The Sun.
London, England, 1852-04-17 00:00:00

be forgotten that the annalist has indicated the origin
of the terms Whig and Tory, besides specifying the
precise period of their introduction. Since the downfal of
the STUART dynasty, however, and the consolidation
of the power of the House of Brunswick, those epi-
thets, after crossing hands for awhile, like the vis-a.vis
in a country dance, have gradually lost their signi-
ficance, if they have not actually been consigned to
that " Curiosity Shop" kept by Oblivion, designated,
for want of a better name, " the tomb of the Capu-
lets." In lieu of Whigs we have had Liberals, and
in lieu of Tories, Conservatives. These again have
become soubriquets, embracing within their range the
wildest imaginable diversities of opinion. So that it
is scarcely reasonable to regard those cages of mon-
keys, rats, cats, ravens, and guineapigs, known as
" Happy Families," as in any degree comparable for
singularities of companionship with the heterogeneous
collection of politicians congregated together in the
character of her MAJESTY'S Opposition, or the scarcely
less singular gathering of administrators under the
standard of her MAJESTY'S Government.
An amusing comment has within the last few days
been passed by the Liverpool Mercury upon this pecu-
liarity of the Country Party, or, in other words, of
the members and supporters of the ruling Cabinet.
This same Country Party, having as many aliases
as the burglar HACKETT, or as any other of the noto-
rious criminals brought before the bar of the Old
Bailey, among others those of Conservatives, Tories,
and Protectionists, are dissected with a keen and
nimble scalpel by our contemporary being
partitioned out into no less than eighteen
very different definitions. First, there are,
says he, the pure and thorough Derbyites
secondly, there are the faltering and penitent Derby-
ites, and thirdly, there are the simple Derbyites, aptly
so called from their disinclination to meddle with
anything so dangerous as free trade, notwithstanding
their avowed predilection for the principles of mer-
cantile monopoly. Fourthly, there are the agricultu-
rists, enamoured of Protection, though still prepared
to " jog on" with Free Trade, unless good
fortune empowers them—which they don't at
all anticipate —to effect its destruction.
Fifthly, are the gentlemen who, while they abhor
Free Trade, never venture to dream of its revival,
and are therefore commonly known as Moderate
Protectionists. Sixthly, are others who are anxious
to obtain a moderate duty, say of 55., on corn, and
who would not, of course, object very strongly if the
import duty were ultimately doubled to half-a-
sovereign, being generally regarded as Medium ProL
tectionists. Seventhly, on the other hand, are the
more bigotted among the old political fanatics,
who would willingly return (if they could) to the
sliding scale system, to the obsolete system of navi-
gation, or, in fact, to any system that would tend to
the revival of the most grinding monopolies—these
wights being appropriately defined as the class of
Ultra-Protectionists. Then there are (eight) the
special burden men ; (nine) the Free-traders, but
resolute Conservatives ; (ten) the pretended Free-
traders, men who are consequently dangerous in
their character ; and (eleven) the Ultra-Free-traders,
or Free-traders not only in regard to corn,
but in _reference to all sorts of miscellaneous
articles of consumption, including malt, hops, sugar,
ships, wine, timber, and tobacco. Besides these, our
ingenious provincial contemporary has enumerated
seven more, specifying them respectively as reciprocity
men ; as Free-traders in corn, but Protectionists in
shipping; as opponents of Parliamentary reform; as
advocates of a moderate extension of the franchise;
as anti-Maynoothites ; as pro-Moynoothites ; and
(wonderful to relate !) as Anti-pro-Maynoothites—
the writer of this careful analysis of the Country Party,
illustrating his meaning in the last-mentioned definie
tiers by a reference to Mr. WILLIAM FORBES MACKEN
ZIE, Extraordinary_ and scarcely credible though
these apparently over-numerous varieties may seem
at a casual glance, they are, we feel satisfied from
deliberate reflection, very far from being numerically
exaggerated. Eighteen diversities of opinion could
scarcely comprise the whole of the motley division
making up the mass of the existing Cabinet and its
supporters. Whereas a single colour might have
sufficed formerly for its electioneering "favours," the
ribbons must henceforth surely be no less variegated
than the rainbow. So peculiarly parti-coloured has
become even that section, hitherto deemed the most
compact and the most united in the Imperial Legislature.
Yet this is the class of politicians who count

upon retrieving all their previous losses on the next
appeal to the country by obtaining a clear working
majority of half a hundred in the ensuing Parlia-
ment! No wonder that with all their braggadociose
assumption of confidence as to the result of the
next general election, they postpone it as long as pos-
sible—aware, as they are, of the weakness inevitably
resulting from their internal divisions of opinion !
No wonder they evade as adroitly as possi-
ble that embarrassing contest upon the question
of Free Trade which could only by possibility result
in their complete and ignominious discomfiture! No
wonder the policy to be adopted by the new Cabinet
is again and again reserved for later revelation, so
impracticable must the chief of the Conservative-
Tory-Protectionist Ministry find the task of recon-
ciling so many differences ! Aware of all this,
beholding all this as clearly as the light of day—
is it not preposterous for the Liberals throughout
the country, Reformers, Free-ti aiers, Advocates of the
Ballot, and similarly important measures in the way
of popular advancement, to be wasting unnecessary
strength it would be wise to reserve for the time of
the general election ? Until then we feel assured that
the lovers of social and political reform may rest with
confidence in the progress of the people in the onward
march of civilization.

The opening of the New Palace at Westminster
does not appear to have afforded additional accom-
modation to the bench or bar. On the contrary, loud
and well-founded complaints have been preferred of
the inconvenience sustained by the profession in con-
sequence of the change. On Thursday Vice-Chan-
cellor Sir R. T. KINDEBALEY was compelled to adjourn
his sittings in consequence of the defective condition
of his court, which is now situated on the second floor
over the Rolls' Court, and cannot, it is said, be occu-
pied with safety. The private room allowed to his
Honour was, it appears, equally bad. The country,
therefore, lost the benefit of the Learned Vice-Chan-
cellor's services, and the unfortunate suitors, whose
situations are by no means enviable under even the
most favourable circumstances, encountered addi-
tional delays and expense from the extraordinary par-
simony of the nation in not allowing proper places for
transacting legal business.
But Sir R. T. KINDERSLET was not the only per-
son who had cause of complaint. His learned col-
league, Sir JAMES PA.RZEIt, was sent to a room at
the top of the tower at the south-western extremity of
Westminster-hall, where, there being no private en-
trance, he had to force his way through a motley
crowd, at a considerable sacrifice of personal dignity.
There was a rough struggle through persons of all
classes, from the leading Queen's Counsel to the
humblest solicitor's clerks, which would appear to be
considered indispensable for inducing the calm
equanimity befitting one of the judges of the land.
His private sitting room, too, was on a different floor
from that" in
which the court was held, so that he
had several t
the day, to maintain sun-
dry conflicts with ngsdeeudriygroups, who apparently take
times,
pleasure in
crushing, and making objects of their
wit, persona in any
degree better off than them-
mnig
might,
selves. The bar, too, had e
, bad excellent practice in
ascending and descending
interminable
flights of stairs. lvehdescendingbeing heldg ,
at the top of the
in fact, just as well
tll,.hrionnkunaofenat,triborunalin
the u
aper gallery at St.
Paul's, as in the locality allotted to Sir
JAMES PARSER for the administration of justice.
The inconvenience, however, was not restricted to
Courts of Equity, which migrate
between
Westmin-
ster Hall and Lincoln's Inn, and which,
for y
reasons, should remain stationary in the latter. The
CuIEF JUSTICE of the Common Pleas announced that
" the Lords Commissioners of Woods and Forests
were preparing a court for the sittings at nisi pries,
at the top of a tower of the new palace, five stories
high, where the young gentlemen of the profession
might possibly practise if they could get there." The
Learned Cniar JuszicE added that "it would pro_
bably be necessary to adjourn the niii pries
sittings, as the country did not choose to
afford two court." We believe that complaints
were frequent in the other superior courts of common