The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1835-02-27 00:00:00

•
To those gentlemen who supported Earl Grey's administration
he fearlessly appealed. He asked them whether the reforms
announced in his majesty's most gracious speech were not such
iks that noble earl would. have supported? He could not help
appealing to them whether they felt comfortable in their
present situation ? (Laughter.) Did they feel very com-
fortable ? (Loud laughter from the opposition.) He alluded
not to the personal character, but. to the political principles, of
hon, gentlemen opposite • but he would ask the supporters of
Earl Grey, whether they felt comfortable in the society in which
they then were ? (Roars of laughter from the oppositium)
He had heard the word apostacy " branded upon.those who
were engaged in these reforms; but would there beam danger
of apostacy in those who, having long. opposed all
.changes in
lour parliamentary system, were now joining heart and !mod
with those who were prepared to carry change after change in
it? (Cheers.) What was the great public principle which in-
duced them to form a confederacy founded upon a principle of
confusion ? Could those, he would ask, who supported the prin-
ciples of Earl Grey, unite with those who supported triennial
parliaments, universal suffrage, and vote by ballot ? (Cheers
from the ministerial benches.) Could those who had always
stood up for leaving the privileges of the peers as they now were,
unite with those who would convert the House of Peers into an
inisembly subordinate to reeir own? (Ministerial. cheers.)
Could those who admitted the importance of an established
church unite with those who denounced the established church
as a curse, and who declared that they would not rest until it
was aholished ? (Ministerial cheers.) Could they who were so
determined to maintain the integrity of the empire, unite in
safety with those who only suspended the agitation of the re-
peal 'question, or, in other words the dismemberment of the em-
pire, becaese they thought that the suspension of it for a moment
would.ultimatelv advance the great object which they wished to
accomplish? (Ministerial cheers.) He was curious to know
what, was the common principle, what was the great overwhelm-
ing • principle, which could have induced so many of the hon.
gentlemen opposite—for he would not say all—to sink all minor
consideratinusof,difference in one common confederacy against
his Majesq's, government ? (Cheers and laughter.) rhe pre-
sent was not the time fur party struggles; party connexions at
certain periods were useful and beneficial; but the present was
a period at which everyman was hound to think for himself, to
look around him, and to consider the responsibility which rested
upon his head. He entertained strong and sanguine hopes that
a great pr ,portiou of the respectable gentlemen who supported
Earl Grey's administration would not unite against the present
administratiou. (Cheers and laughter.) .It would not be con-
sistent, with either their character, or their respectability, or their
interest, to form such an union. (Hear, hear.) He would not
intrude further on the patience of the house. If, itt the course
aids address, he had addressed himself too slionglY or too im-
patiently, it was more from defect of habit, in maressing the
house rather than defect of feeling. He had mixed largely
with men of all parties in that house, and he had a friendly feet,
ing towards them all; but a sense of public duty would not let
him conceal his sentiments upon the present state of public
affairs. The noble lord concluded a speech which was but im-
perfectly heard in the gallery, by moving an address to his
Majesty, which, as usual, was but the echo of the speech from
the throne.

Mr. Btu INSTON, one of the members for the Southern division,
seconded the Address.

Lord Mosteuiti then addressed the House at considerable
length, and concluded by Moving an amendment to the Address
proposed by Lord Sandon, The noble lord said, it was not
his wish to omit any portion of the Address which had been
moved by his noble friend, inasmuch as he believed it pledged
them to nothing to which they could conscientiously object..
—(A laugh from the opposition.) But as he thought that they
'wished for some more marked demonstration of opinion, he was
desirous to move that after the words "To promote the con-
cord and happiness of my subjects," in the last paragraph but
two, these words should be inserted ; "To assure his majesty
that his majesty's faithful commons acknowledge, with grateful
recollection, that the acts for amending the representation of
the people were submitted to parliament with his majesty's sanc-
tion, and carried into a law with his majesty's assent ; that, COTI.-
fidentlY expecting to derive further advantages from those wise
and necessary measures, we trust that his majesty's councils
will be directed in a spirit of well-considered and effective re-
form; and that the liberal and comprehensive policy which re-
stored to the people the right of choosing their own representa-
tives, and which provided for the emancipation of all.persons
held in slavery in his majesty's colonies and possessions abroad,
will, with the same enlarged views, place, without delays. our
municipal corporations under vigilant popular control, remove
all those undoubted grievances of the protestant dissenters, and
correct-those abuses in the church which impair its efficiency in
England, disturb the peace of society in Ireland, and lower the
character of the establishment in both countries. To represent
to hid majesty that his majesty's faithful commons beg leave
submissively to add, that they cannot but lament that the pro-
gress of these and other reforms has been interrupted and en-
dangered by the unnecessary dissolution of a parliament ear-
nestly intent upon the vigorous prosecution of measures to
which the wishes of the people were most anxiously and justly
directed." At the conclusion of the reading of the amendment
by the noble lord there were loud cheers from the opposition.:
Mr. BArcEltMvm seconded the amendment.
The address and the amendment having been put, the M-
lowing gentlemen successively addressed the chair.
Mr. Pemberton in support of the Address.
Mr. Wm. Ewart in favour of the amendment. This 'gentle-
man, alluding to the state of popular feeling in Liverpool, said
that, although at the last election his noble colleague bad a
majority of votes in his favour, he could not command a ma-.
jority of voices.
Mr. Richards supported the address.—Mr. Grote the amend-
ment.

Mr. GLADSTONE, the member for Leicester, wishc •o know
what, if the amendment should be carried, and stilt adonger
resolutions adopted, expressive of want of confidence go-
vernment, it would all lead to ? Was it to lead to the Num to-
office of the late administration ? If so, by, whom wou►.i that
administration be supported ? Not by the gentlemen sitti„g
his (the ministerial) side of the house, and by but a small
pto-
portion of the gentlemen sitting on the other side of the q,„
—unless that administration should include men whom the hen_
ple of England were most assuredly nut prepared to receive ror
ministers (livid cheers)—unless it should give its sanction
projects which his noble friend (the member for Yorkshire) at
least deemed incompatible with the existence of the monarchy.
(Cheers.) They had that night been repeatedly told that the,
late administration was dismissed without receiving that fair
trial which the right hon. baronet (Sir It. Peel) demanded for
himself. In his humble opinion this was not a correct state-
ment. The late administration was not dismissed without 'trial.
They Lad that trial on the Irish tithe bill, on the Irish coercion
bill, and the issue of the church commission; and the very cir-
cumstance of its having been so tried accounted very satisfac-
torily, in the opinion of a large proportion of the people of this •
country, for its dismissal. The country did not ferget that this
very administration, for which a fair trial was demanded, had
been pronounced by boo. gentlemen opposite totally undeerv-
ing of confidence. (Hear, hear.) The people of England re-
membered that this impression was so strong ou the mind of a
distinguished member of the opposition, (the hon. member for •
Southwark,) that he declared to the house if any difference of
opinion should arise among the members of the government, to
serious as to cause their retirement from office, the country
might'derive consolation from the same source as the master
tailors had done during the general strike of the journeymen—
namely,
from the certainty of being able to find old women to
conduct the business of the nation as ably as the then goiern-
ment. (Cheers and laughter.) The late administration had
only two courses to follow—either to pursue the manly course
which the right hon, members for Lancashire hail.adopted, or
to lean for support on that party which advocated the ballot,
the recurrence to short parliaments, and the extension of the
suffrage; and to swallow the bitter pill of virtual coalition.
(Cheers.) He should vote against the proposetLamemitnent ;
in.the first place, he thought it unjust and most unusual to in-
terfere with the ordinary course of the administration befor e any
evidence of abuse was afforded; because, in the second place,
he would never consent to impair the just pierogatives of the
King, and fetter him in the free choice of his confidential ad-
visers; and because, thirdly, he was piepared to mark the selec-
tion of the present ministers with his deliberative and unqualified
approbation.. (Cheers.)
Mr. Pout.ree spoke in favour of the amendment. • '
Mr. VeEvog and Colonel SIBTHORP spoke in favour of the
address.
_

Mr. CLAY, (Tower Hamlets,) although he had kept, aloof,
generally, from party trammels, would, on the present occasion,
vote with the opposition.
Mr. C. PEL H A SI said he should vote against the amendment.
Sir SAmuut. W H A LLEY.7O9Id sate in its favour.

Lord CASTLEREAGH said that he IQiie.Zitent to the house
by as large a constituency as that of the hon. member for the
ower Hamlets. who had testified their satisfaction at the change
of ministers. When hon. members spoke orminigters not find-
ing their way, he thought they would find it much easier than
was anticipated. He had not meant to say one word; but, as
an Irish member, representing a large constituency, should he
allow himself to be borne down by the metropolitan constitu-
encies, he should have been guilty of a dereliction of his duty to
those he represented, who wished that his Majesty's ministers
should have a fair and impartial trial.
Mr. BARRON was in favour of the amendment.

Mr. KEA itst.Ey (Wigan) said that an hon. member opposite
had that night introduced to their notice a certain' personage,
"an angel from below." ("Hear," and laughter.) All he'
had to. say was (as we understood the hon..roember,)-thift he did
not care if Lord John Russell, and all his rag-lag and bob-tail,
were to take their supper with that personage to-night. (Much
laughter.)
Dr. Bowl:111c supported the amendment : at the close of the
learned doctor's speech the cries of "diVide" became loud and
general. .
Sir Raassivs Past tisit.addeassed the.house. 1141 Commenced
by saying that, standing in the situation in which he than stood,
it would argue a disrespect towards that house totally alien to
his feelings if he were to allow tbat debate to close and the di-
vision to be taken without availing himself of the opportunity
which was presented of giving the house those etplanations
whieb had been required during the preceding discussion. Ile
should, in the first place, refer to the circumstances under which
the present government was constituted ; he should 'defend the,
course which be thought it his duty to advise the King to pur-
sue, and give accurate delineations of the measures which it was
the intention of his Majesty's government to introduce ; those
explanations the house had a right to require, and he should
shrink from that duty which was imposed upon him if he did
not avow a disposition to afford them. (Loud cheers.) Ile
stood there as the minister of the crown—placed in that situa-
tion by no act of his own (cheers)—from no combination with
those to•whose principles he had been uniformly opposed, and
with whom he sought a temporary alliance for the purpose of
embarrassing any former government. (Loud and vehement
cheering from the ministerial benches.) Ile stood there in ful-
filment of a public duty, shrinking from no responsibility, and
though not with any arrogant pretensions of defying or diste-
guiding the opinions of the niajarity of that house, resolved to
persevere to the last (loud and long-continued cheers from the
ministerial side), so far as was consistent with the honour of a
public man, in maintaining' the prerogative of the crown, and
in fulfilling those duties which he owed to his King and to his
country. (Continued cheers from the ministerial benches.)
In vindication of the course which he had pursued, it was neces-
sary that he should refer to the circumstances which preceded
the dissolution of the last government. Ile had. been 'asked
whether he would impose on the crown the responsibility of the
dismissal of that government? In answer to this question, he
could only say that he,laimed all the responsibility which pro-
perly belonged to him as a public man ; he was responsible for
the assumption of the duty which he bad undertaken, and, if
they pleased, he was, by his acceptance ofliffice responsible for
the removal of the late government. (Loud cheers from the
ministerial, and counter cheers from the opposition benches.)
God forbid that he should endeavour to transfer any responsi-
bility which devolved upon him to that high authority whom the
constitution of this country recognised as incapable by
reason of his acting under the advice of responsible advisers;
but 'whilst he disclaimed all intention of shrinking from that
responsibility ehich one situated as he was must necessarily
incur, he could at the same time unhesitatingly. ssert, what was
perfectly consistent with the truth, and hat was due to respect
for his own character,—naniely, that under no circumstances
would he hate been a party to counselling or instigating the
removal of any government. (Loud and continued cheering.)
The right hon. baronet then entered into'a detail of the down--
fall.of the Grey and Melbourne cabinets, and coackided by;
asking whether it was at nll surprising that his Majesty should'