The Sun.
London, England, 1858-05-22 00:00:00

THE MINISTERIAL CRISIS.

The curtain has fallen on the last act of this drama, and
the catastrope of the plot has been exactly what we fore-
told, a total discomfiture of the cabal.
It fell, as we once saw the canvas circle of some wander-
ing artists in horsemanship; the ropes were cut, and the
whole party smothered and extinguished with direful con-
fusion
The. House was crowded. " Stranglrs" who had been
waiting from twelve o'clock for admission settled them-
selves into their seats with that appetite for fighting, such
as men feel at a bull-fight, and report themselves to have
felt at a battle. The ring was made ; the bottleholders
were present ; the colours were fastened to the corners ;
the sponge was thrown up ; the men stepped in; they
shook hands and smiled at each other, and then—they did
not "go to work." " Explanations," they say, always
" make matters wore..." The truth of the old saw was
exemplified by the " explanation" of Lord Canning. After
Sir John Outram's exposé of his interpretation of the fatal
proclamation, it was impossible for the Opposition to
stand by the supposititious interpretation of Mr. Card-
well, and disdaining either of " the three courses" offered
by Mr. Cardwell, they adopted a fourth which he had not
suggested, that of repudiation and secession. " I shall put
on my hat," said Mr. Thomas Duncombe, and as he
suited the action to the word, upwards of sixty AL P.'s
evinced a similar inclination, at.the same time, far a pro-
menade.
Such was the ridiculous finale of a week's debate 1 Sol-
vunter risu tabulce. The resolution which, on Thursday
night, was to eject a Government, was on Friday after-
noon hustled off the table of the House of Commons by
the band sworn to support it. The appearance of Lord
Palmerston was unpleasantly ridiculous. A statesman so
distinguished to be detected in what plain people call
shuffling, and then to have to regret ! Lord John looked
crest-fallen, though still self-sufficient. Sir R. Bothell
sneaked about like a cock with his comb cut and the fea-
thers pulled out of his tail; while poor little Lord Gods-
rich, absolutely snuffed out by one sentence of Mr. Bright,
looked like a crushed hat under the mighty hammer of our
modern Thor, Mr. Nasmyth.
The surprise of the baffled cabal was ludicrous. The
few of them who know how to lead State papers properly
were vainly endeavouring to explain to the rest the abet
of " the explanation" published in the morning. The man-
ner in which Mr. Cardwell's obstinacy • was made to melt
away was highly ridiculous. He fidgetted and fluttered
from Lord John Russell to Lord Palmerston—sub-
sequently resumed his seat, keeping the house on the
tiptoe of expectation. It did not seem very in-
telligible why Mr. Cardwell did not speak; but
the riddle was solved let the appearance of Lord Pal-
merston (who had retired for a minute or two), and
who walked up to the table in a hesitating manner, and
with some appearance of confusion and unwillingness,
offered such excuse as a man on the horns of a dilemma
would be likely to find.
The delight of the Ministerial benches was unequivocal,
evidently compounded by their escape from a defeat and a
long night's debate. Surely we live in degenerate days.
The power of the house is evidently exhausted by three
night's debate, spread over more than a week !
Mr. Disraeli, who was loudly cheered en rising, looked
as modest and self-denying as a matronly widow with
seven children at a second offer. He was as proud of the
triumph of his own principle as his own party, and could
not forbear a slight hit at Lord John Russell's former re-
solutions, which were not quite so quiet as the altered tone
of feeling would make popular just now.
This called up Lor.l John, who vowed that he was always
h
for mercy and long-suffering, as far as circumstance would
better.—Sic
ant d t e harmo-
nious
r —cpermit. Our readers would anticipate that his lordship
would at this moment have followed his avowed intention
of replying to the personal attacks of Mr. Bright; but those
who had
ethe 0 pairuie
timeof previously,
in
knewsocia
l transit !—Aroeniag Chronicle.

The Belgian Court will remain in mourning for the
late
Lord Duchess
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Gntoho nyteh.
ar ;
livesi n
are eLoctooc;dtlhl excellent tgochlteahai
Sinclair,
of July
jh
uo
if iywi
nett,
will
elnot,ino3rpaslneidtne
tthe
es
lq:yeurecii:aBfrohPfliPfeßehirresisstol and Viscount St. Vincent, who were
Mbh9aooilorthtinr in 1769 and 1767 respectively, The latter noble-
man is consequently at the present moment the father of
the House of Peers.
Major-General Sir Archdale Wilson, of Delhi, arrived
its town from India on Wednesday last. The gallant
weneral was warmly congratulated by his fiends at the
Oriental Club on making his appearance among them.
It is the intention of the members of the club to give a
banquet to celebrate the return of the gallant officer.