has taken place in
England—namely, that a party consisting of eminent men,
including the most eloquent speaker in Parliament, and
the most able legislators, has been: completely routed at
the late elections. And this, gentlemetuen is the tate of
parties who allow themselves to be led by public opinion,
and who wait to the last moment to carry out reforms
which they have not the courage to introduce. I trust
that the Senate, convinced of this truth, will give its sup-
port to the present Government, which, while following
the example of Sir Robert Peel, nevertheless deviates from
the course he adopted by making itself the originator of
reforms, not wishing to grant them to any popular pres-
sure, nor to the pressure of unforoseen circumstances.