The Sun.
London, England, 1854-03-30 00:00:00

-
We regret to announce the resignation of Mr.
Baines, the President of the Poor Law Board. Such
an event is, to say the least, most unfortunate at a time
when perfect unanimity and mutual confidence were
more than ever desirable. A man of Mr. Baines' great
worth and public spirit we may be sure would make any. sacrifice that can be expected from a gentleman when a
great object, such as the stability of the Government or
the conciliation of parties, is to be gained. But there
is one sacrifice which in this country is never expected
from a gentleman, and which it is one of our social in-
stitutions never to require, and that is the sacrifice of
self-respect. Mr. Baines having, with the approval o
the Cabinet, prepared a Settlement , and Removal Bill,
confined in its operation to England and Wales, and
having introduced and explained his measure to the
house, unexpectedly found that, without his concur-
rence, or indeed any consultation with him, Lord Pal-
merston had given a pledge to extend the measure to
Scotland and Ireland. The origin of so singular a
misundersanding seems to be rather obscure. When
the pledge was given there is little doubt it was
under the impression that the President of the
Poor Law Board had consented, while it is now
very clear that he had not. The Home Secre-
tary not being able to state the occasion, or to produce
I the document in which this supposed consent was com-
i is said to trace his own impressions on that
point' to the statements of the Irish members at his in=
terview with them. This, certainly, would be a singular
channel of communication to be relied noon in a very
important matter between a Secretary of State and the
head of a great department ; but, if we are rightly in-
formed, the Irish members themselves are not aware of
having pretended to convey Mr. Baines's opinion on the
subject. That gentleman's concurrence, therefore, has
been taken for granted without his authority, and even
without consultation ; and, after he had publicly com-
mitted himself upon a carefully elaborated scheme, he
found it suddenly hampered with a pledge involving a
serious amount of alteration, and risking the success of
the measure in any form.
From first to last here is a series of errors, and worse
than errors. If, as we cannot help feeling, it was impos-
sible to abolish compulsory removalin the case of the Eng-
lish applicant-for relief -without including the Irish and
the Scotch applicant, that 'ought to have been foreseen
and provided for in the original measure,--a measure
for which not Mr. Baines alone, but the whole Govern-
ment is answerable. The bill, however, having been
once introduced to the house with this radical defect, and
the error perceived, Mr. Baines should have been per-
mitted the opportunity of giving or withholding his con-
currence in the change, and,
according as that might be,
proposing the alteration, or withdrawing the measure
altogether. Had such an opportunity been allowed, we
cannot doubt that Mr. Baines, who entertains so strong
an opinion against the existing law of removal as regards
the English pauper, would have given his concurrence,
and co-operated with his usual energy and talent to in-
clude, under proper conditions, the Irish and Scotch
pauper. Had he even surrendered, to some extent, his
private convictions on the subject, and attempted a more
comprehensive measure than he thought quite practica-
ble, that would have been no store than is continually
' required of gentlemen bound together by certain prin-
ciples of paramount importance, though having the
charge of different departments. To do this in private,
and with mutual explanations, is one thing ; to be over-
ruled in the face of the whole nation, and without being
even allowed to submit with a good grace, is another, and
the measure dealt to Mr. Baines has certainly been
the latter, and the harder of the two. We have no doubt
that when the time comes the clever Home Secretary
will make a very brilliant speech, and Mr. Baines, per-
haps, one not quite so brilliant ; but there is a force in
character which no brilliancy can surpass, and if the late
President of the Poor Law Board, as we now must call
him, should sit still and hold his tongue leaving the
battle of words entirely in the hands of his late chief,
the sympathy and the suffrage of the public will go with
him, and not with the ingenious Minister. Mr. Baines,
who gave up his profession for the onorous duties of
the Poor Law Board, and who has there secured the
respect and affection of everybody about him, is not the
man to resent any imaginary slight. His resignation is
the protest of a man of honour in favour of official in-
dependence and the self-respect due between gentlemen,
even in public boards, and in the making of laws. Much
as we regret the occurrence, particularly at this crisis of
our country's fortunes we cannot but admit Mr. Baines
to be more than justified in the step he has taken.—
Times.

THE CABINET-RUMOURS OF DELICATE
INTERNAL DISSENSIONS.

"Union is strength." The nation is united in its
conviction of the justice of the war in which we are en-
gaged, and its determination that Ministers shall have
fair play in their efforts to give effect to the national
will. The deep, popular voice will rebuke and silence
any petty factious attempts to embarrass Government.
Nothing can paralyse the might that Britain is about to
put forth unless we have disunion among the statesmen
who hold the reins of government. Any indulgence of a
wayward self-will—of a captious desire to take prece-
dence of one another—may, by dividing, blast the na-
tional hopes. If, therefore, there are any minor differ-
ences of opinion in the Cabinet, let these be settled, if
not altogether amicably, at least among themselves, in
such a manner as may not imperil the national in-
terests. Any minister who at this crisis can indulge
his spleen or self-will to an extent that may endanger
the stability of the Government, will be playing
thejithe of Russia with his eyes open. Unless
the reports previtlent yesterday are altogether
destitute of foundation, this warning is not uncalled for.
The only one of our prophecies respecting the course of
events in connexion with the Eastern question that has
not yet been fulfilled, is that Lord Aberdeen world
never fight the Emperor of Russia. The decision on
. .

this point is understood to be now trembling in the
balance. His lordship is confidently stated to be bent
on retiring from the responsibilities of office during a
war with the Czar. Without entering into the details
that have reached us of competing proposed arrange-
ments, thus much we feel bound to say in behalf of the
national interests and honour. If, now that the signal
for battle is hung out on board the ship of the state, it
should be deemed advisable that a fighting captain should
supersede a not•fightin; captain in the charge of the
vessel, let the change be effected if not in perfect good
humour—which it were, perhaps too much to expect
from mere human nature—yet with such regard for
discipline as becomes those whose duty it is to enforce
and set an example of proper subordination and abnega-
tion of self.—Daily News.