The Sun.
London, England, 1838-03-05 00:00:00

SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS_

In all communities there are to be found men like Sir
William Molesworth and Mr. Leader, eaten up with st lf-
conceit and personal vanity, who, anxious for notoriety, and
unable to distinguish themselves by labours entitling them to
the approbation of their fellow-citizens, seek to make them-
selves of importance by the mischief they can effect. The
self-sufficiency of both these gentlemen, with the slender na-
ture of their qualifications, has always made them peculiarly
obnoxious to all who came in contact with them in their pub-
lic capacity ; and it may be said with truth, that of the little
knot of half a dozen at the utmost who have set themselves
up as infallible oracles for the three kingdoms, the above two
have been most successful in rendering themselves the objects
of general dislike. Mr. Roebuck, with all his faults--
his spleen, and his waspishness, and his violence,
and the want of the self-controul indispensable to all
who hope to acquire and retain an influence as pub-
lic men--was not one who could with safety be
despised, arid much was endured from him, in the House of
Commons, which is found revolting in gentlemen of the very
slender endowments of Sir William Molesworth and Mr.
Leader. The very idea of these men setting themselves up
as leaders of a party is absolutely preposterous. It may not
be known to many of our readers that these two self-important
personages have literally constituted themselves political leaders
and issued their engraved cards, marked " for business" in the
corner, inviting the attendance of Members of the House of
Commons to receive their directions. We need hardly ob-
serve that most of those who were thus invited by these self-
constituted political leaders thought the invitation, to say
the least of it, a piece of liberty which they were not en-
titled to take, and it will not surprise our readers that only
three in all obeyed the summons. If they were capable
of taking a hint, they might see from this instance that
though assurance mill often do much in this world, yet,
when the proportion between the station claimed by in-
dividuals and their ability to support it is so very unequal,
no degree of assurance will be found to avail. Even mischief
making will not obtain for them the consequence of which
they are ambitious, for when men like them cease to obtain
credit for good intentions, they soon loose every thing which
can keep them afloat. In one respect, however, their chief
objects in public life, the acquisition of notoriety and indul-
gence of personal vanity, are likely to be gratified by the mo-
tion of which Sir William Molesworth has given notice for
to-morrow, expressive of a want of confidence in Lord Gle-
nelg. The House of Commons, from what we hear, will be
better attended on that occason than the salons of Sir Wm.
Molesworth and Mr. Leader were by the Reformers whom
they summoned " for business" on one day in the last week.
The Tories are flocking from all quarters—the lame the halt, and
the blind—in expectation of the same game succeeding, by an
union between the Ultra-Radicals and themselves in the House
of Commons, which was played so much to the credit of both
in the Marylebone election. Their only doubt of success
would seem, from the abuse of their leader in their Sunday
Press, to bang on the conduct of Sir Robert Peel, who may
naturally be disposed to dislike equally taking a part in this
righteous combination and the consequences and responsibility
in which it will involve him. Every Tory Member is, how-
ever, to be in his place, and the tail are advancing to drive on
the head, assuming that the Radicals are to desert the cause
of Reform and common sense on this occasion. We believe
they reckon without their host. Sir William Molesworth and
Mr. Leader will not find the Reformers such puppets in their
hands as they imagine. They certainly invited many more
Members, on whose credulity they supposed their consequence
would enable them to impose, to their " business meetings,"
than would be sufficient for Tory purposes; but as they could
only boast in the end of two or at most three adherents, we
may take this as a test of the estimation in which they and
their projects are held. In fact, even among those who are
most dissatisfied with the conduct of Government at the be-
ginning of the Session, and more especially the determined
opposition to the Ballot, such as the honest and determined
Reformers of Birmingham and men like them, no countenance
will be given to projects for breaking up the Government.
They may be angry with the Government, but they have not
forgotten either what the Government has done, or the diffi-
culties with which it had to struggle, frem the persevering
efforts of the Tories, and most assuredly they would never for-
give any public men who in a moment of recklessness should
throw the Government into the hands of the determined
enemies of all improvement. The good sense of the
public would survive any temporary irritation at the
conduct of Ministers, and we are as confident of this
as we can be confident of any thing, that the contrie
Luting in any manner to the breaking up of the pre-
sent Administration:would be a final and irreversible ser.
tense of condemnation against all against whom such
a charge could be proved. Colonel Thompson may
write anti speak paradoxes, and occupy himself with crotchets
to eternity—he need never more dream of public farmer,
Whoever acts the same part may lay his account with the
same fate. We hope we have said enough to call every
Liberal Member to his post. No sensible Reformer can be at
a loss how to act. It is believed that it is the intention of Sir
Robert Peel or Lord Francis Egerton to move to-morrow, by
way of amendment to Sir William Molesworth's motion, the
extension of the resolution to the whole Administration, so as
to express a want of confidence in the Cabinet at large. The
Tories are boasting already that they shall have the making of
the Coronation Peers. Reformers can require no prompting
from us to instruct them in their duty. Whoever does not
wish the restoration of the Tories to power and influence, in-
flamed by the danger they have incurred, with a desire tee
spare no means to secure themselves against the people in
time to come, ought to sink all minor differences, and be at
his post to-morrow night. Let not the Tories force them-
selves into office through the treachery or the stupidity of
Reformers.—Morning Chronicle.

Some of the rabid and disappointed Radicals, who can only
acquire importance in times of trouble and storm, are in
ecstaties at the prospect which the Molesworth-Lyndhurst plot
offers of restoring the hungry Tories'to place and pay. Do we
live to write it? To he sure we do, although at one time)
we should have thought it impossible, that Pee! with his hang
and shabby tail of Tory expectants, comprising the laisses,
Praeds, and Bonhams, is now the "rose and expeeeancy of
the fair state," the very political Messiah of rampant Radi-
calism. After all, your ultra-Radicals arc art 'unaccountable
sort of animals, and so intent arc they upon having all they
wish, that the man who refuses their entire demand, and
kicks and buffets them for having the insolence to ask
it, stands a much better chanco of winning their friendship,
than the one who is willing to grant all that appears rea-
sonable in it. Only think of flying away from those who
are willing to proceed with you a considerable way, into the
arms of o:hers who are determined not to stir a step ! If
Peel took office to-morrow, would the question of Ballot
short Parliaments, or the extension of the Suffrage be ad-
vanced ? Certainly not. But then there is the Poor Lave
Amendment Bill, which some Tories pretend to detest, beet
which nearly all of them supported, and which the Times; in
daily diatribes abuses would be repealed. Of a verity it
would not, if either the Duke of Wellington or Sir Robert
Peel could prevent it, unless they aro prepared and we
will not do them the injustice to hint that they are—to make
a wheel-about in the face of their own deliberate and pub-
lished opinions upon the subject. No, the real truth is, and
it is impossible to deny it, that Sir Robert Peel is, in his opi-
nion, a great man in opposition, and a very Goliah when he has
no other duty to perform than that of throwing obstacles in the
way of the existing Administrrtion, or snarling at their policy.
Rymer attempted to write dow Shakspearc, and one Lander
found it easier to abuse the imperishable works of Milton
than to imitate them ; and Sir Robert Peel, a worthy fol-
lower, discovers how much more convenient it is to grumble
at the imputed failings of others than to do anything ve"ty
wonderful himself. ‘Ve never had a very high opinitra of
the qualities, or indeed of the talents, in any shape, eft' the
Tamworth Baronet, the Jesuit of Toryism, and cor,sidered
him always a superficial frothy spouter, possessing a,., match-
less intrepidity of face," with an utter want of t'ne real sta-
mina of action. But we must confess that 'tie has of late
fallen even lower in our estimation than he eioreviously stood,
and that he appears to be more the slave 'of party, and the
anxious aspirant, at any risk, or any price, for office, than we
ever before gave him credit for. i'Ve know that the Duke of
Wellington, whose singlemindedness will not he questioned,
has long been ready resolutely to resist the insane schemes of
the more hot-headed of the Tory party. And wherefero
is it that Sir R. Peel—who professes to entertain the very
same views, upon this matter, as the Duke of Wel-
lington—has not—not sneakingly, and by a side wind,
but openly and manfully—denounced the wild and un-
principled course which a portion of 'his party have
adopted ? Sir Robert Peel should not, 'peril the peace and
prosperity of the empire merely to gratify a few ambitious
young men, and a knot of place- bunting Irish Parliamentary
lawyers, who, having squandered large sums of money in
election speculations, wish to, be invested with the ermine, and
scramble to the bench at aP.I hazards. If Sir Robert were an
honest and honourable politician, he would issue another
Tamworth manifesto, 'and forbearing to abuse the Whigs, era-
lighten the ultra neetion of his supporters concerning the
course he would seeer, if again placed at the head of of airs.
He should tell tbem plainly and explicitly what he intends to
do with reference to the Poor-law Amendment Bill in this
county. He should inform them evhether he thinks that after
his own Bill of 1829, Ireland can be governed on that ascend-
ancy principle which the Times and Standard recommend, and
the anticipation of which event is the sole inducement for the
Shaws, Littons, and Lefreys now to support him. Let him
once do this, and then measure swords with the Melbourne
Administration upon amy great national question, and he will
find himself deserted by a hoast of his Tory " Thanes." He
will not do so, ar.et therefore we maintain that be is politically
dishonest. He, acts hypocritically, and would seek office, D'et
for the purpose of pursuing a different line of policy from, that
laid down by the present Administration, but actually
4,0 carry
the very measures which they had concocted. Ar.d for this
the country is to be thrown into confusion, and the, chaotic ele-
meats of faction brought into play to achieve ate object that we
are sure Sir Robert Peel, and some such unceeeeptionable cha-
racters as Sir Henry Ilardinge and. Sir Ge ore Murray, would
blush to acknowledge. But it is,all folly. They may attempt
the overthrow of the present 'adminiseration, and they may
succeed; but their existencee as a Government will be only a
six weeks' wonder at most 't_ilfornikg Advertiser.
The Whig, and Whi.g-Radical press has been rendered ea-
vage by the defeat in. Marylebone of Mr. Ewart I The Con-
servatives betve triuenphed, we are assured by the Ministerial
journalist-a, only through the treachery of the ultra-Radical t
Colonel Thompson and Mr. Murphy, therefore, are, as a mat-
ter of course, abused by the supporters of the Whigs, with
thee copiousness of invective, which is wont to characterise
ero,en who have lost their temper ! That the Whig-Radical
statement on this subject has no foundation in fact, has been.
shown, with his usual acuteness, by our Contemporary flue
Standard. The number of Whig-Radical voters at the pry.
tent election is not smaller than at any previoas election, §peee