The Sun.
London, England, 1855-02-10 00:00:00

LORD DERBY'S STATEMENT.

(Front the Morning Herald.)

The remarkable address of Lcrd Derby to•his brother
peers on Ti ursday evening, ought to be read by every
person in the empire desiring to comprehend the exact
position of parties and of public affairs at this momentous
crisis. Minute in its details, frank and dignified in it
tone and spirit, masterly in its review of the entire po-
sition of affairs, it exhibits, above all, an exalted pa-
triotism and loyalty, and an unswerving fidelity to the
great party acknowledging him as its head. Before ad-
verting to one or two signal disclosures in the address,
let us say, with perfect sincerity, that he has removed
every doubt which bad haunted us as to the prudence
of declining to form an administration when lately hon-
oured with her Majesty's commands to do so. As we
value frankness above almost all things, we have ac-
knowledged that such doubts bad haunted us ; but they
are totally dispelled by Thursday night's statement—
' one which a thousand-fold enhances that distinguished
nobleman's claim to the support of the Conservative
party, and to the confidence of the country at large, ir-
respective of party ; while his profound consideration
fur the true interests of the Queen cannot but be appre-
ciated by that Royal Lady.
This explanation places the Earl of Derby in a vivid
contrast to every statesman or politician of the present
day, except Lord Lansdowne; whom, much as we dif-
fer from him on certain points, we believe to have at
heart the best interests of the public service. Nay, we
believe that had Lord Derby succeeded in forming an
Administration, it would have had no cold or reluctant
support from the noble marquis.
Throughout Lord Derby's explanation shines clear
and steady the proud spirit of disdaining to be a Minis-
ter on sufferance—a position, not only personally de-
grading, but attended with absolute peril to the public
interests, as he proved on that occasion with inimitable
felicity and force. No one could hear him, nor can read
his speech, without feeling that lie would have been the
fitting head of a great War Ministry, that he perfectly
knew the necessity of a strong presiding will and steady
Parliamentary support, as well as of resolute, able, and
united colleagues. How would the deliberations of
his Cabinet have been strengthened by a knowledge of
the unflinching support they could have obtained in the
House of Commons how palsied by the apprehen-
sion that he might fail in obtaining such support, and
must tack, and trim, and pare down, and accommodate
his measures so as to conciliate a capricious majority in
the Lower House ! This is the contrast between his
position and that of his rivals, if such a word be a(1-
inissiblo on such an occasion ; what he disdains they
court ; and the disastrous consequences have been visible
ever since the resuscitated coalition came originally into
office.

We believe that events will speedily show a prescient
prudence of the course which Lord Darby has taken.
That he will be ere long at the helm of affairs we en-
tertain no doubt whatever; and then will be seen how
solid is the basis which he has laid for Conservative
ascendancy in the councils of his country. We see him
confidently biding his time, resolved not to assume till he
can retain the reins of power. It will by-and-bye be ap-
parent to even those now politically opposed to Lim that
clear-sightedness and decision on the late occasion,
while attesting his political sagacity, have satisfied his
country of his patriotism, and his Queen of his wisdom
and devotion to her service. He proves to demonstration
that in the present state of the House of Commons his
Government would have been every moment at the
mercy of a capricious and treacherous combination of
opponents, ready for such combination for one purpose
only—to oust him from power, as experience had but too
lately shown him. We cannot see what he could
do beyond what he did, under such circumstances, to
make an honourable advance to that one of the late
Ministry, Lord Palmerston, who seemed to him,
as it were by common consent, exempt from the
fierce censures passed on his companions. How that
advance was met we now know. But this brings us
to the disclosures of the explanation ; some portions of
which will delight, and others disgust the country.
It now appears that the Earl of Derby would have
had for his right-hand man him in whom the whole
country would have welcomed as the very man for the
crisis—the Earl of Ellenborough, whose indomitable re-
solution, powerful intellect, admirable eloquence, and,
above all, splendid qualification for military administra-
tion, would in an instant have re-assured the fainting
heart of the country—who would have been a host in
himself, but who would have fallen before the first blast
of faction from the House of Commons, at the bidding
of an opposition specially coalesced for the occasion
Now we are very curious to know whether the Earl
of Derby told Viscount Palmersten that the Earl of
Ellenborough had consented to be War Minister in the
new Cabinet of which the Earl of Derby was to be the
head ? Probably he did ; and if so, all is explained.
The ambitious viscount took the alarm ; the man of the
situation, before the country and all Europe, would be
the Earl' of Ellen borough, and not Viscount Palmer-
ston, who, moreover, would not be Premier. So he
resolved coute qui coute, to retreat, without reason as-
signed, from Lord Derby's patriotic advance, and the
country has lost, for the critical present, the incom-
parable services of the Earl of Ellenborough.
To fill up the gap for the nonce, Lord Palmerston bad
recourse to Lord Panmure—a man undoubtedly of con-
siderable administrative ability, but notoriously an in-
valid, and whose shattered health it is most unfair to
press into the public service on so urgent an occasion,
and with such incessant and overwhelming labour and
responsibilities. If Lord Panmure should soon be
forced to retire, who is to take his place ? The country
will then look sternly towards those who deprived it of
Lord Ellenborough.
Another disclosure is, the Queen's prompt appeal to
the Earl of Derby, and unconditional commission to
form a Conservative Govlrnment, on the one band; and,
on the other, his assurance to her Majesty that she might
rely on him and his friends for a Ministry, should other
combinations fail. And a Ministry he can form which
will abundantly satisfy the country; and it will be one
supported by the overwhelming force of public opinion.
There were peculiar and delicate reasons why at this
conjuncture Lord Derby should not have dissolved a
House of Commons, however confident he might be that
it did not, as it assuredly does not, represent the sense
of the country. Circumstances may soon render that
necessary ; and we shall then see whether the country
will incline towards the Earl of Derby and his Conser-
vative friends, guiltless of the war, untainted with its
foul mismanagement, and admirably conducting the
affairs of the country, till overthrown by an unprincipled
cabal, who are alone, undeniably and avowedly, respon-
sible for the war and for its infamous mismanagement.
We fear the new cabinet will but too soon exhibit its
ricketty condition in divided counsels and feeble action,
in jealousies and dissensions ; but they may safely rely
on receiving from the Conservative party, however ill
the coalition may have deserved it, not only forbear-
ance, but a support without which they could not stand
a day. The Conservative party and the country will,
however, at the same time, keep their eye on Mr. Roe-
buck's committee, its constitution, and disclosures.