The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1839-05-21 00:00:00

SIR ROBERT PEEL.

At the present moment the following sketch of this
distinguished statesman will be acceptible to our read-
ers. It is from Random Recollections of the House of
Commons, published in 1836. The author is a whig-
radical, far from favourably disposed to Sir Robert's
principles, absolutely unjust to some of his high per-
sonal qualities, but constrained to admit his command-
ing powers in debate :

He is (1836) in the prime of life, being forty-seven years
of age. His whole appearance indicates health. His con-
stitution is excellent, and his temperate habits have seconded
the kindly purposes of Nature. He is capable of undergoing
great physical fatigue. I have known him remain in the
house for three or four successive nights till one and two
o'clock, not only watching with the most intense anxiety the
progress of important debates, but taking an active part in
the proceedings, and yet be in office, transacting business of
the greatest moment, by ten o'clock on the following morn-
ing. Sir Robert is possessed of business habits of the first
order. He can descend, when there is a necessity for it, to
the minutest circumstances in a great question, and master
them all as fully as if he had never had a thought beyon 1
the pale of such matters. He was never yet known to bungle
any measure from ignorance of business details. * *
Sir Robert. Peel is perhaps the best and most 'effective
speaker in the house. He is always fluent, even in his most
extemporaneous addresses. His language is uniformly cor-
rect, and generally eloquent. He is never at a loss for-words.
These he has almost invariably at his command in abundance,
even when lie is deficient in every thing having the semblance:
of argument. He is remarkably dexterous in debate. I
have often admired the wonderful expertneSs with which he
has extricated himself from the awkward positions into which
his opponents have thrust him. His self-possession, which
scarcely ever forsakes him is of vast importance to him ;
and, in conjunction with his singularly good tact, enables
him to make the most of a bad case. * * * *

In his manner Sir Robert Peel is highly dignified, and his
delivery is generally graceful. He usually commences his
most important speeches with his left hand resting on his
side. His utterance on such occasions is slow and solemn in
the outset ; but when he advances to the heart of his subject
he becomes animated and speaks with some rapidity, but
always with much distinctness, His enunciation is clear ;
and few speakers possess a greater power over their voice.
He can modulate its soft and musical tones at pleasure. He
is sometimes humourous, on which occasions his manner has
an irresistibly comic effect. His jokes, when he does indulge
in them, are almost invariably good, though often too refined
to tell with effect on any other than-an intellectual audience.
It is, however, but comparatively seldom that he makes any
effort at wit. His forte manifestly lies in the serious mode
of address. He excels all men I ever knew in deep tragedy :
in that he is quite at home. No man in the House can appeal
with a tittle of the effect with which he can, to the fears of
his audience ; and he is too good a tactician not to know,
that a good deal more may be accomplished by addressing in
this strain an audience who have rank and property to lose,
than by cold argumentative orations. Hence the staple of
his principle speeches consists of a forcible and skilful exhibi-
tion of the alleged frightful consequences which will inevitably
flow from the adoption of a course of policy different from
that which he recommends. On such occasions his appear-
ance and manner are as solemn as if he were commissioned
to stand up and proclaim that the world has come to an end.
And he usually produces a corresponding effect. The deepest
stillness pervades the House while he is speaking. Even in
the gallery, where there is generally a great deal of noise from
the exits and the entrance of strangers, the falling of a pin
might be heard. All eyes are fixed on Sir Robert. Honoura-
ble members, of all parties, are, for the time, spell-bound.
Their reason is taken prisoner. The feelings obtain a tem-
porary triumph over the understanding. The solemnity of
the speaker is communicated to the hearers. No smile is
seen to play on the countenances of even the most lively and
strenuous of his opponents. All are as grave as if some ques-
tion of the deepest importance to them individually were
about to be decided. Sir Robert is a speaker whom one
would never tire of hearing. I have often heard Mtn speak
for two or three hours at a time, but never knew an instance
of an honourable member quitting the house because he felt
Sir Robert's oration to be tedious. On the contrary, the
regret always is that he does not continue longer. Sir John.
Hobhouse was, I am sure, only expressing the feeling enter-
tained by every member in the House, when he said, imme-
diately before the resignation of Sir Robert in April last,
that if any thing could reconcile him to the continuance in
office of the right honourable baronet, it would be the pleasure
of hearing him speak. * * * * * * *
Sir Robert's manners both in and out of Parliament, are
most conciliatory. He treats every person with whom he
comes into contact with the utmost respect. He has a won-
derful command of temper. I never yet knew him, even in
the teat of debate, use a single irritating word to any oppo-
nent. And the same courtesy and respect with which he
treats others, are, as it•is right they should be, reciprocated
by them. Sir Robert has not only no personal enemies, but
is held in the highest esteem by the most virulent of his
opponents. It is the abstraction—the particular class of
opinions of which he is the most distinguished champion,
and not himself, as an individual, against which the liberal
party direct their uncompromising hostility. * *
There is not a man in the house more sensitive on the
subject of honour than Sir Robert. You may apply to him
epithets which are synonimous with fool, blocked, &c., if
you please, and he utters not a word of complaint : you may
brand him with the name of bigot in politics or religion, or
both, if you are so inclined, and he murmurs not a word of
resentment • but charge him with anything, either in his pri-
vate or public capacity, inconsistent with the character of a
man of honour, and that moment he demands an explana-
tion, which if not satisfactory', and accompanied by a full re-
traction, will be followed up, before he quits the house, by
a challenge to a hostile meeting the ensuing morning.
Sir Robert Peel never speaks on any great question until
immediately before the close of the debate, however often
that debate may be adjourned. His object is two-fold—first,
that he may hear all that may be urged on the opposite side;
and, secondly, that he may have the benefit of the " last
word." No man can be, most anxious than he is of the ad-
vantage to the cause he espouses of a skilful reply, imme-
diately before the division, to the principal arguments of the
leading speakers on the adverse side ; and certainly no man
that ever sat within the walls of parliament could display
more consummate tact than he does in turning that advan-
tage to account. Never was debater more acute in detecting
the weak points of an adversary, nor more happy in exposing
and placing them in the most prominent point of view. And
all this he seems to do with the greatest ease ; without any
appearance of effort. What he does on the spur of the mo-
ment is as well and effectively done as if it had been the re-
sult of months of premeditation. In his replies to speeches
which were delivered but for a few hours before, there is a
propriety of arrangement—a lucidness of manner—a vigour
and closeness of reasoning—a purity and eloquence of style
—a felicity in the delivery—and a fullness and completeness
in the argument, which could not have been surpassed had
the speech cost him weeks of the most careful preparation

Genius and talent are to be found in a thousand places be-
ides the highest, if one only knew where to hit upon them.
—Theodore Hook.

Prince George of Cambridge, after spending six months
at Gibraltar, left the Rock for Malta on the 25th of April.
During his royal highness's residence on the Rock, the
prince seized every opportunity of improving his information
on military tactics, theoretically as well •is by practice ; and
not a person in the garrison could have felt otherwise than
proud when witnessing the novel sight of a prince of the
blood sharing with the officers the usual routine of duty.
AN INPOSTOR OirrwirrEn. On Saturday night, an
Irishwoman, named Quinn, was apprehended on suspicion
of 'having stolen nine pairs of gloves from Mr. Moscrop's
shop, some of which she had pledged at Mr. Whitmore's,
and others she had also offered to pledge at Mr. Fletcher's
in the Park. On the Sunday, she complained very much,
and said that she wanted to see her child ; and early on
Monday morning, she was to all appearance taken much
worse; for she took no breakfast, and lay quite stiff and
motionless upon her bed as if dead.. The officers were quite
alarmed, and a medical gntleman was sent for, who immedi-
ately discovered that she was acting dead ; that, in fact, she
" ailed nothing." The doctor recommended in her hearing,
that her hair should be cut off, and that a large blister should
be applied to her chest; (though not with the intention of
harrying his recipe into operation.) This advice, however,
had no advice upon the woman, nor could she be prevailed
upon to move, until he desired the officers to order her dis-
missal from prison, stating that she must dress herself, and
go about her business. This recipe had the desired, effect,
for she began to hem and oh dear little, 4nd. then -to dres.s
4ierself, and wherLdeiiieilt/rtiwishaaer,gt-befitr& die left, she
managed that operation also ; but when in the sweet hope
of quitting her cell, we may guess her astonishment when
told she must wait a little, and first have a hearing before
the magistrates. Her old complaint returned, but not quite
in so severe a manner as before. Perceiving herself outdone
in her imposition, she complained bitterly. She was com-
mitted to take her trial.—Stockport paper,