New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-07-23
Londoa Correspondence Of The Irhune-

This is public calamity. 1t will be the occasion
Of profound regret for all Europe America cannot
AVOID taking part in it. You will find in the Lon
don journals, which have been filed with me SUD
iect several days all the details in regard 70 'ne
accident ITSELF to the circumstances which pre-
coded and followed it, aud to the public and private
life Of the great statesman. A cruel accident
which took place in an hour Of leisure and reia1H-
ton, TO one Of the most laborious anu tue nio''
stantly occupied men that ever lived mas naa 'o'
ts effect to destroy one Of the most powerful lhor
vidualities Of the age. The unfortunate Or hooe"
Peel was compelled to endure fevera Gays OF ln'
ce,,snt torture As if to furnish US with one OF It's
,e,rhle sdmouitions, on the fragility and ~retcned
n..s n the greatest and most favored persons,
p,ov;dence ordained that Sir Robert Peel, before
leaving the world, of which he had known all the
sories and tasted oil the satisfaction, should pay
trihute to suffering. This tribute was In proper
ton TO the force and the greatness OF the victim.
The family Of Sir Robert Peel have refused for
him all extraordinary parade and even place in
Westminster Abbey. His remains will be inferred
in the family tomb at Dfayton Manor. Ii the honor
of public funeral has ever been due to any one
the right Of Sir Robert Peel to that distinction can
not be contested, even by bis sdversaries' Inc
House Of Commons suspended its proceedings Oh
the motion of person who was not always iaVo.a'
HE To Sir Robert Peel when living; mean MI
Josanh uume In the House of Lords, the marquis
eran.douyne and in the House OF Commons Lofu
1ohn Russell. rendered an appropriate tribute u
,Lo ,,or rvho had formerly been their adversary
for many years their ally in the defense .. Tue All
roe,cisl polcy instituted by himself and "no anar
. ham IN fha
Nv had lust taken part against lneul ia quo eo
- on yfareien affare. Nothing Is more honoraoie
q, tb Rritish Partial ent than the manner IN wnlcn
I;,;csl opnouepts are accustomed TO DO justice 20
faecb other. and TO preserve all the proPrietles OF
social life in the midst OF the storms Oh deoate, ana
In spite Of the causes Of personal irritation lnsePa
rabe from the strife OF parties. Sir Robert hlmsel
,nust be reckoned in the number of persons who
have best understood and practiced this posses
sion. this moderation OF conduct and oil language,
without which there is nothing but partlsans ana
intrieuers not genuine statesmen. bis laNsP speech
was one of the most remarkable examples Oh tns,
and the more remarkable it related to Lord Pal.
merston, whose character and intentions have been
the object Of the most violent and cslumnous at
tacka In disputing the policy of the Secretary OF
State for Foreign Affairs Sir Robert Peel SAID that
lie was proud in behalf Of bis country OF the talent
and power Of explanation displayed o. Lord Fai,
merston, in defending the conduct whlcd ne had
felt hound TO pursue in behalf OF the interests OF
England and inthe discharge of his public duties.
In the midst OF the expressions OF general mourn
inc Of the enthusiasm of most and the tardy justice
of some human passions have had their place.
Certain reproaches of duplicty, OF selfish inconsst
ency in his opinions, have been brought agelnstSr
Robert Peel. These reproaches refer to his CON
duct on the question Of Catholic Emancipation: AT
first an energetic opponent OF this measure, ne al
forwards became its promoter, or at heart its dc.
fender, during the administration OF the Duke OF
Wellington They relate especially to the course
he nj of the Corn L. when
his party had led the elections in opposition TO TINS
reform and he himself was sustained In power by
! Prote ctionist majority.
In my opinion, there was nothing wiser nor more
honorable in the career Of Sir Robert Peel than his
! conduct on these two questions. Obliged by his
previous course, and by his convictions. TO defend
the institutions and the constitution OF Enga land, It
was not his province TO start and dhuse either the
principle Of liberty Of worship and certain equal
ity Of communons before the law, or the principle
of commercial liberty. Nor was it bis province TO
oppose a blind and Intellectual resistance, when the
movement of interests and the irresistible teHden'
ces Of opinion had brought things to the point where
| it was necessary to make place for oneself on
the mountain wave, or TO be carried away with the
stream. In order TO pass an equitable Judgment
on Slr Robert Peel, we must take into account ms
birth his educ alton, and the circumstances In when
he commenced his public career. l.,
He vas the son o. q manufacturer, VINO hao
grown rich by his industry, and his fortune 1no
made admitted TO the ranks OF an arlstocracy ~
at that time carried on the war 10 oensn IL Of the
Furopesn aristocrscy against the prlnopies ol 'n
| Fre,rh revolution The father oil Sir ROBERT / ee'
had contributed 10000 to the subscription Vi IIe
Enelisb patriots for the expenses OF the ~ar; hs
was present at the debut OF MS son "a VIC r
81 Commons At the time of the Catholic hman
| o;nation Sir Robert Peel represented the ChlVeF'
.;t, az Oxford in Parliament large landed pro
nr;etor he was placed by all his interests on the
tide which was to suffer from the repeal OF the
corn laws o,rr:..-
cost him what might be called, especially at thai
,in,e the most of honor in the House of Commons
THE initiative which he took against the Corn ls'T
was contrary to the interests OF his private fortune
lost him the support of the party, in the midst
which he was born, and had grown up. and at las
necessarily brought the Wings into power, nconse
auepce of his fan as Prime Minister.
The men, who with personal relations like these
4 decide courageously for ideas Of reform anC
a movement have the merit of making sacrifices To-
a their ideas which they should have the credit Of
K whereas the great majority OF the advocates .
< new ideas are men whose interests are In accord
r. ance with them and who find in them the means o
q their own promotion.
IF However, it is not the party of reform which
|. shows any severity toward Sir Robert Peel. II Il
n the vanquished party which persists in holdnl
q him responsible for its defeat 1t is as difficult Z
il obtain justice from the party which one abandons
n sit 10 easy to gain favor from that which ont
joins, whether by the force OF events or the iorc
a of opinions And stin the truth 10, on the thre
n questions, Catholic Emancipation, the Reform Bill
and the repeal Of the Corn Laws Sir Robert Pee
% saved bis party from q certain defeat and secure
y. to it suitable capitulation. And, for example
A. when he transformed the question Of the Corr
~ Laws into an almost complete revision Of tn
az whole tariff, and was the first to mark out the
~ system Of compensation Of taxes and OF equilibrium
40 OF rights into which Mr. D'lsraeh and Lord Star
lev have entered and the contamination and d.
.. velopment Of which constitute the sole practic,
o issue which the science of administration and
policy, as it is now understood, can find, to alt
Il. viate the difficulties arising from the sacrifice
Oh old interests by the policy Of free trade-when