The Sun.
London, England, 1828-01-21 00:00:00

SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOT-RNU,S.

The long delay in the formation of the Ministry
is a proof at least that the difficulty of the task was
not to be overcome in a moment. Although the
Government be not yet announced, nor irrevocably
settled, there is reason to apprehend that the names
which were published in our city article of Saturday
last are such as the new Cabinet, when positively con-
stituted, will be found, with one or two exceptions,
to contain. For the inferences which have been so
precipitately drawn, as to the character and future
policy of this embryo Administration, from the. im-
puted colour of the individuals composing it, we
must hint, that men who have already borne con-
spicuous parts in public life, may still come together
in such novel circumstances and combinations, and
may, for an important and uniform purpose, have
felt themselves justified in so qualifying former views
which they could not realize, and plans which the
state of public opinion had long since rendered it isn-
possible to carry, that it might not be altogether safe
to assume beforehand any given course of policy for
a new Administration on a mere perusal of the cir-
culated list of its members. This remark, so gene-
ralized, may be construed at pleasure as an easy me-
thod of smoothing their descent from avowed prin-
ciples for either Qf the t vo parties out of which the
Cabinet—pro hac vice the " Wellington Cabinet"
is in the act of being constructed. We shall, there-
fore, hasten to give our words a more pointed signi-
fication, by declaring, that it is not in favour of the
liberal members of the new Cabinet, as contradis-
tinguished by common reputation from the others,
that we have judged it prudent to offer this warn-
ing to our readers against the probable fallacy of
premature alarms respecting its measures, because of
its exhibiting a preponderancy of Tory, and in some-
cases inauspicious, names. If we could imagine that
Mr. Huskisson, Lord Dudley, and Mr. Chas's,.
Grant, but above all the Right Hon. Secretary for
the Colonies, had sacrificed any of those great prin-
ciples to which they stand irrevocably pledged, then,
indeed, otirapprehensions of evil to the empire would
be rung in the ears of our countrymen with a voice
which knows how occasionally to secure itself an
audience. But far different will be our course, if,
as we are disposed to believe, concessions, and im-
portant ones, have been made to Mr. Huskisson and
to the friends of Mr. Canning, not by them ;—if, as
we have ground for expecting, not one essential
policy at home or abroad has been yielded by those
who are honourably designated as the " liberal"
portion of the forthcoming Cabinet ;—if, last, on the
Corn-law, and on the Catholic Question, report is
correct in saying that the Duke of Wellington has
re-considered, and with advantage, many of his old pre-
possessions. We are confident that Mr. Huskisson
would not remain an hourin office if lie did not mean
to hold out a firm pledge to the country, that no or,,
•
essential object of his reforms in finance, or com-
merce, or colonial policy, will be abandoned ; and Mr. Grant, a conscientious and honourable man, has
been governed by the same resolution; and that
Lord Dudley would feel it a deep impiety to his de- •
parted friend, were he to sacrifice, for the (to him-
self) paltry object of a Secretary of State's office,
the liberal and expanded system of foreign poYley,
which entailed for Mr. Canning so illustriousa repu-
tation, and for England such respect throughout
Europe. We are disposed, therefore, to consider,
until undeceived by experience, the continuance of
Mr. Huskisson, Mr. Grant, and Lord Dudley, in
the Cabinet, the most satisfactory proof that a pro-
per tribute has been rendered, by the bulk of the
secondary Tories about to be introduced to it
through the patronage of the Duke of Wellington,
to those principles and measures which they have
hitherto been the foremost to decry. Now one word as to the chief actor in this new drama—his
Grace the Duke of 'Wellington. It is said that he
is to be the• New Prime Minister, ansi, what is more
'incredible still, that he is at the same time to com-
mand the army. Of the junrAion of these two in-
consistent offices, we shal;
of England understassa their own interests, and the
-spirit of their con
`stitution, too well to endure it for
just say that the people
despai, occupancy
1. of the possibility of finding any other occii-
eqcftipmree.m
Premier,
Andit feoarnh his
eGnroatchei'isigocl
ecsusp
a
pant, which could induce him to accept an office for
onf ythleenpgltalel,
which, in the face of all England, within this
twelvemonth, the Duke declared, that "he was
wholly disqualified," and which he must be " mad"
to desire. Circumstances, however, not yet under-
stood, may have induced this distinguished person
to deviate from the course which, on the former oc-
casion, he had prescribed to himself; and we shall
form no hasty, or at least no willing judgment, un-
favourable to his constancy and good sense.--
Times.