The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1838-02-16 00:00:00

VP.BRUAiII 1(i N S

expected that freqtieut occasions of delicate negociation will

!! We .do not distrust Mr. Van Buren's government. We be-
lieve that is just enough, and wise enough with England. We
believe the same of the Congress; but in such au extensive
.country as the United States, a democratical government is, as
.regards external relations, no govetnittent, and the President
and Congress 'most prove their desire for peace by looking with
out any real or affected jealousy upon the defensive measures
-of those neighbours whom they cannot restrain their subjects
from offending. Let any one in the United States make the
case of his own country—let him suppose a band of Canadian
Outtows, or Indians, organised at Queenston—let him suppose
this banditti to provide themselves with artillery and arms from
the Queen of England's stores, and thus organised, armed, and
. equipped, lo take possession of Grand Island, receiving daily
su#plies from Chippewa, under cover of the guns of the fort.
Row would he expect—how would he demand the Blitish go-
' vernment to act? Would be not say that it was our business to
pursue our pirates, and to disgrace and punish all British Odi-
_cers and subjects abetting or conniving at their crimes? and the
demand would nut have to lse made twice upon Gieat Britain ;
Such is the difference between monarchy and democracy."

•PROSPECTS Ot THE MINISTRY.—" Coming events
east their shadows before them." The truth of this say-
'ing is likely to be realised in the eat ly dissolution of the
- imbecile whip ministry. The many recent appointments
"which have taken plaCe under the present temporary go
vernment afford an infallible proof of the tottering con-
dition of th cabinet. The whig ministers tWmseives
have contrive to retain office for a sufficiently long pe.
ridd to entitle ch of them to a *Ching pension ; but
\
their needy relatives and dependants have been lung
tept in abeyance. 01 late, however, wonderful alacrity
has been displayed on the part of ministers to secure for

'their retainers some permanent provision, whilst an'

equal degree of readiness has been evinced by tire lat-
ter to "catch at any oppoitpmen47 of which they are
(not likely tube depilved,whea the .whig cabinet receives
its quietus. The projected mission of Lord Durham has
already afforded the means of providing fur several "nice
young gentlemen" of wing principles. The appoint-.
menus of Sir A. L. Hay and of Mr. Richard Shell are
likewise indicative of a desire on the part of the thirk-

and-thin supporters of the Melbourne cabinet to secure a
snug birth before it becomes too late. We may confi
dently look for several additional appointments of the
ame'desctiption in the course of a few days. Whig
patriots are notoriously fend of promotion to offices of
emolument.

From'the eagerness manife..teiby the most active par-
tisans of the ministry, to obtain permanent appoint-

ments; as well as from other causes, we are justified in
• stating that Lord 'Melboorne and his associates are placed
in embirrassing circumstances, and that their speedy re-
tirement from office may be calculated upon. It is. well
known that they have been forced to adopt an apparently
conservative line of policy in obedience to the wishes of
her Majesty. This has been made palpably evident
since the present session commenced. In consequence
of this constrained adoption of conservative measures,
the ministers have lost the confidence of the ultra. radical

party, and have been forced to rely almost exclusively
upon Sir Robert Peet and the niembers of the opposition
for the support necessaty to carry on the government of
the country. We do nut say that, the whig ministers
have voluntarily thrown themselves upon the aid of the
,conservatives. Their inclinations evidently went the
other way; but they had no alternative—they were com-
pelled to do so or to resign, and resignation is a word of
which they have not learnt the meaning.

The position of the ministers in reference to their
quondam radical friends may be inferred from the follow-
.ing notice of motion 'given by Sir William Dlulesw•orth
for the 6th of Match :

"'To move an address to the Queen, respectfully expressing
the opinion of the douse that, in the present critical state of
many of her Majestys foreign possessions in :various parts of
the world, it is essential to the well-being of her Majesty's co-
looial empire, and of the many and important domestic inte►csts
. which depend on the prosperity of the colonies, that the Colonial
Minister should be a person in whose diligence, fore-thought,
judgment, activity, and firmness, the house and the puhlic
►nay be able to place reliance; and declaring-, with ail deference
to theconStitutional prerogatives of the crown, that her ;Majesty's
present Secretary of State for the Colonies does not enjoy. the
confidence of the house, or of the country."

How this motion will be disposed of it is impossible to
form any conjecture. .Should the conservatit es deem it
worth their while to vote in favour of Sir William Moles-
worth's declaration, ministers must be outvoted. The
probability is, that the motion will be got rid of by lin
adjournment.

No trial of 'strength has yet taken place between the
ministerial party and the conservatives. Such a trial
can only take place on some question of importance, in-
volving a tangible principle on which both parties are
professe,lly at .variance, Will the 'ministers tenture upon
the introdurtion of such a question ? Will they bring
forward the Irish Municipal Bill—the Church Rate Bill
7—or the Irish Tithe Bill ? They dare not.

ELECTION PETITIONS:—Sr% eral of the election peti-
%ions, wltich were fixed for consideration in the earlier'
part of this month, are now undergoing investigation be-
fore committees of the House of Commons, and a few
have been already decided. Of the latter, the
,only case
'that has diSturbed the balance of parties has been that of
Petersfield. The committee in this case have decided
that Sir H. Jolliffe, the Conservative candidate, was not
&iv elected,. and that Mr. Hector was duly chosen
•

to serve in the present parliament. This will cause a
~. difference; mu division, of two votes in favour of the
Radicals.
The decisions in the cases of Salford and county of
tongford have been in favour of the sitting members.
The Roxburgh and Ipswich Election Conunitters have
•tot yet terminated their enquiries. The latter is likely
40 issue in favour of the Conservatives. The following
*vas the state of the pull at the close of Tuesday's pro_
Feedings

Gibson (conservative)
Kelly (conservative)
'Folioed (radical)
Wason (radical)

Should the decision of the committee be is favour of
Mr. Kelly it will exactly c9tinterbalance the loss sus.

twined by. the Conservatives in the case of Peter►field,

The j;)elfast Xlecti9n,:einontiltee was ballotted for on
,evening,. The following are the members :
iCul. Rulleston, Mr. Logan, Mr. P. W. Miles,
;Hughes, Mr. Halford, Lind Villiers, 'Mr. Chute,
Jdurci-Gritnston, Mr. Eaton, ,Lord Paget, and Mr. St.
Paul. •

.:.In the case of Bridgeport!) • the Radical member very
•,prudenilir resigned.previously to the ballot, and a new
4irit.ivaS moved fo-r by Mr. W. Hulmes. This, we have
;no doubt, *ill 'give an ad litional vote to the Conserva-
ztiVes.

(It is a singular fact in connection with the balloting
IN ejection committees, that the majorities, in every
jtutance excepting that of the Ipswich petition, have been
in favour of the Radicals, and that this has taken place
;notwithstanding the diligent- attendance of the Conserva-
Aive members, fewer of whom have been returned as
,pbsent than of their opponents. This circumstance may
,account for many decisions of an adverse nature such,
itnfortunatelv, is the sense of honour among the Radical