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

THB 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 fall, as we once SAW the canvas circle of some wander-
ine,er. artists in horsemanship; the ropes were cut, and the
whole party smohered and extinguished with diretul con-
fusion.
The House was crowded. "Strangers" who had been
waiting from twelve o'clock for adtuis,don settled them-
,•elves tato 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 tast3ned 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 oft saw was
exemplified by the " explanation" of Lord Caanirg. After
Sir John Ontram'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 be 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
evinced a similar inclination, at the same time, for a pro.
m enade.

Such was the ridiculous finale of a week's debate ! Sot-
vunter riBu Wake. The rtsolution which, on Thur.lay
night, was to eject a Government, was on Friday after-
noon hustled off the table of the Hones of Commons by
the band sworn to support it. The appearance of Lord
Palmerston was unpleasantly ridicol statesman so
distinguished to b 3 detected in what plain people
shuffling, and then to have to regret ! Lord John looked
crest-fallen, though still self-sufficient. Sir R. Bethel'
sneaked about like a cock with his comb cut and the fea-
thers pulled out of his tail ; while poor little Lord Gods-
iich, absolutely snuffed out by one sentence of Mr. Bright,
looked like a crushed bat under the mighty hammer of our
modern Thor, Mr. Nastnytb.
The surprise of the baffled cabal was ludicrous. The
few of them who know how to read State papers property
were vainly endeavouring to explain to the rest the etreot
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 solve 1 by 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 i n rising, looked
as modest and self-denying as a matronly widow wills
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
oPwfhorrurael
replying
:ea; anditnn
of feeling would make popular just now.
This called up Lord John, who vowed that he was always
for mercy and long-suffering, as far as circumstance would
nost:mtmt
hrhseeoeoammdpeeae personalnri readers
ihwmoafoey uaeptl
previously,
followed
ileatlkoincswti
oiaecfndi
mpsahirtni.eslß.s
notreheiiwgaahtl his lordship
avowedßright
ant dinebutrte._tni
sioosiharmo-
niousneetransit !—Morning Chronicle.

The Belgian court NCI( remain in mourning for the
completed
the 18th of next month.
late Lord D uchDuchess
o of
Lyndhurst Orleansc om yesterday his 86th year ;
hi; lordship is in excellent health. Ills seniors in the
H.ouse of Peers are Lord Sinclair, who will complete his
90th year if he lives to the 30th of July next,
and the
Marquis Of Bristol and Viscount St. Vincent, who were in 1769 and 1767 respectively. The latter noble-
man is consequently at the present moment the father of
the House of Peers.
Maj ir-Geheral Sir Archdale Wilion, of Delhi, arrived
iu town from India on Wednesday last. The gallant
eneral was warmly congratulated by his f lends at the
Oriental Club on making his appearance among them.
It is the intention of the members of the club to give
banquet to celebrate the return of the gallant officer.