The Sun.
London, England, 1853-08-29 00:00:00

LONDON, MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 1853.

As usual Parliament is no sooner " up" than
several of the popular representatives are observed
" starring it"—according to histrionic phraseo-
logy—either among provincial friends or political
adherents. It is an admirable custom, a custom
not among the number of those " more honoured
in the breach than the observance," eminently
calculated, as it is, to promote good feeling be-
tween the people and their legislators. Already
we have remarked the laudable eagerness with
which Mr. JOHN MACGREGOR hastened to make
a clean breast of it with his constituents at

Glasgow immediately after the prorogation. I

has been intimated, moreover, that within a few

days the inhabitants of Sheffield will have
the satisfaction of welcoming amongst them
their distinguished member Mr. ROEBUCK, from
whose convalescent lips they may learn the
moral of the bygone session, as they were
wont to do of old from the mouth of his prede-
cessor, prior to his removal to the lonian Islands
in his official capacity as Lord High Commis-

sioner. Several other illustrations of the custom
here referred to will doubtless have to be recorded
by ourselves before we have far advanced in the
ensuing month of September. Meanwhile we are
by no means left without some such provocatives
of political retrospection. In numerous directions
may be observed occurrences suggestive of inves-
tigation into the past, and of anticipation in re-
gard to the future—from the balance of which
can alone be formed an accurate estimate of our
position. Viewing matters in this light, it is
impossible to close our eyes against the fact,
that an extraordinary apathy in reference to
many of the most important reforms, long
known to be in the largest sense of the
word desirable, has sprung out of the public
abandonment of principle by our leading states-
men, consequent upon the formation of the
Coalition Government, or as we have ventured, we
conceive not inaptly, to term it the Grand Joint-
Stock Administration. Formerly we heard a great
deal about certain " large measures" of improvement.
Latterly we have heard of these "large measures"
absolutely nothing. The cuckoo cry listened to
at Carlisle, and other places, would seem in this
manner to have effectually lulled to sleep the ex-
hausted hopes of the community. We don't
see anywhere prospects, for example, of even
the most moderate extension of the Franchise.
We don't see
the glimpse of a probability of the
redistribution ofthe electoral districts. We don't
see any promise
wlehtatever of the prevention of
bribery by the Baa
division upon the latter We have had the annual
we have seen in the list question, it is true, and
the minority the name
of the Right Hon. the Chief Commissioner of
the Woods and Forests. Beyond that, however,
we have witnessed no token of liberality or con-
sistency among the motley group of h
rMAJEsrv's
Ministers, influenced as they are juste
love of place and a passion for coropreroase• In-
stead of revealing this staunch devotedness
what are called their antecedents, they have to
ignored
some of those promises which have been the most
frequently reiterated. They have, by renewing the
Income Tax to 1860, given the strongest plea for
its perpetuation. And so with a variety of other
questions of scarcely less importance. Insomuch
has this been the system adopted for the most
part by the different members of the Coalition,
that but one of its chiefs has been enabled during
the past Session to speak out with anything like
Lord JOHN RUSSELL
his former independence.
has, of course, been compelled to address the
House pretty frequently, from the circumstance
of his position as its Leader : but, throughout
thewhole of his later contributions to HANSARD, he
will be found to have been more than usually dry,
didactic, and reserved. Sir JAMES GRAHAM has
sat, for the most part, mumchance on the Treasury
Benches. Mr. SIDNEY HERBERT has been tongue-
tied. Mr. EDWARD CARDWELL has held his peace
in a manner the most exemplary. Sir CHARLES
WOOD has bungled through a laborious speech of
several hours' duration
ingenious and Mr. GLADSTONE has
maintained his character
the pertinacity, and the in debate by the skill,
he defended every clause se in
self-possession with which
great financial
of the h
scheme as Chancellor Exchequer.i But
while these facts must be
ackuowlseodged, and while
the ready arguments of
mr, wtl:- are borne
in remembrance, and while L
statements made from time to a
time cir-
cumstances required, by Mr. FITZROY, are not
forgotten—it must be confessed that other princi-
pals and subordinates of the Cabinet in the House
of Commons, were, like the majority of their col-
leagues, quiet, chap-fallen, and consistent in their
inconsistency. Precisely thus has it been, for
ezample, with two other Minigterialists not yet