The Sun.
London, England, 1834-11-12 00:00:00

men. But there are other quarters of no less importance

to a Finance Minister, than the House of Commons is

to a Leader, where it does not appear that Lord Althorp
has succeeded in acquiring equal popularity. We
mean the commercial' and monied interest, and pre-
eminently the city of London. His Lordship's career
as a Chancellor of the Exchequer being now termi-
nated, it may be proper to abstain from what under
different circumstances might have been justified as sa-
lutary and even necessary animadversion upon his er-
roneous measures of finance, and on the causes of the;:,
notorious failure. To dwell at this moment 'on such

mistakes might seem no better than it'.;;clious harsh-

ness. We hope_ that his succesF.;„.
may exhibit a more
ample and well-digested
Inowledge of the public re-
sources, and come 'oetter prepared both to defend his
measures an
to execute them. Who that successor

will Us we cannot vet do more than conjecture, if so
.intich. Mr. Spring Rice has, it seems, been desig-
nated by members of the monied interest, and, we
believe, by his colleagues, as Chancellor of the
Exchequer, on the event which has now ac-
tually taken place. But before one can form
any confident opinion of his fitness, it would
be desirable to ascertain what personal share he
had in the suggestion and preparation of those budgets
which ostensibly were the work cf Lord Althorp.-
However, if Mr. Spring Rice has reason to appre-
hend such a decline of his interest with the liberal
constituency of Cambridge, as to deter him from risk-
ing an immediate re-election for that borough, the
trouble of transferring the Right Hon. Gentleman to
the Exchequer will be spared to the Noble Lord at
the head of his Majesty's Councils. At the same
time we are bound to add, that as yet no just ground
appears for a falling off of the liberal party from Mr.
S. Rice, in the very short period which has elapsed
since his accession to the Colonial Office. In case of
Mr. S. Rice vacating the Colonial Department, a se-
cond
question arises as to who shall fill it. The pre-
sent Lord Spencer's earnest wish, it is said, is to
retire into private life ; and without meaning in any
‘cnse to disparage the weight which Lord Mel-
bourne may fairly attach .to the experience, the
name, and upright character of this Nobleman,
it is unquestionable that since his chief value
to the Government was as leader of the House of
Commons, his secession from the Cabinet would now
be less felt than while a member of that assembly.
Should the Noble Lord remain in the Government, one
of two arrangements has been talked of as practicable.
Ist. That he should become Secretary for the Colonies
—a post for which we know not whether his Lord-
ship's habits of inquiry or the nature of his information
have fitted him ; albeit the delivery of the seals
by the Sovereign has usually (if we judge from
some of the persons who have received them)
been held a sufficient, as it was, indeed, the •nly,
guarantee for their other qualifications. This failing,
it has been supposed-2d, That Lord Spencer would
go to the Admiralty, an office requiring labour and
the love of justice—not, perhaps, the least rare among
the attributes of public men, but certainly among
those for which his Lordship has always had credit.
Should Lord Mulgrave, on the other hand, go to the
Colonial-office, a department with which his adminis-
tration in Jamaica may' have given him a competent.
acquaintance, we have no doubt that Lord Auckland
would be fully competent to discharge the duties of
Lord Privy Seal. In the calculation of chances—for
at present it is nothing more—we have amused our-
selves with the foregoing hints for others to consider
or improve upon. Knowledge of what is intended we
have none ; on the contrary, our persuasion is, that
nothing positive has yet been fixed as to the future,
The choice of a Leader of the House of Commons
will be the most perplexing of all that class of difficul-
ties. We suppose there are few who would think
Mr. Spring Rice competent to that delicate task. It
is not for us to pronounce an opinion, but it may be
said that . Mr. Abercromby has most experience and
tact. Has he also sufficient nerve and strength ?
, Times.

Earl Spencer has at length paid the debt of nature I
—an event to which the public has been lookinis-
ward for some time past, and in conseque:;,ce not un,
expected, ; but which is important, as bereaving at
once the House of Commons of its Ministerial Leader,
and. the Government of a Chancellor of the Exchequer.
F.arl Spencer died at half-past two o'clock on 'Mon-
day, at his scat in Northamptonshire, after having
attained the good old age of 77. His Lordship had
long been ailing, in' consequence of various infiimities,
and was ultimately carried off by an attack of gout in
the shoulder, involving, as a consequence, palpitation
of the heart, against which his powers were too much
debilitated to bear up. He was attended with filial
affection and care, throughout the last three weeks of
his illness, by his eldest son, Lord Althorp, who
succeeds to his titles and honours, and by his elevation
to the P‘zerage leaves the representation of the southern
division of Northamptonshire open to contest, and the
office of Chancellorship of the EXchequer vacant.
Th.e late Earl Spencer was born on the Ist of Sept.,
1:7Z8, and was a Knight of the Garter, and a Fellow
of the Royal and Antiquarian Societies. He was be-
aides a Privy Councillor, a Governor of the Charter
House, an Elder Brother of the Trinity House, a
Trustee of the British Museum, and High Steward of
St. Alban's ; he succeeded his father a.i second Earl
Spencer when he was 25 years of age, and has since
that period been more or less a public character, at-
tached unchangingly throughout to those principles
of Whig policy which have so signally triumphed in
the reform of Parliament, and subsequent measures.
Of late years he has scarcely been heard of in the po-
litical arena—increasing years and increasing infirmi-
ties, as well as the part taken by his son in all the main
questions of the day, having unquestionably indisposed
him to assume any prominent part. His chief ce-
lebrity arises, first, from his having been First
Lord of the Admiralty at the period of the most
brilliant success of our navy, and, secondly, from his
having been 'one of the most, if not the most
expensive collectors of ancient and curious works of
whom this or any other country has ever heard. In
both respects his Lordship has strong titles to remem-
brance ; and we are not aware that his memory ought
not to be held in grateful recollection by his
friends and dependents. The death of Earl I
Spencer is, however, a minor matter compared
with the change or changes to which the elevation of
his son to the House of Lords will necessarily give
occasion. As a Peer he can neither hold the office of
Chancellor of the Exchequer or of leader of the House
of Commons ; and the question is, who is be his suc-
cessor ? As financiers, Sir Henry Parnell and Pou-
lett Thomson are unquestionably the most fit, because
most acquainted with the business and duties of a
Chancellor of the Exchequer; but then the
very naturally occurs, whether their rank
and stand-
ing would enable them to obtain that ..:onfldence from
the House of Commons which, -we need scarcely say,
is indispensably necessary to, rtie successful execution
of the ministerial busin:ss ? We have doubts on this
subject, in consequence of the highly aristocratic tone
and aristocratic prejudices of the House of Commons,
though we have no doubt of the fitness of the parties—
we w(Juld even say their extreme fitness for the office.
The, next name on the list is that of the Colonial
secretary, Mr. Spring Rice ; but of him, though re-
, spectable in point of attainments, and well calculated
for the office as a man of diligent and attentive
habits, we must say that he is not exactly the maii
who is calculated to lead the House of Cominom.
Nothing has as yet been decided upon, and, in all pro-
bability, nothing will be decided On for some days to
come. The present, therefore, is a favourable oppor-
tunity for telling his Majesty's Ministers that there
must be no trifling in filling up the important office
which has now become vacant,--that they require
strength above all things in the House of Commons,
and that if they do not seize the opportunity of adding
to their forces in that quarter by the appointment of an
efficient representative, they may very confidently reckon
upon great danger to their tenure of power during the
ensuing Session. From the Tories, notwithstanding
all their attempts at popularity, and all their fond anti-
cipations of power, nothing is to be dreaded ; but from
the combined attacks of Tories and Radicals, coupled
with the disappointment of public expectations—there
is more than ground for alarm. -1,9r4 Melbourne