The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1865-11-30
LORD PALMERSTON AND EARL
RUSSELL ON THE PRESS.

An EnRllSI WTlteI, TtilluIhluS Oii Tie
different manner in which the two fore
most English statesmen Were accus-
toned to treat the gentlemen OF the
press,n tells the following stories:
"The reporters who went down to
Palmerston's elections at Tiverton al
most always returned with, some story
illustrating his good-humored, pleasant
WAYS. On one occasion, when falmer-
ston, as Foreign Secretary, was address
ing his constituents, a reporter rom the
Morning. Chronicle was the only repre-
sentative of the press present. me
speech contained some rather strong re-
marks upon the French government,
and the reporter took upon himself, at
the conclusion of the address, to ask the
speaker whether he desired those re
marks to be given, or whether they were
not merely designed al cdptdndun, las
it were). Lord PalmerstOn smiled,
thanked the gentleman for his offer, but
declined it, with the remark that w hat
say here / say for everywhere lie
then said, How are you going up? ]
am going To town at once, 10 take part
in the London election The reporter
replied this was in the days of posting1,
If your lorIship will take up my report
and Sc nd it for me to the Morning
Chronicle office in time for publication,
| shall be much obliged. for that will
enable me to proceed west Tie shrewd
Palmerston accepted the commission,
took charge Of the parcel, and delivered
it with exemplary puhctuality.
"On another occasion, when he was
about to speak at the same place, the re-
porters found that, owing to the time
at which the train started, they would
not be able to return to town that night
if he spoke above half an hour. They
accordingly sent deputation, to ask
him whether he could confine his re-
marks to that time. He promised to do
80. He commenced his speech, talked
away as freely AS ever, and as the time
went on, the reporters were not little
afraid that he had forgotten all about his
engagement. But when the end of the
half-hour approached, he rounded off his
observations, and ms he sat down, with
about minute to spare, he leaned over
| to the representatives of the press ana
remarked with u knowing wink and
smile: We'll, have kept my promise,
| have L not %
when he was going down to the
| Tiverton election in 1851, u reporter
| CHANGED to open the carriage in which
|
| the Exeter station. Seeing who were
its occupants he drew back, and was
about to close the door, when the Pre-
mier, who evidently recognised u face not
unknown in the gallery, called him in,
chatted with him all the way to liver
ton, discussed the prospects of the pend
ing election lit was the one which FOL
lowed the dissolution on the China vote
listened to and repeated more than on &c
TO Lady Palmerston the shrewd COM
Inents of the gallery man upon the
men who occupy the floor of the House
of Commons, and freely expressed his
own opinions on his rivals and contem-
poraries.
: "The only anecdote we ever heard,
in which Lord Russell and a newspaper
man figured together, was i'm strong
contrast to those we have just given.
The circumstance occurred during the
city of London eleotian In 1877 At
that time, as may be recollected, the
Times had been very severe i'm its COM
ments on the noble Garland it would
seem that he had made up his mind to
let the editor know how little he cared
for him. Accordingly, after speaking
on the nomination day at the Guildhall,
he sent for the 1imes's reporter to be
present, who was II member of the bar.
In his most frigid manner and most
sneering voice, the noble lord began by
asking the ridiculous question whether
his speech would be reported in the
Times. He was told it would. 'Ah!
he said, l never see the Times now; |
should like to have copy-will you
send me one? The reporter replied
with some warmth that it was his duty
to report meetings, and not to take Or
Il "a nJ.,f
to his lordship.p
Lord Palmerston was a master of
what the Irish call blarney. He was a
skilful politician, and neglected no
chances.