The southern press., 1851-04-01

leading article upon the South Caroina con-
sulate negotiation, upon which you have a.
ready and ably Expressed your views The ar
ticle is well written and moderately fair, re-.
capitulating the events which brought about so
singular an action on the part of the British go
vernmsnt, and throwing the whole blame Of the
affair upon Mr.. Clayton. who, F" in acknowledge
ing the violation Of the treaty in the mprison-
ment Of Isaac Bowers, charged the consequences
upon the peculiar character Of the federation,
which RENTED to each constituent State GER
ltan private sovereignty, in virtue whereof the
law in question (meaning the municipal law of
Charlsston) had been passed" The 149ssaes
seems to doubt whether the Hply was made by
Mr.. Clayton in good faith, or 10 get rid OF diff
6cuIt question, but still throws upon him the
Iaprge Of virtually referring Great Britain to
South Carolina.
The weather here is like your May or last OF
April. The grass is of the greenest color, the
buds swelling into leaves. the warmth Of mid
day uncomfortable, and our tables are covered
with early garden products. 1t is said that Lon
don is for once sprllci, : up in exterior looks
thousands of houses undergoing process of
painting. The city will be full of people to
overfowng before the expiration of another
month They look for ten thousand Americans
to come to the show Punch caricatures our
ra,o material at the Fair by the picture Of slave
driver using his lash upon negro's back. One
cannot complain of being too partially treated
in this, when upon the very next page, Lord
John Russell is represented as summoning his
supporters to a vote upon some test question,
in the attitude and dress of vcxcd End thwarted
mcnagere master. His moro impetuous sup
porters will not be restrained from pursuing their
own hobbies, and his more quiet ones will not
| q. klx.s. -ck
His wild elephants and his tame ones are equally
unmanageabIe. Meanwhile the crisis calls out
the private enterprise Of his subordnates in the
show-each petty aspirant for power cracking
his whip without fear of being rolled in the dust,
even should he cross the path of SO feeble q
ministry.
Without pretending to even tyro's know-
edge of British politics, tits yet very evident to
me, that while the present ministry have office,
they have not gopernment The legislature has
no confidence in the ministry, corresponding to
that of the crown. Sometimes vote after vote
will be taken in Parliament, with scarcely even
anything to call for division, looking like the
excess of ministerial power; and then, ufepn
some old test question started by an iDdepend-
ent reformer, the views of the government
seem at the mercy Of any one bold enough to
grasp them The real truth is, that the cabinet
is in want of party. Any one familiar with
New York or Massachusetts State politics for
the last two years, with the extreme Union
opinions on one side, extreme abolitionism on
the other side, and the thousand grades of opin-
ion between the two, will not find it difficult to
understand thinus in England. "Protection-
ists," g Peelitcs," 8 Reformers," Wings" and
"liberal Tories" divide the country and break up
all old party lines Though greatly deprecated
by all judicious men, things seem to be driving
toward dissolution of Parliament and new
election. This may possibly not be, and yet
the present condition of the ministry protracted
through many weeks would certainly bring it to
pass. ID.