The Sun.
London, England, 1846-01-21 00:00:00

'O. ttnilt 11 11U.

LONDON, WEDNESDAY, jANUARY 21, 1846.

The Duke of RICHMOND'S latest speech at Brigh-
ton was evidently intended to inform the country of
two things—that his Grace means to take his stand in
the coming session of Parliament on the corn-law
entirely as it is; and that, if Sir ROBERT PEEL again
resigns, his Grace feels himself equal to the task of
forming an agricultural Government. The speech
to which we refer has all the appearance of having
been made to answer Lord NORREY'S speech at Ox-
ford, in which the idea of a Richmond Ministry
was treated as a chimera, and Lord STANLEY
was represented, as from authority, as agree-
ing with Lord NORREYS in viewing a pro-
tectionist Government as impossible. It is known
that Lord STANLEY and the Duke of RICH-
MOND have been in close consultation with one
another since the former's retirement from the Go-
vernment ; and we may fairly suppose that the Duke of
RICHMOND knows at least as much of Lord STANLEY'S
sentiments as Lord NORREYS, who, by his own state-
ment, had had them only second-hand—from Lord
STANLEY'S late Under-Secretary. The Duke of RICH-
MOND, then, proclaims that he has no doubt he can form
a Government ; that is, he is not so indelicate as to
take for granted that the QUEEN will send for him of
all the Dukes, if she should think fit to try a bucolic
Government, when next Sir ROBERT goes out ; but
the Duke of RICHMOND is the acknowledged leader of
the Bond-street bucolics, and, as it is, he goes so far
as to " hope that he shall lead the Peers to victory."
Well, then, we may look forward to an actual at-
tempt being made to make a country-gentleman
Government. The Duke of RICHMOND is ready to
try this ; which, Assuredly, if it ever is tried, will be
a reductio ad absurdum of the English Constitntion.
We must suppose that the Duke knows what he is
about; but where is he to get his colleagues ?
or is he to begin by getting rid of half the offices in
the Government, having no persons fit to fill them ?
He may so make a virtue of necessity, and win popu-
larity by retrenchment. But has he any presentable
men at all in the Commons? In the Lords his diffi-
culties may not be so great. There are signs of Peers
who have always been supposed to be of temperate
character and moderate opinions rallying round the
RICHMOND banner. We refer more especially to
Lord CARNARVON and Lord ASHBURTON, at.the Win-
chester meeting. But in the House of Commons, where
is the efficient capacity among bucolics ? Mr. WoDE-
nonsn is one of them—a leader among them : see his
dreadful exposure yesterday at Norwich; Mr. MILES,
Mr. BANKES, Mr. PUSSY, Mr. STAFFORD O'BRIEN,
Sir Jouri TROLLOPE ; we have now mentioned all
who have any pretensions to intellect in the protec-
tionist section of the House of Commons. Who is
there to lead in the House of Commons for the Rich-
mond Ministry ? It will not be possible for him to
degrade a Peer, in order to get a decent leader in the-
House of Commons; but this revival of the not un-
usual practice of making a Peer, to get a fit leader in
the Upper House, would be his only chance of suiting
himself. But the idea of a Richmond Ministry is so
ridiculous, that the Duke can only speak of it in
order to incite his followers to opposition to Sir
'ROBERT PEEL, and in the hope of so getting better
terms for the agriculturists, as Mr. O'CONNELL uses
the question of repeal, to
.keep up agitation which,
though repeal is itself hopeless, will get, as it has
already got, much for. Ireland.

In the Brighton speech, to 'abich we have referred,
N
the Duke of RICHMOD also
He Scoutsthrowsoff all delicacy
the notion of
says,
he in speaking of the Premier.
compensition, and " will not treat," ‘ with
a man whom he cannot trust." If theyl)ukio of
RICHMOND has been mealy-mouthed heretofore, it
must be allowed that his language now comes
up to the full ideal standard of agricultural indigna-
tion at Ministerial treachery. No wonder that Lord
ARTHUR, LENNOX is at last going. A place is booked
for him, of course, in the Richmond Ministry. He
will be a Triton among minnows there.
We stated yesterday that several resignations