The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1842-08-23 00:00:00

THE PREMIER AND THE EX-FOREIGN

MINISTER.

The Journal des Debats, one of the most influential of the
French Papers, speaking of Sir Robert Peel's speech in
reply to Lord Palmerston's review of the Session, charac-
terizes it as one of the most happy efforts of eloquence, and,
in respect to our French relations, judicious and seasonable.
The following are some of this journal's remarks :
" The reply of Sir Robert Peel is generally considered as
one of the most happy efforts of eloquence ever made by
that statesman during his parliamentary career. Certainly,
considering that this reply was impromptu, the vivacity and
the nerve with which the Premier successively repelled all
the attacks of his spirituel adversary cannot but excite ad-
miration."
" We particularly call attention to that part of the speech
of Sir R. Peel where he speaks of the relations of England
with France. It is impossible to meet with sentiments more
honorable than those which are expressed by the Prime
Minister of England, and we cannot help believing that such
language, and the testimony of a sympathy so sincere in all
that concerns the greatness, the happiness, and even the
grief of France, must contribute powerfully to calm and even
extinguish those feelings of national hostility which we grieve
to see again raised.
" We are at a loss to know what reply Lord Palmerston
could make to the powerful apostrophes addressed to him bo
Sir R. Peel when he asked him what he had done with the
friendship and alliance of France."
Of Lord Palmerston's speech the Journal des Debats drops
observations which in many points very closely coincide
with the opinions we expressed in the last number of the
Intelligencer ; and the Paris Correspondent of the Britannia,
a London weekly paper, shows a still closer coincidence
with our sentiments. The following extract is from -the
Debats
" The sitting of the House of Commons of the 10th was
distinguished by one of the most brilliant oratorical tourna-
ments of which the English Parliament has for a iong time
been the theatre. Lord Palmerston and Sir R. Peel alone
took part in a discussion which lasted several hours. It is
the custom in England, at the moment of the prorogation
of Parliament, for the leader of the opposition, in one of the
Houses, to enter into a critical review of the legislative la-
bours of the Session. Under the last government 'it was
Lord Lyndhurst, who, in the House of Lords, thus made
the annual political accusation against his opponents. This
year the scene has been transferred to the House of Com-
mons. The work of general criticism, which is called the
review of the Session, should have been made by Lord John
Russell, but he was not present, and delegated the task to
Lord Palmerston. His lordship is, without doubt, a man
possessing much esprit; he is one of the most skilful de-
baters in the house ; he excels in the art of showing things
in their best colours, and giving the appearance of success to
the most undoubted checks. Lord Palmerston required all
the dexterity of his eloquence to accomplish his task, for in
attacking the policy of his adversaries he had naturally to
defend that which he had pursued for ten years, and in the
responsibility of which he shared. The task could not be
confided to better hands, for if he possesses any quality equal
to the fruitful resources of his eloquence, it is an impertur-
bable assurance, to which his adversaries give a less mild ap-
pellation. At a time when the boldest statesman lose their
confidence in the future strength and power of their country,
Lord Palmerston alone preserves a confidence in himself.
He represents, in the most favourable point of view, if not
the justum, at least the tenacem propositi virum ; he speaks
in the most composed manner of all the ruin which he has
made, impavidum ferient ; and under the blow of the dis-
asters of Affghanistan, the prolonged war in China, the dis-
organisation of the Ottoman empire, the change in the
relations of Great Britain and America, the French alliance
destroyed, and the peace of the world compromised, Lord
Palmerston feels sufficient self-assurance to congratulate his
opponents on the brilliant inheritance bequeathed them by
the last ministry, and to hold up, in the most exalted point
of view, the glorious results of all those enterprises in which
England has been blindly thrown by the policy of the Whig
government. He has made a speech full of eloquence and
sarcasm ; but unfortunately he had to deal with a powerful
antagonist, and the vigorous reply of Sir Robert Peel tended
to assuage the enthusiasm inspired by the ex-Minister of
Foreign Affairs, by the remembrance of his victories and his
conquests. These two speeches form a complete review of
he present state of English policy."