The Sun.
London, England, 1858-06-26 00:00:00

FALLEN ! FALLEN ! ! FALLEN ! !

Two defeats, following one another in the course of a single
half hour last night, effectually proved the utter weakness
and isolation of the ex-Premier. In a house elected, some
fourteen months since, especially for the pro;agation of Pal-
inerstonianism, Lord Palmerston twice over sought for sup-
porters to adopt his principle for organising the Indian Coun-
cil in preference to that proposed by the present Government,
and twice sustained a mortifying repulse. He could barely
obtain a hearing for his speeches on either occasion, and on
both was left with a miserable minority in the lobby. Discom-
fitures thus reiterated sufficiently indicate the conclusion to
which the house has arrived. Having lost his grasp of power
in ease, the noble member for Tiverton is now forced to re-
sign even that claim to power in posse which by recognised
right belongs to the leader of Opposiftion.
The questions whereon these divisons were challenged,
comprised thedistinctive features between the India Bill of
the late administration--Bill No. I—and the measure now
actually before the house. Lord Palmerston had proposed
to establish a Council of eight members; Lord Stanley aug-
mented the number to fifteen, Lord Palmerston intended
his Council to be altogether nominative ; Lord Stanley has
provided a process of election by which seven of the fifteen
members are to be chosen at first and recruited afterwards as
vacancies occur. On both these points the house was last
night required to de:ide. The author of Bill No. I practically
asked the Legislature what they thought of his scheme, and
then subjected the representatives present to the ordeal of
two divisions, with the view of placing on record their de-
cision, first on the point whether the Council should
consist of twelve or fifteen, and secondly, whether any of its
members should be selected by any other process than Crown
nomination. Large majorities, as we have &ready mentioned,
accepted the bill of her Majesty's present Ministers, and
rejected the proposition of the ex-Premier.
The quo ,tion has been asked whether, if Lord Palmerston
had remained in power, the suggestions he has now so
vainly offered for the constitution of the council would
not have been more cordially received, or even finally
adopted by the house ? This is, perhaps, possible. The in-
fluence of a reigning minister is no doubt enormous. Sur-
rounded with all the prestige of high office, having extensive
Patronage at disposal, and a clever whipper-in to secure ob-
sequious majorities, the power wielded some four months
since was almost dictatorial. But the crisis through which
the noble lord has since passed is of the character which, as
Milton said, " tries the souls of men." Lord Palmerston will
not stand the trial. Deprived of his factitious importance,
the late Prime Minister has subsided into a very insignificant
member for Tiverton. His old flatterers and flunkeys have
fallen away. The Thanes fly from him. No one remains
faithful to the fortunes of the fallen chief, except, perhaps,
Mr. Chichester Fortesene. From this Abdiel Lord Palmer-
ston may still have complimentary phrases, extolling his bill
for the construction of a new system of Indian government
above all its rivals and successors. With this individual
eulogy, the quondam Premier must be content. On principle
the House of Commons have repudiated his Indian Govern-
ment Bill, and in practice have now ignored his title to as-
sume even the secondary rank of Loader of the Opposition.—
..Venting Chronicle.