The Sun.
London, England, 1841-08-18 00:00:00

THE SPEAKERSH IP.

After the determination of Sir Robert Peel to re-elect
Mr. Shaw Lefevre to the Speakership, we feel far from
easy as to other appointments. Who can say what the
Tory leader may not do next? If, upon reviewing his
host of three hundred and seventy Members, he cannot
find a man fit to be Speaker amongst them, what the
deuce can they be fit for? It is rather hard that they
should begin by borrowing's man from- the Liberal side,
and if qualifications, and not party considerations, are to
regulate appointments, where is the rule to stop? Sir
Robert Peel, upon a candid examination, may find Lord
Melbourne better fitted than himself to be first Lord
of the Treasury, and Lord John Russell incomparably
better qualified than any of his followers for the Colo-
nial Department. Really, after beginning with Mr.
Shaw Lefevre, we tremble lest they should steal the
whole Liberal Administration. Certainly. there is as
much reason for continuing Lord Melbourne in the Trea-
sury as Mr. Shaw Lefevre in the Chair.
the Liberal party have obviously no right to the re-
election of Mr. Shaw Lefevre, as, in the election of Mr.
Abercromby, it proceeded on the principle that the
Speaker should represent the majority of the House.
The Tories, 'then' should find their own man for the
Chair, and it is hard to suppose that they have not
amongst them the very mediocre abilities and common-
place qualities that suffice to make a tolerable Speaker.
It is quite a grievance that with their large majority they
should begin by taking a Speaker from the ranks of their
opponents. This is as if a fishmonger were to cry out
stinking fish before he opened shop, and to borrow a
salmon from his rival over the way.
And how is it that Mr. Goulburn has got stale so
soon? Could be not keep sweet for two years? So
lately ago as in '39 he was started for the Speakership,
on the score of his pre-eminent qualifications, against
Mr. Shaw Lefevre, and is he not as fit for the office
now as he was then? There is Mr. Wynn, too, who has
this rare qualification for the Speakership, that the fear
of hearing him speak would repress the disposition to
anything out of order. . _ _

Sir Robert Peel surely thinks too meanly of his party
in supposing that it Cannot even furnish a Speaker. We
Would comfort them as Brummell consoled his friend It.,
who complained that Brummell had been of a party in
which it was said that he, the said R., was not fit to carry
garbage to the Devil, adding, " How unkind it, was of
you, a friend, to sit by and hear me so underrated with-
out taking my part."—" I did take your Part," replied
Brummell, warmly.—" Why, what did you say?" in-
quired IL, eagerly.—" Say," answered Brummell, " why,
I said the very reverse of what they said against you ; I
said you were quite fit to carry garbage to the Devil."
We spare the modesties of Mr. Goulburn or Mr. Wynn
the application,

As the good old proverb has it, "Let every herring-
hang by its own head, and every tub stand on its own
bottom." So let it be with parties. Let us have no
picking and choosing, no borrowing, no saying here is a
very handy article, which I should like to keep, &c. In
two years, or less, the Liberals will have their own
Speaker again in an honest way, and meanwhile, why,
should they help the Tories with a man ? But undoubt-
edly, if the Tories, for want of a plausible, decent person,
will insist on electing Mr. Lefcvre, it is a sort of raid
which cannot be resisted. We are sorry that their po-
verty in very ordinary qualifications drives them to such
shifts, because, amongst other considerations, we should
have regarded the election of Mr. Goulburn with satis-
faction, for this reason, that it would have kept him out
of the Chancellorship of the Exchequer. Better for the
economy of the nation. to bestow on such a man a wilder-
ness of speakerships than the power of mal-administer-
ing the finances of the country ; and if for no other rea-
son than that he should not be Chancellor of the Exche-
quer, Mr. Goulburn should be elected Speaker. But Sir
Robert Peel has no compassion for the country, and in-
stead of putting Mr. Goulburn where he may exercise
the highest faculties that are in him in crying " Order,"
he will place him where he will disorder all things.—
Examiner.

MARRIAGE OF THE PRINCESS

D'ARENBERG.

The Independent of Brussels furnishes us with the fol-
lowing details of the marriage of the Princess d'Aren-
berg with Prince Borghese Aldobrandini
:
"Before ten o'clock every place in the church of
Heverle was filled, except those reserved for the bridal
party. All the principal inhabitants of Louvain and
the neighbouring towns and villages were assembled in
it. On each side of the choir were raised seats covered
with crimson velvet, and other seats in the middle.
The high altar, and those on the sides, were deco-
rated with flowers ; four carpets of the greatest beauty,
from the Gobelins, adorned the walls ; they are the
property of the Duke d'Arenberg. At ten, the departure
of the procession from the chateau was announced by a
salvo of artillery, and it marched in the following order :
The Company of Bowmen of the communes which an-
ciently formed part of the Duchy of Arschot, with the
Harmonic Society of Arschot. Two grooms on horse-
back. An open car, lined with crimson velvet, drawn by
four white horses, and carrying several children repre-
senting cupids. Another carriage drawn by six bay
horses, and a third by four white horses. Twelve horse
chasseurs in the uniform of the 27th regiment of French
chasseurs, of which the Duke d'Arenberg was Colonel
during the war in Spain ; the Harmonic Society of Lou-
vain ; a guard of honour, composed of 250 cavaliers
dressed in black, with white pantaloons ; thirteen more
carriages, some with six, some with four, horses; a picquet
guard of gendarmerie, closing the cortege. The whole of the
road, which was decorated on each side with branches and
foliage, flags, and draperies, ornamented with crowns and
garlands of flowers, was completely crowded. On en-
tering the church, the Duke d'Arenberg led his daughter
to the altar. Her hair glittered with diamonds, her dress
was of the richest white satin, and her bridal veil was of
the most superb lace. The Princess Borghese, a
member of the noble family of Larochefoucault, the
mother of the bridegroom, was conducted by the
Duke d'Estissac, and the Duchess d'Arenberg by
Prince Borghese Aldobrandini. Then followed the
young Prince and the other Princesses d'Arenberg, the
Duchess cf Beaufort, the Countesses de Lannoy and de
Mcrode, the Pope's Nuncio, Prince Paul, Canon of Na-
mur, and numerous other persons of high distinction, in-
cluding the Duke of Beaufort, the Count d'Ursel, and
the Count de Lannoy. The return from the church was
delayed by a heavy fall of rain, but when the whole
party had returned to the chateau, the bride' and bride-
groom, with their illustrious relations, appeared on the
balcony, and were saluted with the cordial acclamations
of an immense assemblage of people. There was a grand
dejeune in the chateau to numerous invited guests. At
four o'clock there was a grand tournament on the lawn
in front, enlivened by an orchestra, for which a building
was erected.- Next day there was a grand meeting of
bowmen to shoot for prizes."