Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1842-05-14
EUROPEAN ArFAiRs.
Prom the LOnSoa Cesrespoaient OF the New wOih
Parliamentary Proceedings.

| The vacation had been used by the opposition
members and the opposition party IN the country,
| to procure popular demonstrations against the pro
| posed measures 81 government, IN regard To the
| Corn Importation Laws aud the Income Tax. The
| ministers, on the contrary, aud the government
| party generally, had given themselves up Ia the
| enjoyment Of the hodays-apparently well salts
fed with their pow eriu ortiles IN both Houses
Of Parliament, and certainly, TO all seeming, quite
| careless aud Indifferent 10 the explosions OF
popular indignation nth which they were threat
| ened. The Premier himself throwing aside the
cares OF Office, went to Brighton, and amidst the
delights OF that most attractive place, and IN the
| bosom of his charming family, seemed the very
mpersonation OF contentmenl and equanimhy.-
Most of his leading colleagues reiterated, IN like
manner, to refresh themselves with the numberless
enjoyments which English country life presents
the delicious after their daily and hourly tolls
OF Office their exhausting and exciting engagements
in Parliament, and after all the stir, the hustle and
dissipation OF metropolitan existence.
Certainly, the proceedings of the first day after
the reassembling of Parliament, showed that any
solciiude on their part would have been entirely
out Of place; for the first Resolution OF Sir Robert
Peel-to establish an Income Tax-was carried
withouta division! and without syllable of dis
cussionll
| went down TO the House, expecting TO see a
great night between the contending parties the
Income Tax, which Lord John Russell declared he
| would resist at every stage. But what an unbusi-
| ness like aspect did the House present. Although
| the attendance more than usually numerous
| not the smallest iaterest apparently taken in
the matters in hand. The members sat loungins
in easy, familiar tooth.piek fashion on the cush-
toned benches: or, clustered together at the bar
chatting and laughing rs If they were ut their clubs,
or IN the saloons OF theatre. And the prircipc OF
the ministerial great hnaueial measure carried,
TO my utter aStonlshment neri con, vet not sub
seHo, for there was plenty OF noise and chauering,
though not word was said against Il.
| The Wings having been sreered at and ritlicucd
by the Tories and strongly censured by the indepen-
dent portion of their own party fora whole week
made an effort to recover their ground on Friday,
April S'h, when Lord John Russell moved $ an a
mcndmcnt series az resolutions IinSt the Income
Tax, concluding with declaration that called
Tor 10y any public necessity, and therefore, no: ad-
vlsah,e. This was ore of the most interesting and
animated debates Ihave ever listened to in Plrlia-
meni. The spetch OF Lord John Russell IN prcpos-
INC his resolutions. wes master piece Of clearness
and force. The oil iections 10 the Tux cannot be
more succinet and vigorously stated
! Lord John IS certainly not an orator; but lie is
| most persPicuous, hucn., and enerSeiis speaker;
aud frequently rises 10 a degree OF animation and
vigor, which, If not eloquent /, the usxt best thing.
lie IS IN N of small stature, aHd altogether bis p
pearance rs, at trs, rather ins gn'ncsn; but you
cannot listen 20 him ten minutes wthoCi finding that
he is no ordinary man. HIS SOLID ard extensive
information; his thorough euduon his literary
lame his debating power; the purity and in;egrI-
~ OF his private life aud his long experience OF
public affairs OF P5rliament busness and tactics
give him high Influence an the Commons, which is
strengthened by his exalted rank as the son Of the
Duke Of Bedford.
! Among those who Supported Lord John was Mr.
Shis the &C ebrated Irish member. saw hn rise
with pleasure for | never heard him speak before,
and his published speeches led me 10 expec, great
deal. lie Is, certainly, splendid rheioriciar. Il
was on the whole, by Tar the most brilliant speech
( OF the whoe SESSION. He SEIZED the attention ri
the hcusc AZ the outset, and he never let them 20
till ne chose TO bring his remarks 10 a conclusion.
! There was nothing dry or tedious from beginning
TO end. Some listened rot only readily, and without
effort but with interest," end frequently with delight.
} lhe Closing passages were wrought up with extra
/ ordinary nhili,y-and yet there was no intrusive
appearance OF elabOratsness. | DO NOT myself
doubt that hey written over and over hut ihey
were delivered with such earnes,ness and spirit and
so entirely with the appearance Of extempora neous
en'slon, that ;hey produced the highest elfecs of
oraiofy Every sentence told and for the last ten
minutes of his speeking the cheat hear" and cheer
lns aitescd the admiration and sympathy of his
auditors az every point. When he sat down the
most enthusiastic cheering arose from TIC opposi ?
benches, LLd was continued for several minutes
Ihen followed the scene OF extraordinary confusion
saw from the department OF the Premier and
several otter ministers that they did not intend TO
allow speech so well calculated to have popular
eftect-groater even than the manifest impression
u produced on the House, GO unansW ered-Lord
otnniey wished 10 reply. HIS blood was evidently
up and nc seemed mortified when Sir Robert gave
HIM the hint IN that decisive manner which the
uinates, To restrain himself. He Sir Robert would
answer the irsh orator. He rose Tor that purpose
AMIDST The eheerings with which Mr. Shiel was
greeted; but he instantly assaed with the most
deaienns camor, mace upof cheering from the on.
position, and crI>e of adjourn adjourn :" and
question! question:" No such noise ever was
heard even in our House OF Representatives in my
umei ana that IS saying great deal. A motion
was made TO aDjourn, before Sir Roberts voice could
6e heard; and the Speaker put the question. Sir
RoOert, however, was so determined that Mr. Shells
speech should not go forth the country unnnswer
ed, mat on the instant he seized the occasion pend
ing the motion for adjournment, to speak on Tho
main question, and 10 20 into all its merits
When he announced this his intention the mos,
strenuous uptoar arose. have seen something like
II in our House of Representatives. during the clos
ing scenes OF our Congress- but, the noise is there
confined TO some twenty OF the younger, more excl
table or more vulgar members; while here the habit
oil crying out az the very top of the voice Shear
hear" adjourn! adjourn :" or "ques,on ~ qucs-
tan :" and OF cheering and counter cheering IS al
most universal. Some of the opposton mennbers
"a Mr. Brotherton, especially, whom the ways call
MIR BOthsr'em-inssted that to speak on the main
question was qulo out OF order. So unuues,iona-
Olyt would be IN our Congress, pending an adj
journment.-But the Speaker decided that Sir Rob.
ert might do so; and after some minutes, during
which nothing could be distinguished among the
mingled cries, order was restored and the Premier
went on. | never knew him more excited or more
ielIetous-although he was occasionally betrayed
for instance, when turning to the leaders Of the on
position, and with Bonded body and pointed finger.
he exclaimed, addressing them directly-"You mi
SCRABBLE hnanciers!" The close Of his Grafton was
very high specially where he repeated that
his Admini.trauon would stand or fall by the In
come Tnx-and where he declared that alt is more
Tor the interest Of the Monarchy-more for the
credit and character Of public men, thnt Ministry
being defeated on great measure, should resign
rather than 20 on, prOuactng miserable existence
without enjoying the confidence Of the country
Some may be for mohaTchical-Others for n repub.
lean form OF govemment-but the worst govern
ment is that which has not strength TO support IL.
SELL or to carry the measures II deems essential 10
the public welfare, and demanded by the exigen
cles OF the times. And II the House is Of opinion
that the measures Of the government ought not to be
adopted, the confidence OF the House and the conn.
try ought 10 be transferred to those able 10
better measures, and maintain the trust Of the peo-
pie"
This is the language OF a Tory Minister bu, Il
IS the bic, the safe, the truly conservative
and az the same time the truly democractic doc .
trInc Of the British Constitution.
On subsequent day, also, he took, occasion 10
declare, m reference TO the proposed alteration of the
Tariff that If he should be defeated he should feel
It his duty 10 resign office, as much as il he were
defeated on the income tlx.
The debate on Lord John Russelis resolutions
was brought 10 a close on Wednesday night
when they were rejected by q majority Of 100: and
e ave was given 10 Sir Robert TO introduce his bin
Tor establishing the aK.-Several clever end spirit
ed speeches were made by Mr. Macaulay and Mr.
NHHN|. 10 eli