The Sun.
London, England, 1852-03-16 00:00:00

tative statement, that the Noble Lord the Member for Lon-
don, within a fortnight of resigning the Government of the
country, from an avowed inability to carry it on—within a
fortnight of having communicated to the House of Commons
the solemn and mature opinion of his Cabinet that the die-
solution of Parliament was not expedient—within a fortnight
of having communicated to our Gracious Sovereign that her
Majesty should send for the Nobleman now at the head of
affairs—l am surprised to learn that that Noble Lord (Lord
J. Russell) has felt it to be an imperative duty to construct
a new Opposition, the object of which, so far as I can collect
it from the authoritative statement, is to force Lord Derby
to do that which the Noble Lord himself would not venture
to attempt—(Cheers)—that which he announced as the
opinion of his Cabinet to be inexpedient.—(Hear, hear.)
No doubt the Noble Lord arrived at that conclusion with a
due regard to all the important circumstances which in this
country cannot but enter into the consideration of an indi-
vidual responsible for the government of the country.—
(Hear, hear.) No doubt the Noble Lord thought that in the
present state of affairs, in the present state of Europe and
of England, a dissolution of Parliament was highly inexpe-
dient. It was with this conviction and this general determi-
nation the Noble Lord resigned the reins of power, and re-
commended a successor who surely the Noble Lord might
have felt must be equally conscious of the responsibility of
advising his Sovereign to such a step.—(Cheers.) But if
am to trust the authoritative statement, as I have a right to
do, the more especially when I have myself been challenged
on the part of the Government, surely lam entitled to in-
quire what are the principles on which this new Opposition
is formed—(Hear, hear)—an Opposition which the NoWe
Lord has constructed under the inspiration and with the aid
and assistance of the Right Hon. Gentleman the Member
for Ripon—(Cheers)—and the Hon. Gentleman the Member
for the West Riding.—(Cheers.) Such unbounded confidence
exists between three such eminent men—l wish to know on
what principle this new Opposition is founded—this new
Opposition headed by a Noble Lord acknowledged by all of
us to be an able and fitting leader, with such experienced
vice-lieutenants as the Right Hon. Gentleman the Memberfor
Ripon and the Hon. Gentleman the Member for the West Ri-
ding.—(Hear.) What, I again ask, is the principle on which
the new Opposition is founded ? Is it the principle of Papal
supremacy or Protestant ascendancy?—(Cheers.) Is it the
principle of national defences or of perpetual peace ?
(Cheers and laughter.) Is it the principle of household suf-
frage or of the electoral groups?—(Laughter.) ls it the
opinion of the new Opposition, along with theon. Member
for the West Riding, that free trade is a panacea for all the
evils of States? Or is it the opinion of the new Opposition,
in deference to the opinion of the Noble Lord the Member
for London, that free trade is, a great exaggeration?—
(Cheers.) These are questions I think it legitimate to ask,
and I think they ought to be as frankly answered as the
question which has been addressed to her Majesty's Minis-
ters.—(Hear, hear.) I know that the prospectswe as a Mi-
nistry may have in the present Parliament very much de-
pend on our knowledge of these who are our opponents. Con-
sidering the circumstances under which we acceded to office,
I certainly did not expect within a fortnight of his resigna-
tion to find in the prime mover of difficulties against the Go-
vernment the Noble Lord the Member for London.—(Hear,
hear.) But, great as may be the obstacles we may have to
eneounter, I confess for myself Ido not despair. I have con-
fidence in the good sense and good temper even of the exist-
ing Parliament. If I have miscalculated those qualities I
shall still hold my trust in the sympathy and support of the
country—( Hear, hear)—convinced that it will support the
present Government in their attempt to do their duty to their
Sovereign, and in their resolution to baffle the manoeuvres of
faction.—(Loud cheers.)
Lord J. RUSSELL—Sir, when, some three weeks ago, I
quitted office, I stated the fact of our resignation to this
House in very few words, but at the same time indicating
the reason why we resigned, and the future course which I
intended to pursue.—(Hear, hear.) But, Sir, that course has
been so misrepresented in the speeches that have been made
and in the addresses that have been printed and dissemi-
nated amongst the electors, that 1 feel myself bound on this
occasion to enter somewhat more fully into a statement of the
cause as to the reasons why we resigned, as also of the course
which we pursued as a Government.—(Hear, hear.) Nor
will I refuse to the Right Hon. Gentleman the Chancellor of
the Exchequer—if my previous declarations have been in-
sufficient—an explicit statement of the course which I mean
to pursue as a member of the Opposition.—(Hear, hear.) In
the first place I must say that the plea now put forward by
the Right Hon. Gentleman has been also put forward by the
Earl of Derby ; more moderately certainly, but it has finally
been exaggerated into a most wonderful and extraordinary
statement, at which lam not a little surprised. Sir,. that
plea and that statement is, that the present Government
have only accepted office lest her Majesty .should be with-
out a Government, and lest the country should be without
servants to conduct its business.— (Hear, hear.) Now, Sir,
the notorious fact is, that they have been endeavouring for
years to supplant the late Ministry that they were not
very scrupulous as to the means— (Cries of " Oh, oh," from
the Ministerial benches, and "Hear, hear," from the Oppo-
sition)—and also that they omitted no opportunity by
which they could place themselves in the situation they .now
hold.—(Renewed cries of " Ohs oh," and "Hear, hear.")
Let it be remembered, that 'they did not satisfy themselves
with making direct motion's in this House by members of
their own party, by which they could obtain the sense of
the House on great public questions—such, in the first place,
as whether the Act which astabliahed free trade was wise and
politic, or whether that Act did not operate cruelly and
unjustly ; and far be it from, me, Sir, to dispute the right of
any Hon. Gentleman to oppose her Majesty's Government on
those grounds ; but they further took advantage of every
opportunity and occasion, when any Member differed from
the Government, to come in and swell the ranks of the
Opposition.—(Opposition cheers.) It was in this way that,
without agreeing with the Hon. Member for Montrose on
the question of the income-tax, but quite the contrary, that
they came down to support him and inflict a blow on the
Government of the day.—(Hear.) What was their coarse
of proceeding at the commencement of the present session ?
Did they refrain from attack on the Government ? Did.they
confine these attacks to the use of legitimate means of
debate—or rather did they not wing poisoned arrows against
the Noble Earl the late Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland.—(Hear:
hear). Had they riot for the following week a motion of
want of confidence in the existing Government? And 'after
all that, can they preitend to say that they were surprised to be
called to take office, and on any other ground but because
they were successful against the Government?--(Hear,
hear.) On the late occasion, when the Noble Lord the
Member for Tiverton (Lord Palmerston) refused permission
to the Government to bring in a Bill regulating the militia
enrolment—that was another occasion similar to that on the
Hon. Member for Montrose's motion, when Hon. Gentlemen
opposite came down, and without regard to the motion or
respect to the subject—(Ministerial cries of " Oh, oh")—I
repeat myself—()li, oh)— Hon. Gentlemen opposite took
the unusual course of refusing the Minister permission to
bring. in a Bill.—(Opposition eheers.) Therefore, Sir, lam
surprised at the allegation of Hon. Gentlemen opposite that
they took office because her Majesty stood in need of a Mi-
nistry to conduct the affairs of the country.—(Hear.) Their
elf its were unceasing and notorious to accomplish the defeat
of the late Administration. Sir, what I felt at such a state
of things and such a line of opposition I will briefly explain.
It is the duty of the Prime Minister of this country to super-
intend the whole of the important questions that relate to
the foreign, the colonial, and the domestic affairs of this
country, which, I need not say, is a duty of great im-
portance. But I felt it would. be impossible for me in such
a state of things, with these frequent attacks and occa-
sional defeats—l felt it would be impossible for me to give
that due attention to those subjects of such deep concern
to the public which it was my decided duty to
give ; and i further felt that, if not driven out of office,
I should be worried out of it.—(Hear, bear.) And. now,
Sir, Hon. Gentlemen opposite come forward and assert
that they accepted office entirely because of their sense of
duty to the Sovereign.-(Hear, hear.) It appears to me
that such a false pretence was unnecessary,' because their
'Parliamentary positiion was perfectly [constitutional. They
might have said to. her Majesty's late Ministers, " Your
policy is injurious tao the general interests of the country,
and we are therefore anxious to reverse or reform it."—( Hear,
hear.) For my own 'part I would have no objection, because
I recognise in the Ria;.ht Hon Gentleman (the Chancellor of
the Exchequer) that, talent and that intellect which so well
qualify him for the position he holds in this House; and
because I conceive he has displayed both capacity and
eminent ability in heretofore conducting the affairs of this
House.—(Cheers from both sides of the House.) Sir, with
respect to the position in which I now stand, I might say
the position in which I did stand a short time since, has
been ent;rely altered 'by the tone of the speech said to have
been delivered on tt e 27th February by Lord Derby. I
have in my possession, a pamphlet which pretends to be the
speech of the Noble FarL In what position does that speech
place the Government? The Noble Earl declares he cannot
propose measures to. the present Parliament, because he
would be sure to be ist a minority. That is not an unusual
position. But Miniaters so circumstanced have said that,
as it was impossible I c.r them to propose, with any chance of
success, measures in an existing Parliament, they would
advise with a new Pea liament. But the proposition of Lord
Derby, as also of the Bight 'Hon. Gentleman the Chancellor
of the Exchequer, :is this, "we are in a minority; not-
withstanding we.mea n. 'to conduct the business of the country
as a aninority.—( Opp c.sition cheers.) We mean to go through
the session, and when it is over we mean to act on our own
discretion, and dissolves Parliament or not, as we shall think
fit."— (Renewed Opposition cheers.) The present Parliament
may be dissolved in IDecambei; and I ask, was it unconsti-
tutional in us, having: an uncertain majority, to hold office,
seeing that lion. Gen:tlemen opposite are determined to hold
it even with a certain, mincnity?—(Opposition cheers.) It
appears to me that tin ere is no'constitutional precedent for
such conduct as this s and yet all matters of party, or of a
controversial nature,. are .toy: be postponed.—( Hear, hear.)
We are to have th.e St. Albans affair, introduced by the
late Home Sicretarse, and continued by the present Right
lion. Gentleman. 'We are to; discuss Chancery reform,
on which the late G overnment adopted a report of a Com-
mission, and directasi a competent gentleman to frame
a measure to be rah I before Paraament. But that great
and important qu ition, in which the country is so
deeply and so naturelly interested—the question submitted
by my Hon. Friend the Member for -Wolverhampton—the
question of what is to 'be the price of food, and whether there
is to be a tax laid on corn, five-sixths of which would be
paid to the owners of land and one-sixth to the Exchequer
—(Opposition cheers) —we are told that next February we
may be informed in reference to that; but at present the
mouths of her Maje sty's Ministers are sealed.--(Renewed
Opposition cheers.) The deductions of the most able and
scientific men are op posed to . any such re-imposition.—
(Hear, hear.) The n, again, the colonial interests, the
navigation-laws; and. the laws -affecting our shipping and
commerce, all these are to be suspended until next February.
—(Hear, hear.) Tlse Right Hon. ,Gentleman the Chan-
cellor of Excheq er repeated three or four times that
he meant frankly and freely to answer' the question put to
him by the Hon. Meiziber for Wolverhampton; and having
thus raised the anxi e ty of the House, he as often disap-
pointed it by giving
es° answer whatever"
Oh, oh.") How dill Brent was the speech of the Right
.—(Hear,.hear, and
Hon. Gentleman that a light from his speech in Buckingham-
that it Was the inteni on of her Majesty'rs- Ministers to shire a few das sinees when he informed the agriculturists
y
re-
store a fixed duty.
The CHANCELLtJ R of the EXCHEQUER here made
an observation across the table, which did not reach the
gallery.
Lord J. RUSSELL - The Right Hon. Gentleman on that
occasion quoted, to s u it his own purpose, from M'Culloch's
quer-) I read the
book; but he eutirely omitted to quote certain portions of
that book which were, unfavourable to his position —( Hear,
hear, with ,‘ o, no" the Chancellor of the Exche-
and they were isgree4 Right Hon. Gentlemen
as to what the
said in reference-to tb de of redressing
st: safest and easiest mo
the agricultural burd
)ecrohmin three or four different papers,
whole matter is tomystery.
co n tinue involved in its present
(Hear, hear.
Par-
liament will be diem lverd ; carefully counwill
registries shall )
ants. It now appears, howevewrh, tehhat
tthhee
have.
.been
in December next,
ed over, then
port me /sect you w, di have
,go to his constituent a and say, " I am for Protection, sups
Govern-
merit have given up protection; and when,
evperroyteaegtirviceuldtuutriaeleM,
;earnno_derevery
town Member will s a:v to his constituents is Constituents " The eirovern
the new Parlia-
ment is assembled t 1 ley will not mind their old friends, but
we will find that 1 girdstora will
,be
,good Free-traders."--