Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-02-09 00:00:00

were parties to the present Protectorate

It is evident from the frank and unreserved
manner in which Lord DERBY stated the case of
Mr. GLADSTONE'S mission, on the first night of the
Session, that there is nothing to conceal respecting
it. The acceptance of the very onerous office, by
so distinguished a statesman, was an act for which
not only England, but Europe should be grateful.
But he undertook no such task as that which he is
now so ungenerously taunted with having failed
to perform. The reason why Mr. GLADSTONE was
sent out, as Lord DERBY has explained, was the
statement from every side that from various causes
the Government of that country had come to a
dead lock, and that for years and years it had been
impossible for the Government and the representa-
tives of the people to carry on the legislature of
the country in a satisfactory mariner. Under
these circumstances,--circumstances thwarting the
very object of the Constitution, which gives Eng-
land the Protectorate,—he was commissioned to
personally investigate the causes which had occa-
sioned the difficulties in the working a the
Constitution. And, said the. Premier, " he readily
accepted that mission, for which I consider that
his high position, his peculiar ability, his great
honour, and the interest which ho always took
on the s-abjeet, eminently qualified him." There
gall he no question whatever of all this, It would

have been impossible to have chosen any one better
qualified for such a mission ; and while his appoint-
ment was most creditable to Lord DERBY, his
acceptance of it was highly honourable to himself,
evincing as it- did his readiness to serve the public
interests, at whatever inconvenience to himself, or
even risk to his own reputation. •
The nature of the proceeding which has ensued
upon Mr GLADSTONE'S interposition, has been .
also, though briefly, yet candidly and honestly
stated by Lord DERBY. Circumstances, as we
already knew, had occurred to render pit unde-
sirable, if not also improbable, for the High Com-
missioner (Sir JOHN YOUNG) to propose to the
lonian Parliament such improvements as would
have any chance of being accepted : he was there-
fore recalled. And, as the Premier went on to
say, "it was advisable that Mr. GLADSTONE
should be the means of communicating to the
Senate and people those alterations and improve-
ments which he thought desirable ; and it being
also absolutely necessary that Sir JoHN YOUNG
should retire, Mr. GLADSTONE consented to re-
main, at considerable inconvenience to himself,
and to give all the -authority and influence which
would result from his charaCter and acqnointance
with their interests.". • Hence his appointment as ,
-Lord High Commissioner, pro tempore, and foi-'that
specific object. A permanent High Commissioner
having now been" appointed, Mr. GLADSTONE has
by this time, it is probable, brought his labours to
a close,—and there is no doubt that, as Lord
DERBY added, " when he again appears in his
place in the House of Common's, he will there
satisfy Parliament as to the wisdom and policy of
the course which he pursued." It were but fair,
therefore, to await his re-appearance there, and
the account he will doubtless then render of his
mission, in all its main details, before any
unfavourable judgment is passed upon a proceed-
ing which, whatever may be its issue, appears to
have been by no means injudiciously projected 'by
the Government, or to have been undertaken by
Mr. GLADSTONE with any other feeling than one
of disinterested devotion to public duty.