The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1860-01-13
AN OLD PARLIAMENT nAN--LoRD PALM
ERSTON

Come and see Pamerston, the statesman.
That is him; that old gcn,lcmrn in the
middle Of the treasury beach Of the House
of Commons, with lat pulled down tightly
over his eyes, aims across his breast. and
one leg thrown over Is no, he in a cap
ital state Of preservation, with nothing To
hurt him but now and then lwinge of
his cid enemy, the gout--a souvenir Of
jolIier years A wonderful old man, ,rnlv:
still crecte on horseback as ever vonthtu
knight vending his way to lady's bower.
DR.. johnson said Of dancing dogs, The
wonder is not that they dance so well, hut
that they dance at ALL So with Lord Pal,
mcrson, the wonder is, not that he rules
the country so we'll, but that he does il at
all, when most men wouhl be in u state of
idiotic decay. 1t says s"ne:hirg for the
goodness Of his lor'iship's cansti,u'ion-
something for the light character Of his
labors as statesman Of half century,
and something for The Ron,sey air and his
lortlships medical attendants. But mark
he is on his Iegr with all the bris.&nrsS of y
four year old. His 7cr'neSs is quite jurcn-
lie. How neat and effective is his rr.ult
and yet how little there is III i, Disraeli
said Robert Peelc played on the House
like an old fiddle. Palmcrston does the
same. His birth, his office, his expectation
all make him feel a,hone in i;-1 and when
he SIS Gown there is laugh, and the
queslioncr. somehow or other, feels he has
done something very foolish, though he
scarce knows what. Your expectations
are heightened. Very naturally You mag
inc that, as the evening passes on, and the
excitement dcepcns, his lordship, in cor
responding manner, will become earnest
and passionate and overpoweriug. Wait q
little while, and you will find ontsyonr
mistake. There is the same pertness an d
levity :; the same engerness to evade tn,
question by joke: tue sa'ne six iVul dod
ging and the same arlful adaptfon Of iii:
speech, not to the conscience -os.convictions
OF the public, but to the pref udices, and
knowledge and interests Of the House. Nc
one SO disappoints the eager stranger a,
Lord Palner>,on. His hollow, fuehI,
voice his intolerable haw- -hawing-h
: air of hau'eur and tiiprnncy--all combin'
i to dispel the illusion which, in q maune
most wonderful his lordship has contrivet
to gather around his name sFs ;:
Life is q jest, and all things show 'it;s'
thought SO once, and now ], know it, :. :
will be an appropriate epi!aph wberswitl
, to deck the marble monument that til
grateful nation. shall erect when dealt, shal
have torn the willy Premier from The doc
tors care. Lord Palmerston,- with on
, memorable exception, never speaks long
{ he Asdown almost as soon as he.is up h
, seldom rises about the level of-an after din
ner. oratorysapd asyon watch his lorJhi
out Of has olsssat / p: m, a,abssslos
. of de6sis tichs sIas tried hisaoriship'
me'tle and damaged nliYorssof hi
lordship's valet, the stumbling 'ooIJ gentle
@an, leaning on afrien'lly arm, does no
n n seem quite the prodigy in pour eyesswhicl
u the admirably made up n6bleman. did VIII
stepped out Of ."his carriagas just as -yol
reacbeG,W WestminstefHall.
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