The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1854-01-10 00:00:00

THE ABERDEEN CABINET.

Whatever might have been the Conservative antecedents
of some members of the cabinet, we could not forget that
these were the men who, in almost every instance, had
adopted expediency as their guide, instead of following the
straight and undeviating path of honour. It appeared to
us evident that the Radical section could not, supposing
its component members to be honest and earnest in their
views, avoid the opportunity of pressing their peculiar
tenets upon the consideration of their colleagues ; and, ,
believing in the thorough elasticity of consciences which
have once submitted to the doctrines of expediency, it
seemed to us exceedingly probable that the former main-
tainers of a Conservative policy would bedome as supple in
the hands of their new allies as the heart of a democrat
could desire. Besides all this, it was evident that the
'head of the Administration, Lord Aberdeen, was unfitted
to deal with the new complications which the altered state
of European affairs has introduced. At no one period of
his life did the Premier ever occupy a place in the fore-
most rank of statesmen. He was neither acute enough in
"his intellect, nor adroit enough in his management of
affairs, to entitle him to such a position. He might be a
useful colleague, but he never was qualified to be a leader.
In prescience, the most valuable attribute of a diplomatist,
he has always shown himself to be defective. Obstinacy,
which he mistakes for firmness, and craft, which he con-
ceives to be wisdom, have made him the unconscious tool
of far superior men, who, in the palmy days of European
congresses, were his associates. Strange as it may appear,
Lord Aberdeen, who at home is confederated in council
with Sir James Graham and Sir William Molesworth, is
universally regarded abroad as the last prop in Britain of
the absolutist policy and dominion. Russia is delighted
to see him Prime Minister of this country, because, so long
as that arrangement lasts, she anticipates no active check
to her designs. Austria, while acting the hypocritical
part of mediator, and keeping up the farce of negotiation
after the hour for action has arrived, chuckles at the
credence which is given to the sincerity of her concocted
notes, and forwards, at proper intervals, fresh projects for
the maintenance of peace to Downing-street, in order to
divert attention from the boom of the Russian cannon.
With regard to France, Lord Aberdeen has not cultivated
those friendly relations which were established by Lord
Malmesbury„ and which, especially at the present time,
are so important for maintaining the influence of the two
grmt western powers. Forgetting the adage that nations
have no cousins, and the maxim against foreign cabals m
behalf of rejected dynasties, he is well known to regard
with favour the pretensions of the house of Orleans, which
has not even the abstract merit of legitimacy to recom-
mend it ; anla not only that portion of the press which is
under ministerial control, but even members of the
cabinet, were allowed, without contradiction or reproof, to
indulge in unmeasured obloquy and invective directed
against the present Emperor of the French.