Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1846-01-24

posing such change to have taken place,) many
suggestions present themselves for consideration.
In the first place, the change Of the Ministry in
England may suspend negotiation, if negotiation in
any shape be pending. This would be consider
able evil at the present moment, undoubtedly. All
well-wishers of the country must desire that nego-
taton, il not suspended, should GO ON and, if sus-
pended, should be resumed and prosecuted in a
spirit Of peace, justice, and moderation. The new
Ministry, if they should find an appeal to the sense
of the people necessary for confirmation of their
seats, will hardly get through the process Of the
election Of a new Parliament for some months and
they may not incline, perhaps, to proceed with i'm
portant negotiations while their continuance in
power shall be doubtful Something of the same
kind is supposed to have influenced the Wing Min
isy in the last days Of their former possession Of
power
Then, again, the political and even the personal
character of the members Of the new Ministry are
quite important to be considered.
Sir ROBERT PEEL's administration has been emf
nently pacific. 1t has seen how important peace
is TO all English interests and the late Premier has
manifested no ambition TO figure as war Minister.
Lord ABERDEEN, the late Secretary for Foreign
Affairs, is sober-minded, conscientious man, an
enlightened friend Of the peace Of the world and
we have seen his remark in the House of Lords,
lately, that in his opinion it one of the greatest
reflections on human nature that war was some
times UNSUITABLE. And probably even the Duke of
WELLINGTON himself, while he says that " England
must not have any small wars" would not will
lingly bring on great one. He can have no per-
sonal ambition running in that direction, his own
military reputation being completed and round
ed off years ago. As whole, Sir ROBERT PEEL's
Ministry seems to have been emphatically 5usi-
ness Ministry Ministry devoting itself, with in
dusry and intelligence, to the interest of the coun-
try, agricultural, manufacturing, and commercial
and we doubt whether England has seen, for years,
an Administration in which the various classes of
men Of business had more confidence
The newly selected Premier is Lord JOHN Rus
SELL, brother of the Duke of BEDFORD, man Of
education and talent, fayorably known in the House
of Commons, and having held high Office under
Lord MELBoURNEs administration. His greatest
Parliamentary achievement perhaps, was his intro
duction and support Of the Reform Bill in the time
of Lord GAYS ministry. He is said to be per-
Sydney Smith jokes, not deficient in the develop
ment Of the organ of selfesteem. The American
public has had opportunity of seeing his speech
last Spring on the Oregon question; certainly one
of the most plausible if not the strongest exhibit
tons of the British title to part Of that territory.
letter which we have seen from highly respect
able gentleman, a friend of Lord JOHN RUSSELL,
written little more than month ago, says: Lord
JOHN RUSSELL is as righteously disposed to settle
every cause of dispute, and to strengthen every in
terest that can bind two great countries in power
and friendship, as any statesman; and what is far
more than as mere statesman as any honest
man can ever be. The boundary question once
settled, he cannot, he says, any reason, not
even jealousy, to prevent John living on brother
ly terms with Jonathan"
We doubt not that this may be Lord JOINS feel
ing. But then it seems probable that Lord PAL
mERsToN may be Foreign Secretary; he is very
different sort of person, and, judging by his Lord
ships outpouring of wrath upon Lord AsHBURToN
and the treaty of 1912, well from all his COR
respondence, while holding Office heretofore, on
American subjects, one can hardly fail to come to
the conclusion that he is not apersonage either very
pacific and respectful in his feelings towards the
United States, or deeply imbued with that great
practical TRUTH that peace musfbe sought, IF sought
at all, IN the spirit tpeace. Heis man of talent
doubtless, and great experience, accustomed both to
writing and to debate but in both, ne seems to
have something of that temper which, in the Vicar
of Wakefield, is called canankerous - that is, he
seems to mistake, unfrequently, fairness, harsh
ness, reproach, and even abuse, for dignity and
frmness Witness the following ebullition of spleen
towards Lord AsHBURToN, when speaking the
Oregon question last April:
I only say when observations made by persons
who in my opinion have in the discharge Of great and inn
portant public truss-from whatever motive il may have
arisen whether be from natural incapaciy, from opn
IONS speculative opinions inconsistent with the duties they
had perform such persons sacrifice the honor
the of this country will be matter Of entire ndf
ference to me in what such individuals may speak Of
any structures feel my duty to make upon them never
feel any concern if find the opinions Of those persons upon
great political questions, variance with my am sir,
rather inclined think that when they differ from me- is
presumption of my view being the correct one"
We find the following paragraph in the speech of
Lord JOHN RUSSELL, on the same day, and on the
same OCCASION
al do not pretend defne-what belongs to her Mses
tvs advisers to denehe diplomatic proposals which should