The New York herald., 1845-12-08

quent Cabinet Councils in Engtand-Their Rsia-
tion to the Famine and Oregon Qt.estions- What
has been done ?-7he Food Crtsis IN Europe,
and particularly in Lreiand-Ihe Position of TIE
French Cabinst-Ihe Singular Miniaertai Ana-
Logy betpeen England and Francs-Intsresting
Diplomatic Mopements-Ihe Music, the Drama,
the Fine Arts, &c. &c. &c.
There is at this moment striking analogy be-
tween the Cabinet of ST. James and and that OF the
Tuileries.s Both are come almost to apotical dead
lock. Their principal wheels are impelled in con-
trary directions, and the necessary mechanical con-
sequence-the absolute suspension of progress-has
Of course ensued In both, an antagonism has taken
place between the civil and the military elements
In both, the head de facto hssitates to assume that
decision Of conduct which springs from firmness
and cIearness Of purpose, and a consciousness of
support and concurrence from without. The dissen-
sions between Marshals Sout and Bugeaud have
led to the actual resignation Of the war portfolio,
and the profered resignation of the presidency of
the council by the former. M. Guizot, the head de
facto of the cabinet, has thus been involved in cruel
embarrassment He cannot venture to assume his
proper position in the Presidents chair at the Coun
Gil. His colleagues are against such STEP and his
with the constituencies Of the extreme
left forbids it. lie therefore has induced by abso-
lutte suppcatlon, the old Marshal to retain, for the
present, the Presidency Of the Council, but the war
Office is vacated, and great has been the dilemma Of
the Cabinet The post has been offered successvely
to several officers OF high military rank, and success
svely declined. AT LENGTH the youngest of the gene
rails, who previously filled subordinate situation in
the same office has received the portfolio 1t is sel-
dom in the chapter of political accidents that such
windtall descends so Unexpectedly upon a soldier.
Soult. however, Important as he Is to the French
CabineD is immeasureably less influential than the
The Duke IS supported by the prestige of success,
not only military but political He is the idol of the
high arlstocracy. He is the link, and the only one,
which binds the high tory party to the present gov
eminent. Sir Robert Peel Is repudiated by that
party, and trusted by none He holds his position
by singular and fortultous combination OF circum-
stances. He is the mechanical centre of number
of reclprocay repuslve forces, all of which di-
rected against hun, but which he has hitherto had
the dexterity to keep in equilibrium.
At the moment that write, these antagonist forces
are acting with full energy within the Cabinet
The threatened scarcity in England, and the certain
the omnipotent voice Of the people once more
against the corn laws. The plastic Premier, seeing
the shadows which approaching events project, de.
to give way, before the irresistible force of
position Is a cruel one-pledged chin-deep to the
sliding scale, he is still more rrevocably sworn
against the principle of fixed duty. To concede
the latter would utterly sultfy him with the present
would be merely to yield to the lnsuperable emer-
gency, and would, in fact, be no more than pen
dant to his course of conduct on the subject OF
Catholic emancipation.
The Iron Duke and the landed aristocracy, on the
other hand, seem determined to defend their mono
poly to the last and in fighting against the bellies Of
the people, neither to give or to take quarter.
Meanwhile, whatever be the final decision OF the
Cabinet, clouds continue to thicken on every side,
around the nation 1t is now discovered that in
many Of the other countries of Europe, corn is
either actually, or likely to be, dear as in
England. This state OF things will necessarily be
attended by the expectation OF the bonded corn from
England TO the continent. Aye-the expectation
in the face OF our scarcity of food in England, and
the spectacle OF four millions Of famishing people
in Ireland. While the Ministry hesitates, the
ports OF Dantzic, Odessa and the Baltic be fro
zen up.
English politicians have suddenly discovered that
the Oregon question and the corn laws intimate
ly connected The. Oregon war question: say
they, sis popular in America it was favored by
Mr.. Polk in his inaugural address, and is received
with shouts of applause. But by whom Not by
the merchants OF New York and Boston, who drive
SO profitable trade with England Not by the
planters of Virginian tobacco. Net by the cotton
and rice propretors of Carolina and Georgia. Not
by the cultlvators Of Alabama and Louisiana, by
the merchants Of New Orleans. With whom then
is the prospect of an Oregon war popular in Amerl
ca! Why, certainly with the agrlcuturalsts of the
West and Southwest, who have no commercial tic
with Great Britain, and nothing to gain by the main
tenance OF peace, or TO lose by the contingency of
war" But let an Irish famine and an English scar
city annihiate the monopoly of the British land
owners, and establish once and forever free trade
in bread stuffs, and the voters of Ohio, Kentucky
Illinois, Missouri, and the other agricultural and
provision producing States, will send their delegates
Congress, bound hand and foot to maintain peace
at every cost, consistent with the maintenance OF
the national honor. 1t is not distant and worthless
territory that will move them to suspend the tide of
which such course OF events would
produce.
1t is assumed, also, that the importation OF bread
stuffs from the West, which must necessarily fol ow
the abolition OF the corn restrictions IN England,
would be further stimulated by two causes First,
the restrictions the expectation OF corn and other
provisions, which some States OF Europe have alrea
dy established, and which others are likely soon to
adopt; and secondly, the expected notifications of
the American tarlf, thus encouraging the exchange
Of the produce of British industry for the produc-
tions OF the American SOIL
But still the Cabinet OF London hesitates. la
this dead season, when by long established usage,
officials are set loose to wander about the country
and visit here and there-grouse shooting IN one
place, and sharing battue IN another-the whole
Cabinet were summoned to London. The premier,
stretched on the couch in his library in privy-gar-
dens unable to cross tine street to the Treasury, had
tour successive meetings OF the Cabinet summoned
in close concave for five hours And what came
Of this twenty hours grave consultation ?-thesee
during which the people Of England, and
more especially the people OF Ireland, waited in
breathless expectationl Why, these sage council
ors, these "potent, grave and reverend seignors,"
came to the wise resolution to do-nothing :!
The best informed persons behind the scenes OF the
ministerial stage, declare that the differences in
the Cabinet have been irreconcilable that the
premier inclined to an immediate opening OF the
ports, but that the Duke and the more conservative
members steadily and obstinately opposed this. In
The end, the expedlent of all weak and vascillating
councils OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES resolved on. A
further and more extensive inquiry was ordered 10
be made into the result Of the harvests, ano the ac-
lual supply OF provisions, with view to ascertain
whether there be physical possibility for the popu-
ation OF tina great country to sustain life through
The coming season, without supplies from abroad
II that possibility be found TO exist, the agricultural
party will cling to their monopoly, from which they
will not willingly disengage their grasp, unless their
fingers be relaxed by famine.
There is a power, however, which when its voice
goes forth, will speedily make these monoposts
quail. That power once already made Itself felt