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

duke's reference to the proceedings in the other Houses
of Parßaiment if I did not feel it incumbent, at • the
outset of the few observations I shall hare to sub--
mit to your lordships, to notice with regret s env
statement which fell from the noble duke, and
which to me, and I believe to most of your lordships, was
utterly unintelligible. The noble duke, in speaking of the
assistance which he should be ready to afford to his suc-
cessor, made an allusion to some gentleman, who, he said,
in the other house crossed over the floor of that house, and',
speaking to my right hen friend the leader of the Oppo-
sition there, asked his concurrence to a motion, not di-
rectly impugning the. Government, but impugning • the
conduct of the noble duke himself. Of that statement,
of that person, that unknown individual, and of that, fact,
ebt e,e ib
or of anything like that fact, I can only assure the ioble
ndourksne toe hat epEarttohetrhitshmanomtheints, haasysuerebehe
inminthela.
if lieves the decision come to by the House of Commons tot`:
express their opinion of the conduct, not of the noble
duke, but of her Majesty's Government, in thege
meat of the war—if he conceives that that vot awaanasth:
result of concert or of previous communication, directly or
indirectly, between any parties whatever, to 'the best of
my belief and knowledge the noble duke is absolutely and
entirely mistaken. (Hear.)
The Duke of NEWCASTLE—The noble earl has entirely
misapprehended what fell from mo on this point. I meant,
precisely the reverse of that which he infers I meant.
What I said was entirely founded on the speech of the right
hon. gentleman the leader of the Opposition in the House
of Commons. That right hon. gentleman, in his place in
the house, made a statement to the effect that there hut
been such a communication made by a gentleman to him.
This is my authority for the fact, but the right hon. gentle=
man expressly said that he had repudiated the offer so
made to him. (Hear, hear.)
The Earl of DERBY—It will be unnecessary, then, for
me to proceed further with the observations I was about
to make on that point. But, notwithstanding the statement
which the noble duke has just made, I hope he will forgive me
if 1 do say here in the most emphatic manner that the vote
of the House of Commons proceeded the other day not from
any one party, more especially not from the party is direct
opposition to her Majesty's Government—nay, mere, that
it was the earnest recommendation, asl know, of those who
are intrusted with the confidence of that party to abstain
from bringing forward any motion which should cast a cen-
sure upon the Government, or teud in the slightest degree
to embarrass them. (Hofer, hear.) Now, the noble duke's
statement this evening, so far ascould infer from what
fell from him, consisted in part of a vindication of his owu
character, and partly of a reply to the statements made by
his late colleague. I and others, lam afraid, have been
compelled to differ from the noble duke and from his col-
leagues with regard to many points affecting the conduct or
the war ; and I have on more than one occasion expressed
my opinion on the subject to the noble duke and to your
lordships—nut uncourteensly, I hope, but with that frank
-
nest; which I think ought to be exercised in this house.
(Hear, hear.) But I never heard any one deny to they
noble duke the merit of having been laborious in the die- -
charge of his duties, and of having devoted himself wt.-
duously to his office ; nor have I heard any one—l know
net, of course, what may have appeared in some papers, or
what conversation may have taken place at the clubs—Lay.
I have never heard the noble duke charged in Parliament,
or by any responsible authority, with indifference to the
sufferings of the army. (Hear.) (The Duke of NEWCAB-
TLIC.—" Certainly not in this house.") It has been said,
indeed, by some, and I have been of opinion myself, that
when the right thing was done it was not done always at the
right time, and that the neglect of the Government in not
doing the right thing at the right time hid led to increased
Sufferings and privations on the partofthip array. (Hear,
hear.) Mat GM forbid that any one of us should have im-
puted to the noble duke or to any member of your lord-
ships' house that he was in the slightest degree indifferent
upon such a subject, or was sparing of his labours • in the ,
discharge of the arduous and responsible duties of hie
office. lam not, my lords, about to enter upon any dis-
cussion—this is not the occasion on which to do so—as to
the conduct of the Government or any members of the Go-
vernment. Nor am I disposed in the slightest degree to
diminish the effect of that " Picture of an Interior" which
has been drawn in each striking terms by the noble duke.
(Laughter.) It is really one of the most effective pieturee
which I have seen presented to Parliament; and when,
after having gone through the correspondence and conversa-
tion and friendly communications which have taken place
between him and one of his colleagues, the noble duke
wound up the whole picture by saying that he believed
that colleague was the one of all whose opinions seemed to.
have most of identity with his own—(laughter)—the effect
was heightened and a complete view afforded of the beauti-
ful internal harmony of that Cabinet. (Renewed laughter.)
My lords, I am bound to say that I think the noble duke is
quite excusable for his statement in this house to-night ;
and, as far as I can learn, although perhapseit is contrary to
the Horatian motto to decide now—for we are probably
always more strongly impressed by what we see and hear
than by what we read iu the newspapers—l confess rthink
that between the two noble colleagues the noble duke has
considerably the beet of the argument. (Hear, hear.) I
don't know what I might say if I "heard tho other side;"
but that, et all events, is my present impression. If, how-
ever, these discussion, are constantly to take place in this
house—if these representations are to follow one anotherso
quickly—l can suggest only one mode by which to secure
perfect impartiality. 'The members of the two hns,!s_
should meet in the large central hall between aim airV !L.;
other House of Parliament, the Lords on the On!l:Buileematu:
the Commons on the other, and there, the ciliate
to thel expres.
ing in the centre, there might he, according to
ord , arla only
sion of the noble duke, an exchange of w
anytnEng: less
hope it might not lead, to the exchnn,g_e
the
picture leave the
friendly than words. (Laughter.)
picture of the interior of .
the Cabinet—tins picture of the
duke and his colleagues—en-
tirely as a matter to
relations between the noble
be settled between themselves. Nor
do I think this a fitting occasion for comment upon the
picture which the noble earl opposite, at the commence
men'-
eoi e evening, drew of the general state of the coun-
try. That funeral oration, which he produced upon
himself and his colleagues—that general and complacent
laudation of each and every one of them first, of the War
Minister ; next of the Chancellor of the Exchequer; next
of the First Lord of the Admiralty ; next of the noble lord
opposite, the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs—l
have no doubt all these laudations were exceedingly wet- 1
deserved, and that it was equally satisfactory to the noble
earl to have the opportunity of making them, and to his
colleagues to receive them at his hands. The noble earl
also touched upon the general, state of the nation, and, al!