The Sun.
London, England, 1852-03-12 00:00:00

-;mitte,d more of,,the popular element into the Govern-
ment. It was the Noble Lord's neglect of these ob-
jects which ,had caused the werkness of his Ad-
ministration, and which had deprived it of the support
of Liberals. _

Mr. T. DUNCOMBE also thought that the Ncble
Lord ought to indicate his intentions as to Parlia-
mentary reform before any steps were taken in re-
vpect to protection; He did not approve of the policy
which preferred free trade in corn to the greater ques-
tion of the representation of the people in their own
House.

Mr. BRIGHT said he concurred in the views ex-
preesed by Lord John Russell ; and, along with his
Hon. Friends, Mr. Villiers and Mr. Cobden, he wished
all present measures to be confined to obtaining from
the -Government an explanation of their intentions
upon the particular question of free trade. At the
same 'time he was bound to add that that object ac•
cornplished, the representation of the people ought to
he placed upon a broader basis. There must, how-
ever, be unanimity :It this time upon the great and
absorbing question of free trade.
Sir DE LACY EVANS, Mr. R. D. MANGLES, and
one or two other Members briefly exFressed their
concurrence.
Lord J. Russeei then rose again, and said if he
had to state all the-difficulties he had had to encounter
in framing his Administration in 1846, and again last
year, when there was an anticipation of a change in
the Government, he felt that all present would justify
him in the measure he had then taken. But he most
sincerely trugted that all merely personal matters
would be avoided. He hoped they would not be en-
Aered into at a time when it was desirable to secure
unanimity of action upon a question most materially
affecting all the great interests of the country. Such
discussions could only tend to widen breaches, if such
existed, instead of healing them. For these reasons
be should himself abstain from observing upon the
causes which had led to the breaking up of the late
Government, or upon its alleged narrow basis of
construction. It might, however, be hoped that the
:difficulties which had been experienced in past endea-
vours to widen- its basis would not exist to the same
extent in the construction of a new Cabinet at a fu-
ture period. He concluded with strongly recom-
mending union among all sections of Liberals.

These were the main observations of the several
speakers, and the meeting came to the conclusion that
a question should be asked on Monday from the
Chancellor of the Exchequer as to the intentions of
the new Government. If the answer should be un-
satisfactory, it would be open to any Member to move
a resolution of direct want of confidence in general
terms ; or one to the same effect with regard to the
specific subject of free trade. It would also be open
to Members to move that the supplies be limited to a
period of six months, so as to compel a dissolution of
Parliament and its re-assembly about September next,
instead of the ordinary period in February, 1853. It
appeared to be the general feeling of those present
that, under the contingency just stated, this last course
should be adopted.
The meeting throughout was most unanimous; and
it finally broke up with an understanding that the
answer received from the Government should be taken
into consideration at another meeting, at which it will
most probably be determined which of the courses
indicated above should be taken in the event of the
contingency of an unsatisfactory answer.

SPIRIT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS.
TIMES.—The satirists tell in their usual cynical
manner that when your coffers are exhausted your
friends diseppearathat all the world worships the rising
sun; and that the unfortunate have very few kinsmen.
Like most rules, this has an exception. The political
lateen in our age is overpowered with friends in dis-
tress. He has but to declare himself bankrupt, and he
will soon have the world at his doors. Till the other
day we bad a Minister who had governed the country,
not ingloriously or unprofitably, for nearly six years,
and who could show an increasing balance of results in
his favour. Yet his prestige declined; his supporters
became rebellious, his colleagues insubordinate or selfish,
his majorities precarious, his measures timid, and the
people indifferent. Lord John Russell fought with the
courage of a man who had been often defeated, and the
temper of one who was exposed to much insult. In
fact, the whole body, head, and heart of the system
was utterly out of order. There seemed a general
conspiracy to keep the Premier low, and low indeed
lie became. What every sensible person had fore-
seen came to pass. The Minister went out, and then
came in a Government of which it may be said without
offence and without contradiction, that it is more defi-
cient in the usually recognised qualifications for office
than any wo have had since we were governed by " Go-
vernments.' No sooner do the ousted party realize the
odious spectacle of their rivals in pewter than there en-
sues a rally of supporters. As many as 168 Whigs end
Liberals mustered yesterday at Lord John Russell's
invitation to hear and accept his policy for the conduct
of the Opposition. They were delighted to find, as we
yesterday anticipated, that he intended immediate and
decisive operations. The only law to be given is the
Mutiny Act, and three months' supply. So at it, ye
Coppoeks in Pall-mall; ye Edwardses, ye Blagges in
your respective boroughs; yo attorneys, town-clerks,
end publicans; get ready the sinews of war; look to
your standards and favours and barrels of beer; to
arms, to arms; a dissolution in three weeks, and
a new Parliament by Midsummer-day. Never was
there such a town and country row as we aro
likely to have. We trust the 168 gentlemen who
met yesterday at Cheshamsplace have good balances at
their bankers , for they will assuredly have need of
them. But wnere were a large part of these gentlemen
when their services were re (piked on the memorable
Friday ? Where were they m half a d zen adverse or
damaging divisions last year? Their zeal is that of the
surgeon who is rejoiced to set your limb, that of the
undertaker who is delighted to bury you,
that of the
poet who will commemorate you in a monody, and that
of the pualic who will let a man starve and then build
a: splendid monument over him. They appear to
act on tha principle of that philosophy which
humbles the sage in prosperity and cheers him in
adversity, excepting that they add to it the caprice
of fortune by humbling iu order to give the better
effect to their subsequent encouragements. In the
alphabetical list before us there are at least a score of
names that may always be reckoned on at Chesham-
place, and never in St. Stephen's. They are ready to
fight for Lord John, but they will not act under him.
They will give him plenty of sacrifice, but none of their
obedience. What is the secret of an inconsistency which
is so plausible as to escape the imputation of sordid mo-
tives, hut is mere fatal to its victim than the inconstancy
lest the veriest place-hunter? The mystery is easily ex-
plained. Men who act in this way have only one object,
and that is to smash every actual Government. So
they will overthrow, if they can, the Minister
for the time being by opposition or desertion,
as may beet suit their purpose. Once overthrown,
he is again the o°ject of their dangerous patronage.
They will set him up once more, and as soon as they
have done so will leave him to his fate. If anybody
hesitates as to the real value of the support intended by
these singular auxiliaries, let him run over the measures
of the late Government for the present and the last two
sessions, bud then ask on how many of these measures
has it received their cordial and effective support. It
is the strange nature of such a confidence that it is
given not to the efficiency, but to the non-efficiency of
its unfortunate object. The more Lord John Russell
can do, the less these politicians will trust him; the less he
can do the more ready they are to avail themselves of his
• name. So far, it appears, the Opposition proceeds with a
vigour and unanimity which form a striking contrast to
the history of the same party in power. All is hope, all
is mutual confidence, and, what is more, all is prepara-
tion. It is said that yesterday, at Lord John Russell's
suggestion, it was determined not to decide on any par-
ticular line of action till some explanation should be gioen
by the Government next Monday as to the course it
meant to pursue; and as no statement of this kind was
expected from Mr. Disraeli, and as Mr. Charles Villiers
had a notice of motion on the books, Lord John thought
that gentlemen had better put some question to the Go-
vernment, in order, if possible, to elicit their intentions,
and shape that motion accordingly. For our own part,
we must beg to retain our serious doubts as to the
wisdom or the propriety of compelling the new Ministers
to a decision which they have long hesitated to make for
themselves, and which they would rather postpone in-
definitely. We cannot conceive it th© business of the
Legislature to punish a political inconsistency or a fac-
tious opposition, still less to precipitate a crisis that may
otherwise never occur. The excuse for these gentlemen
is their belief, for which they must be presumed to have
more reason than their wishes, that the Derby Govern-
ment does really mean to propose, as soon as it has got
ea new Parliament, a duty of ss. or 65. If it does so;
it is the decided opinion of ofbe Protectionistssoemareried.Nverewe
usual to reason from the
that such a measure
wi
Parliamentary statistics
there is ample ground for this
opinion. Mr. Disraeli
last year was only beaten by a majority of fourteen, and
there were very
fur his motion who would
dutyfew voters
the dared. Indeed, nothing
not vote for a fixed
y
but their pledges and their dread of trouble out of doors
In this state
others from taking
prevents that course.
of things the real security of free trade lies in the de-
termination of the people at large. That, we need not
say, is our view of the matter; and we cannot believe
that any Minister in his senses would provoke a
Popular demonstration which would certainly be irre-
sistible, and would as certainly bear on otter ques-
tions than a wretched financial controversy. But,
while agreeing with lase meeting at Chesham-place
as to the real security of free trade, we must diger
from it as to the •
mode in which that security shall bo
used. We trust it, and therefore would appeal to it as
deliberately, f •
,s quietly, anti us much iu the ordinary
course as possible. The will
of the people is better to
bo presumed than evoked, better -
We cannot help fearing tha,teratohbe believed than seen.
appeal to it may really re-open
the
esty and unnscessary
controversy which
every true patriot will desire to close and that nn egi-
teasel may be roused of which none mayseethe direction
or the end. If our new Ministers really so mistake the po-
pular feeling, ur are so bent on eelf-immolation
pro-
pose or announce any measure in the nature ofiParestion,
to
then there is only one course for all the parties •ectl
, Inc ud-
ing ourselves,coecerned iu the national settlement
of that
coetebversy in 1846. Bat we do not think they aro in
any ssnse pledged to do so, though they certainly
have some amende to make for their lung obstinacy. ft
may, however, be asked, why, if Lord John Russell, • his
colleagues, and sworn supporters, expected Lord Derby
to propose the revival of Protection, and expected also
that he might commands majority in Parliament.--•nay,