Star.
London, England, 1824-04-02 00:00:00

MR. HODHOUSE AND THE HACKNEY
MEETING.

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With respect to the popularity of Ministers (said Mr. ,
Shaw Lefevre, at the Hackney Meeting on Wednesday,; ,
in whose throat the word appeared to stick)l " Y have
no hesitation to say that it is undeserved." One would
have thought that this sweeping assertion was oracular,„e
and decisive enough, but it could not satisfy the red-hot ;
patriotism of Mr. " Sempronius" Hobhouse. The two
County Members, unfortunately, touched the same
chord, and it
" Jangled harsh discords out of tone"
to the ears of the'Westminster patriot, whOse indignant
eloquence was called forth immediately. " His Ho.
nourable Ft ;ends," Mr. Hobhouse said, " had talked of
the popularity of Ministers, as if something like an apo-
logy were necessary for coming there to celebrate their
triumph; and- all the ground that he could discover for
the asssertion was, that Ministers were not so very un-
,ropular as in the last year." But the Member for West-
minster was not satisfied to stop here: " his soul was in
arms," and he must go on further. "He would ask,"
he added, " in what one instance had Ministers shewn
themselves more favourable to general liberty ?
It was not now necessary to cut down the people.
The Government and the people did not now come in
collision : but did any man suppose that if they felt dis-
posed they would hesitate to du it ? Let them not talk
then of prosperity ; there could be no prosperity where
there was no prospect of freedom."— Bravo ! Mr.
Hobhouse, " you talk this well." Who shall doubt
yarn conversion or your sincerity after this burning
plt.llippic ? Ministers are not popular, because you say
sl; the country is neither prosperous nor free because
yon pronounce it otherwise : there is nothing like
bold assertion-1:o figure of speech suits a Tavern ora-
tor half so well ; it purchases the passing cheer of the
night from those around, and thus answers every /nada*
pu; pose: Mr. Lefevre, however, had no palate for this,
ha: argue ; it was too violent for even hint to swnllow.
" Ile was well acquainted (he-said) with the talents of
hi . Honour able Friend ; but on this occasion, he had
out• Heroded Herod." He might have replied to the
fiery patriot, in the langua,ae of Cato to Sempronius,
whose simulated vehemence Mt. Hobhouse tt ies to rival,
"Let not a torrmt of impetuous zeal
Transport thee thus, bt.yond the bounds of reason ;
True fortitude is seen in great exploits.
That justice warrants and tliarreirlont guides;
AU etre is tow'ringfrerizy and distraction!"
The fact is, Mr. Hobhouse goes too far ; he tempts
' more than doubts, by the extravagant flights he takes ;
his oratory, unfortunately, is out of season
_last now—
quite too much of the "Haut Montagne" for this period
of' piping peace and universal prosperity ; for prosper-
, ous the nation is, and beyond all former example, let
Mr. Hobhouse declaim as he may. Anti though it is
" wormwood" to mention the popularity of Ministers,
' that popularity is as unquestionable as it is well de-
, set ved. The chunky at large acknowledges it univer-•
sally, and nothing that emanates from the Mermaid,"
at Hackney, can change that feeling, while Ministers
pursue their present enlightened course.—British Press.