Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1846-02-04

den resignation of the Peel Ministry; one Of
the strongest executive governments that
ever swayed its destiny--by the assumption OF
power on the purt of Lord John Russell aud
the principal members of the late Wing cabi'
almost Immediately, by its
alb andonment and by the re installation of
Sir Robert Peel, minus two or three o. he
former colleagues-the whole forming~ the
straDgest anomaly in the punctio of "cabinet'
making" that has occurred in England curing
the present, or indeed, any former generation.
[After ssetching the occurrences down to
the resignation Of the Peel ministry, the
Times continues:
The Queen at this time was staying at the
Isle of Wight. Hither the Ministers had fled
as swiftly as locomotive and marine engines
could carry them, rendered their designations
and merely awaited the appointment of their
successors. The Queen, having an inkling
of her ministers being at SKIES and sevens on
the Corn laws, and apprebending the result,
despatched special messenger to Lord John
Russell, who was staying at Edinburg. On
the night of the receipt Of this royal missive,
Lord John was the inmate of Douglass Ho.
telin "Auid Reekie," quietly reading book
W WllCy ali uuSOuoSlOuo vi ehS oiH LlIy tuut
awaited him. He Immediately left for Lon
don, received the Queens command to form
a government; and collecting together his
colleagues, who met, talked, apd compared
notes, measured the strength Of their oppo>
nents, their own weakness, the Importance Of
the crisis, and the feeling which animated the
people out of doors, Lord John determined to
accept the post of First Minister to the crown
g. the responsib lity of governing the country.
The Cabinet in all its essential features,
was re. hash of the Melbourne Ministry. 1T
was based on the immediate and uncondition-
al repeal of the Corn laws; and in order that
itsmight have the prestige ofthe League, the
Vice Presidency Of the Board of Trade, was
offered to Mr.. Golden and declined by the
man whose tactics called the Ministry into
existence, and who has shown, in pursuit of
the great commercial reformation Of which he
is the apostle, grasp of intellect, frmness
of purpose, quiet, ,suavity of manner, equal
to any emergency, and capable. of ernobliug
any situation.
But while attention was fixed upon the dra-
mats personae; the public were astounded by
learning that the attempt had been made, and
had faled--that the leaders could not agree
amongst themselves, and that all was chaos
once more. 1t subsequently transplred that
Lord Grey had caused the hitch by refusing
TO Join the cabinet if Lord Palmerson held
The seals of the Foreign Office, and the whig
papers were savage with his. lordship for
keeping in the dark his feelings towards the
late Foreign Secretary, until he could strike
him most effectualy. That the blow was
unlocked for In the quarter from which it pro-
ceeded seems undeniable; but that cause in
itself so apparently trifing should have bro
ken up cabinet and produced result so mo-
mentous, shows clear enoughthat the embryo
They must have deeply, hopelessly felt the
Responsibility, the perilousness, nay, hope
Iessness of their task. when the opinion of
pertinent out of existence.
Lord John Russell was held to be a bold
man when hesaccepted Office in the face of
hostile majority in both Parliament; but, hav-
ing consented to do so, so inglorious ter
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
The first message of President Polk to
congress has excited, ss may be readily sup
posed, greater amount of attention in Eng
land than any similar document. from the
American Union has done for years. Public
feeling was directed to the Message long be-
fore it..arrived, its tone, hostile orr otherwise,
formed abundant scope for conjecture in the
press, and even during the exciting time Of
the Ministerial crisis, journalists, overwhelm>
ed with the Importance of our relations with
the United States, stepped aside to discuss the
question, even in the absence ofthe Presidents
views. Well, the Message came to hand in
the ordinary course, by the ship Sea- which
made an excellent passage. 1t was generally
understood, we may state in this place, that
the steamer which left Boston on the: 1st of
December conveyed copy of the message
to Mr.. M'Lane, The American minister, bat
if the fact were SO, care was successfully ia.
ken that neither the spirit or the substance Of
the message transpired.
One cause, perhaps, why the massage
has agreeably disappointed expectations here
is, the well-timed observations in which it in
dulges respecting liberal tariff.