Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1831-11-28
MONDAY. NOVEMBER %. 1881.


Harshness of the EngHsh Preserve are ac-
customed, IN this country, to talk Of the severity
oftone adopted by the public presses. We often
hear complaints Of the rude manner in which our
public men are treated in the newspapers, and
the little respect that is paid to their standing in
society and their station 10 Office. But rude as
the American journals are, they can hardly COM
pare, in that respect, with some OF the leading
English papers. II is far from our intention to
attempt justification of the practice, by show
ing that we have authority for it abroad, but only
refer to the fact as matter of history. The fol-
lowing attack upon Lord Peterborough taken
from London paper will show the John Bull
style of treating an unpopular Nodie'ndn. whose
rank and title in this case has only served to
make him fairer mark for the ridcule and in
suit Of the writer:
Lord EHen6orough.-T coxcomb may be
a man of clever capacity, is suppos'tcn when
we can readily entertain; but his claims 10 the
more solid qualities of sound understanding
we should always be strongly disposed to d,sai-
low According TO the strict letter OF the cons'l-
tuition. each individual peer may be said to be his
own constituency: vet the principle admits OF
some latitude of constructon-for Individually
the whole "popinjay" portion Of society has
found an adequate repre- in Lord Ellen
borough. Ladies are generally remarkable Tor
quick discernment ut character, as lar as II can
be deveinped BY certain accidents OF exterior,
which we ef the more honorable gender either
neg,isently construe or entirely overlook. A tair
politician, rather WhissishIy inclined, is said TO
lave observed, that the sight Of the Noble Baron,
when in Office proceeding at a languid canter
past Whitehall, with the knowledge that such
band box curiosity bad seat in the Cabinet Ut
England, was quite enough To justify Revolu-
ton. Alcibiades docked the tail Of his dog, and
seldom appeared in the streets OF Athens >unac-
conpanied By the said dog, which he did on a
principle Of policy, IN order to set the Athenians
taking about so uni'nportant matter, lest they
might otherwise animadvert npon his conduct IN
affairs Of greater moment. We cannot learn that
the Greek statesman gained any thing 10 pubic
estimation by so unworthy russe; bur certain
we are, that Lord Elenborough's predilect'on
for exhibiting with hair en- papiIofe, whether II
be or be not attributable to similar ethical sPecu-
la,,ons, is injurious to his interests. The Illus
trious cs,sut practitioner, whose bow has been 80
satisfactorily rosined BY Jehn Bull, beats his lord
ship at least four inches, to say nothing of his su-
perior Macassar gloss. Then Paganni palmam
Gui jmernit ferat, say we,and let our toilet Peer
dock HIS curls as closely the tail OF the qua
druped already mentioned, and give out that he
had cherished them hitherto las poor Alderman
Thompson gave his vote on the franchise OF APP
plebyl. entirely through inadvertence.'
Let him also Law aside his graceful blue frock.
forego his Ephramite lisp and all his other thou
sand and one Alterations; and the change, we
can assure him, will prove OF infinite service 10
himself. This, to be sure, will be an anair OF
some difficulty; but he shosld remember how the
unfortunate Damien reconciled himself to hls ap-
proachlng execution: La jo'rnee sera dttfe-
.,ais ellie Sc possera!' 1t is the fashion to talk
of Lord Peterborough in contemptuous terms, as
mere niacompoop, or quarterciff, or what you
will, that implies feebeness Of intellect ana de-
ficiency of talents; but those who so describe him
either mistake his character, or wilfully misre-
present 1t, with as little scruple as they would
undertake to prove
THAT roast. wild Cat is fed lamb,
Tina, Gresham College IS a b diam
if it suited their purpose to reject the negative
Ou the contrary, at the commencement OF his
pubic life, he was cried up by whole host OF
admirers, almost as much a. that very rising
Young man. Mr.. Stanley, has been during the
last two or three sessions, and apparently with
equal reason. In his LordshiP's case, however,
public opinion has undoubtedly undergone
change; and this is partly owing to his own ex;
crtions to attract ridioule by his foppery, and
provoke disgust BY his self-conceit. With h's
affected delivery, he possesses pretty fair com
mand Of language; and, though his mincing Pc
cullariies never permit him to attain the heights
of eloquence, as a debater he is very efficient
auxiliary 10 his party; and not the less SO on &C
count Of the high rank which he evidently oecu-
pies in his own good opinion. II he receives
fall in any of his frequent skirmshes, ten to one
but he alights, like Marks penny,at least upon
one foot: and he Invariably manifests certain
malapert courage which urges him INTO conflicts
where laurels hardly suffice to cover moiety Of
the sears that cut-and thrust rhetoric IS so dex-
ferrous at inflicting. Naturalists tell US that the
sick lion heals himself with the blood of an ape;
,Ae moral is apparently illesible to his LordshiP,
for he has bad gered Brougham in season and out
Of season. with pertinaeity which seems Ike
" to entail retrbution. The Noble and Learn
~, ord 10 not n,rticuiariy addicted to forbear-