The Sun.
London, England, 1827-05-03 00:00:00

SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS..

The speeches in the House of Lords last night,
explanatory of the motives which influenced the late
Ministers in resigning, amounted to little more.than
an acknowledgment that Mr. Canning was not a
Minister to their taste. The Duke of Wellington,_
who made a statement of his own reflections and
feelings on the subject, was evidently more piqued
at a seeming coolness in Mr. Canning's first note to
his Grace, announcing the project of a new Admi-
nistration, than deterred by any political difference
with regard to the Catholic Question. But we
have not opportunity at present to do more than
hint at the factious basis of the Tory Opposition, as
compared with the enlightened and gratifying de-
clarations by the. Marquis of Lansdown and Lord
Goderich of the public principles on which they
coalesced. An attentive perusal is due to the whole
discussion, on which we may have some remarks to
offer by-and-by.—Tintes.
It was but in a part of our impression of yesterday
that we were enabled to state the very peculiar cir-
cumstance which had occurred at Paris on Sunday
last. On that day the review of the National Guard
took place in the Court of the Tuileries. It was the
anniversary of the return of the late King of France
to his capital- The day and scene were alike bril-
liant; but the splendour of the morning was ob-
scured before the shades of evening arrived; a cry of
dissatisfaction—which the journals anxiously restrict
to the persons of the Ministers, or rather to that of
the chief Minister, Villele—broke forth at intervals,
and in various bodies of these citizen-soldiers. The
King himself is said, in one account, to have seized
a man in the act of insubordination, and to have ig-
nominiously remove(' Jirn from the ranks. On the
next moniinc, the whole of the National Guard of Paris
was disbanded, and the services of the Gendarmerie
substituted. We will frankly say that though we of this
country have no taste for a military police, such as is the
Gendarmerie, yet we admire the courage and promptitude
with which the chief Minister of the Crown dismissed and
turned adrift a body of men by whom his Royal Master had
been insulted—a body of men, too, that had occupied all
the avenues of the Palace for years, and who, therefore,
ought by this time, to have learned the practical advan-
tages which result from respect to the person of,the Sove-
reign. The cry was only against the Minister, but the
King was meant; and it was, therefore, less for his own
sake than for that of his Royal Master, that the Minister-
procured the dismission of this turbulent band. The Pepe
and the Jesuits were alluded to, in coarse and rud,: language.
We hope the Minister will curb the Jesuits, and controul
the Pope, but that be will not suffer their names to be
used in order to overthrow the legitimate authority of the
Crown, or to oppress a portion of his fellow-subjects,
among whom the Catholic religion is at least better than no
religion at alt.—Rid.

Mr. Peel's example was followed in the House
of Lords, last night, by the five Noble Lords, his
late colleagues—who all, by some unaccountable ac-
cident, happened at the very same nick of time, to
think of throwing up their offices. We will not
offend their Lordships by appling to this accidental
coincidence the vulgar and odious term, combina-
tion. As the Lord Chancellor observed, " the
charge of conspiracy was totally unfounded ; and
there was not a Jury of twelve men to be found in
the country, who would listen to such a charge.
There was not, and there could be no evidence."
His Lordship is too well versed in matters of the
kind, not_ to know that proof is impossible; and
where no proof to the contrary can be produced, a
denial can never be too strong. It was the merest
accident in the world that they all happened to re-
sign at the same time; and the surprise of the de-
throned Kings in Candide, who all happened to
meet at the Carnival of Venice, when they came to
find each other out, could.not, we dare to say, be
greater, thin' was that of the runaway Lords, when
each found out that he was not alone in the retreat.
In short, a fugitive who, in the commencement of
a battle, takes the prudent precaution of sneaking
out of the way for a while, could not be more per-
plexed on perceiving another actuated by kindred
feelings, entering his snug retreat, than each Noble
Lord was on finding that the blessing of retirement
had impressed itself on others as well as himself.
Even Lord Melville—an ardent advocate of the Ca-
tholic Claims, and who could not, therefore, had he
had time to reflect, but have rejoiced beyond mea-
sure, to find that the elevation to the Premiership
of one who shared his views with regard to the pa-
ramount importance of conceding the Catholic Claims,
and who, of course, would have been the very last
man in the world to join in any conspiracy of
which the object was to prevent the King- from
exercising his prerogative in choosing Mr. Can-
ning,—even Lord Melville was accidentally carried
away by the whim of the moment. " For him-
self (said his Lordship) he declared distinctly, and
on his honour, that from the hour of Lord Liver-
pool's illness down to the hour of his resignation ,he
had not had the slightest communication of any
kind or description with any one of his colleagues
regarding the formation of a new Administration."
He denied " that he acted in concert with any of
his colleagues who had retired. He had acted in-
dependently on his own account."—" In fact, it was
not possible in the nature of things, that any con-
cert or conspiracy whatever could have existed."—
But it so happened that though his Lordship had
"the greatest esteem for the Right Hon. Gentle-
man who was at present at the head of his Majesty's
Government," and though that Right Hon. Gentle-
man and himself thought alike on a question of
paramount iniportance, and they both differed on it
from Lord Liverpool, yet " he certainly must say,
that the change of Prime Minister from Lord Liver-
pool to his present Right Honourable Friend, at the
head of the Treasury,• was a change for the worse ;"
and therefore, though he detested the idea of acting
in concert or conspiracy, the moment he heard (ac-
cidentally of course)" that not only the Right Hon.
Secretary of State for the Home department, but
the Noble Duke at the head of the Army, the No-
ble and Learned Lord on the Woolsack, and the
Noble Earl presiding over the Colonial Office, had
intimated their intention to retire, and not to form a
part of the new Administration, he immediately de-
termined to follow their example, and that although
on the question of Catholic Emancipation he pur-
sued a different course from them." If all this is'
ant very clear and very satisfactory to our readers,
we cannot help it. But we will do justice to his
Lordship. Some of our readers may think his
Lordship, for a Scotchman, a very simple man, in
running away, not merely from his own principles
(which were triumphant in the elevation of Mr.
Canning), but running away from office merely be-
cause certain individuals had chosen to run away.—
But one small phrase escaped his Lordship, which
proves that his Lordship, whatever may be the
result, had the best intentions not to act foolishly.
1" Was it to be imperative on him to form part of
an Aministration, whatever opinions he might have
formed of its stability or character ?" His Lord-
ship, it appears, after the loss of so many, judged
that Mr. Canning's would be the weaker side; and
so he thought the prudentest course would be for
him to help to make it weaker. This wish to be
prudent will, we trust, be yet of service to him in
Scotland, where it appears, that his desertion has
been so little understood, that the Magistrates of
one of the Divisions of Edinburgh (Portsburgh)
even refused to drink his health. He fled only that
he might return triumphant. He chose privation
for a time, for the sake of the fullness to which it
would lead. Had he stuck to his principles, and
supported the ablest advocate of them, he might
have lost place for ever; whereas, by abandoning
principles and place at the same time, he might en-
sure a long continuance in office. His Lordship
may return to Scotland when he pleases—he has
fully established his character for a prudent States-
man, a " man of the world." It was 'impossi-
ble that the Government could be carried on
after such a heavy loss as that of the other
great seceders and himself. The various declara-
tions are exceedingly curious, and will be read, we
have no doubt, with much interest. But before
alluding more particularly to them, we must advert
to the significant menaces of the Lord Chancellor.
You, Gentlemen, who are now in place, have chosen

to agitate the Catholic Question .when it suited you
to do 10. It is now our turn to agitate it—and
though I cannot decide causes, I will try if I can-
not bring you to a decision. " The Catholic
Question (quoth his Lordship) was one which had
now attained a degree of very great importance.
Such importance, indeed, that it was not possible,
according to the opinion of many Noble Lords, that
the settlement of it could be longer postponed.
Like them, he also had long tried to bring it to
issue. He for One was satisfied that the time was
come when this question should be disposed of, and
he purposed to bring it to a decision." No doubt.
Shall we look tamely on, while our enemy is adding
to his numbers, and our ranks are thinning every
(lay, and be forced at last to fight at a disad-
vantage ? Did not Mr. Peel well observe, " that
the Prime Minister has the disposal of all the pa-
tronage of Government—every place of preferment
in the Church, every political office is disposed of
by ;Jim ;" " I myself have known of several con-
versions made by capital of one kind or another ;"
and therefore let us attack thNn before the capital
has been extensively applied in the work of conver-
sion. Such is the advice of that individual of whom
Mr. Peel, when mentioning hini along with the
Duke of Wellington, rather unaccountably forgot to
say that he shared his Grace's " simplicity and
singleness of nature, and habitual candour and open-
ness." But, of course, when Mr. Peel prints his
speech, the omission will be supplied. Lord Mans-
field was a little more explicit than this single-
hearted individual; for he declared, " that on the
4th of June next, he should submit a motion to
their Lordships, the object of which would be, to
move their Lordships to a resolution in favour of
Catholic Emancipation, to the fullest extent to
which any meaning had ever been applied to the
terms; or-he should move an Address, that would
elicit from the King a declaratisn such as it befitted
a Protestant Parliament to suggest ; and such as a
James the Second, and no other Monarch, could re-
fuse." Vastly cunning all this; no doubt; but;
" sweet children of turpitude," do not allow your-
selves to be too much elated witli.the hopes held out
by his Lordship. These redoubtable tactics (though
we have heard that the Lord Chancellor has been
tasking his single-heartedness with his chosen friends
to contrive perplexing motions) may be combated.
We are not cast down with apprehension. The
apologies of the seceders may be comprised in a
few words. They could not do without Mr.
Canning, and they did not like to be under
him, and Nr. Canning would not serve in a
subordinate situation, having the best title of
all of them to be at the head, and so they re-
signed, having just as good a right to determine
whether they should remain in Administration as his Ma-
jesty had to name his Ministers. All their lengthy and
prosy speeches amount only to this much. Each of them.
had, no doubt, flattered himself, if Mr. Canning could
have consented to serve with the seal of perpetual exclu-
sion on him, on account of his principles, that he might
be Premier. The country will attach much less import-
ance to these last speeches and testimonies, than. the Noble
speakers. Their opposition cannot be very formidable to
the Ministry, and, indeed, they themselves seem to rest
their hopes principally on the handle which the Catholic
Question will give them. Even Lord Mansfield unwil-
lingly betrayed his opinion of his friends, by declaring that
Mr. Canning could only have recommended to the
King to form a No-Popery Administration, that he
might have the pleasure of knocking down the Ministers
like so many nine-pins. But. the country, which is sick
of all this factious work, and which is. not in a humour to
be trifled with by the solemn fool ries of some of those
hereditary Senators, will teach thorn the amourtt'Of their
importance, and that ere long. T.',epeeches of the Ex-
Ministers were, upon the wlt?let
,rseettul and decorous.
But Lord Londonderry arulihnelat.ts%l4,. Ellenborough
(the wise man who lately hlinself by advo-
cating the shooting of innocent' Meta,- as_ the ling of in-
nocent men was equally beneficial, in the way of example,
with killing guilty men), .Ikl not seem to relish, tint/ the
exhibition should close in thiti)li.Cid way. The Marquess
of Londonderry began the assault. Ned' priiicip)es, lie
said, had been of late creeping into the Cabinet. Mr.
Canning had " aimed at the subversion of all those prin-
ciples which his lamented brother, maintained," and he de-
termined no longer to support:.osni x it. He, like
Lord T.felville, seemed, howertr,, tn" loss with his
principles, " for anxious as lie "; ie measure of
Catholic Emancipation, Yet; beOW pier that Mr.
Peel, although on the principle liexclusion, ults
Prime Minister, than that therime Minister
held that office, inasmuch as here consistency to
inconsistency, and honesty to ,dialtonesty." After this
specimen of his Lordship's principlea, we may knOw what
meaning he attaches to honesty or dishonesty. Pope says,
a want of " honesty is want of sense ;" but his Lordship
seems to think they might be separated, for "he hoped (he
said) he was a man of sense," at which the House laughed
heartily. The other Noble Lord's speech was equally
abusive, and, as usual, abundantly puggish. Of his sense,
however, as he said nothing himself; we also shall say
nothing. The Marquess of Lansdown, in a manly, tem-
perate speech, contrasting, in every respect, with thosi to
which he adverted, justified the consistency of the course '
which lie had adopted, and exposed the absurdities of the
accusations brought against Ministers. But our limits and
the hour will not. allow us to enter farther into the sub-
ject.—Morning Chronicle.

The House of Lords was yesterday the scene of
most extraordinary bustle. The several avenues
' leading to it at an early hour became approachable
with the greatest difficulty. Lord Lyndhurst, _the
new Lord Chancellor, took the oaths and his seat,
as did Lords Goderich, Plunkett, &c. Before the
commencement of the public business, around the
throne was amazingly crowded by Members of Par-
liament, Peeresses, &c.; and many Members were
obliged to seek for accommodation below the bar,
where they found it with considerable difficulty,
owing to the crowds already there. The body of
the House was also astonishingly crowded, there
being a full attendance of Peers. Lord Eldon, the
Duke of Wellington, &c. took their teats on the
cross benches, which are between the Ministerial
and Opposition benches: After some remarks from
Lord Grosvenor, &c. on the importance of the Ca-
tholic Question, in the present state of affairs, the
retired Ministers entered into explanations of their
motives for quitting office. Lord Eldon complained
of the charges that had been preferred against him,
and declared, that the alleged desire of acting with
the view of dictating to his Sovereign, and that he
had withdrawn hiniself in concert with other Ministers,
were false and infamous calumnies. In adopting that step
he had acted froln his own feelings. The Duke of Wel-
lington likewise complained of having been calmoniated,
especially by the Press, and that he had been held forth as
little less than k conspirator. He strongly denied that be
had acted from any desire to dictate to his Sovereign, Or
that be had resigned as acting in concert with any of his
colleagues to increase the difficulties of'forming a new Ad-
ministration ; be bad resigned from personal motives—
feeling that as he differed in opinion on an important
question, there could be no cordial co-operation. The
explanations of both these Peers were listened to with the
most anxious attention, interrupted only by loud cheering,
which interruptions were frequent. Lord Bexley and
other Peers also addressed the House.—Morning Herald.

The explicit and frank explanation given by Mr.
Peel in the House of Commons of the motives
which led to his retirement from- office, does credit
to his temper and understanding. When sincerity
of principle is united to a modest determination of
manner, it must produce an effect superior to all the
acted vehemence and graces which the rhetorician
can command. This explanation must put to silence
that gross and vulgar calumny of a concerted move-
ment to defeat or overawe the Royal will, which
some journals have repeated from day to day against
the Ex-Ministers, ever since it was ascertained that
Mr. Canning had become Lord of the Ascendant.
Every body recollects that one journal went so far
as to designate the whole of the retired Members of
the Cabinet, as " a gang of conspirators." It now
appears, as we all along expected it would appear,
that whether the policy of the late Ministers was
right or wrong, they were actuated solely by an ad 7
herence to their principles in withdrawing theMselves
from the Couacils of the Sovereign. It even ap-
pears that Mr. Peel, so far from " conspiring" against
his Royal Master, communicated his intention to re-
sign only to one Minister before it took place, and
that Minister was Mr. Canning himself. With the
same earnestness that Mr. Peel disclaimed any pre-
concert on his own part, he disclaims it on the part

of all-his colleagues, and triumphantly puts down the
charge of their having formed any thing like a cabal.
It was the Catholic Question that constituted the
impassable barrier between the Ex-Secretary and
the Premier. As long as Mr. Peel conscientiously
believes the success of that question would be pre-
judicial to the best interests of the country, he has
a clear right to act upon that conviction, without
deserving to be called " factious" for so doing. On the
other hand, if, entertaining such an opinion in his heart,
he had agreed to act under a Prime Minister who is the
decided advocate of the measure, he would be chargeable
with the crime of sacrificing his country to his ambition,
or with the meanness of preferring the emoluments of
place to the honest approbation of his own conscience.
Notwithstanding all the corruption and sordidness of feeling
which we have observed of late years, in that station were
honourable sentiment ought to be ever found, we do not
hesitate to say that probity of character will do more for a
public man in .this country, even in the present times, than
any talents, however brilliant, or intrigue, however suc-
cessful. Public virtue is certainly a very rare commodity ;
but it has become, perhaps, the more valuable on that very
account—and it is sure to have public opinion with it in
the end. The politician who grasps at place and power,
without regard to consistency or desertion of principles,
may have a great deal of cunning—hut such a person will
often have to lament the want of that wisdom which in-
spires confidence by being above deception. —lbid.

The discussion in the House of Lords, last night
was of a character still more interesting than that
which took place in the House of Commons on
Tuesday; inasmuch as a larger proportion of the
noble and distinguished individuals who have seceded
from the late Cabinet, entered into explanations.
The Earl of Eldon, Earl Bathurst, the Duke of Wel-
lington, Lord Melville, Lord Goderich, and others,
addressed the House. Among them was the Mar-
qujs of Londonderry, and his speech was, indeed, an
extraordinary one. But we have no inyntion of
going into the subject at present. The whole case
of the retiring Ministers is now, we presume, before
the country ; each individual has told what he had
to tell—has explained what he had to explain. We
earnestly invite the serious and anxious attention of the
public to the whole exposition which has been made of an
extraordinary and unprecedented ministerial crisis.—lt is
but fitting that sufficient time should be allowed for these
statements to be deliberately weighed and examined, before,
we attempt to analyse the materials of which they are
composed. We claim, on our own behalf even, an inter-
val, to examine their abstract character and relative bear-
ings, that we may offer no crude and superficial opinions
respecting them ; for they embrace many points of high
import, both as regards persons and principles.—New
Times.