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    3- " VV ""' '- 2 T ll B I/teADE ' R. [Sa...

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    THE PARLIAMENT OF THE WEEK. THE MINISTER...

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    Rendered A Respectable Government Imposs...

    j t j . [ The French reall y have made that move in the Mexican province of Sonora wliich w _*» asserted some time back , and half _coriffltedk A Gen _^ il " Raoussel Boulbon , " at the head of eight hundred Frenchmen , has taken the province _df Sonora , and " annexed it to France . " As _Sqjtttra lies contiguous to the _southed houbd _% of Ang _h _* American California , the men of the United States are likely to claim a voice on any question of annexation ,- and we do not know how the JefFersonian doctrine of non-intervention is likely to stand this trying provocation . Indeed , Jefferson himself would have resisted the aggression ; but how ?

    And another advance has be _' en made by the French , ' who have taken possession of Samana , in Dominica , a post commanding the passage of Mola , one of the keys of the West Indies . Truly the doctrine of non-intervention is tested rather severely just now ! California has been visited by three assaults of her worst enemy — fire ; Maryville has been ravaged ; San Francisco has suffered severely , though saved by its fire-proof buildings ; but Sacramento has been destroyed—again to rise in a few days , and recommence business . The chapter of calamities at home is gloomier than usual . A tempest of wind swept over the whole of the British Isles on Saturday and Sunday . Every inland town has its story of uprooted trees and scattered roofs and chimneys to mark the force of the gale . Every seaport has been the scene of wrecks , in some cases with the loss of life . On the North-Western Railway last week , there were four accidents in forty-eight hours ; two happening to one train between Derby and London ! Mr . Bower , who stabbed Mr . Saville Morton , in September , has been acquitted by the Paris Court of Assize ; bearing out the anticipation that a French jury would not convict a husband for the impulsive homicide of his wife ' s seducer , though himself confessedly taking licence in bis own conduct !

    3- " Vv ""' '- 2 T Ll B I/Teade ' R. [Sa...

    3- " _" _"' ' _- 2 T ll B _I / teADE _' R . [ Saturday ,

    The Parliament Of The Week. The Minister...

    THE PARLIAMENT OF THE WEEK . THE MINISTERIAL PROGEAMME . Fairly installed in office , in one week , the House of Lords met on Monday to hear from the new Premier a statement of his intentions . There was rather a scanty attendance of peers ; but large numbers of Commoners occupied all the places available ; and many ladies were in the siele ; galleries . The Earl of Aberdeen , the Marquis of Lansdowne , the Earl of Clarendon , the Duke of Newcastle , Earl Granville , the Earl eif St . Germans , and Lorel Crsinworth , occupied the front Ministerial bench . The Earl of Derby , the Earl of Lonsdale , the Earl of Malmesbury , Lord Colchester , anel other members eif the late Government , sat on the ; leiWer Opp osition bench . Lorel Aberdeen spoke shortly alter 5 o ' clock as follows : of the

    " My lorels , before moving tho ailjeiurnrnemt House * , it is my eluty , as it is my desire ' , to give ; lei your lordships the _requisite inlnrrnatiein _respecting the recent const _rueitiem of her _Majesty's Ministry , anel tei indicatc , although very briefly , thei principle's which will occupy our attentiem , nnel thei _fremcritl policy whieh we ; propose to pursue . My _lorefs , 1 believes it bus be ' ein usual lor many who have ! been plae ; cel in the _situufiein in whie-h 1 netw have ; tho honour to stand , tee profess the _elifliele'rie-e and reluctance with _whieih the ; y have ; undertaken tho task imposcel upon them . I _eleiubf _neil . the ; y havo elone see in _pe'rfe-et 1 ruth anel _aineerity ; but , if this has beiein the _e-asei with eel hers , your lor ( lshi ]) s may easily imagine heiw much more largely I must share in thoso feedings . Your lordships must ho aware that I have ; taken hut little pari , in the ; _proeieeelings of this House ., _except em _sne-h occasions as when they havo been _neeieissarily connected with the _department in which I have hael the ; honour to hold _oflieiei ; anel your _lorelships may readily Iieliovo that my taste's , habits , anel pursuits have laid in another way . _Arrived at the very verge of that period which has been assigned to human life , it might Boein that other eluties , either tasks , and othe ; r oceupal _ie > ns might , more ; naturally , have _lieon my choice- _Neive'i-fheloss , 1 have ; fell , it to be ; iuy eluty to eiboy the cornrriaiidH of her ' _Mttjosty . My lords , _besfore ; 1 describe _preiceoelings which huy <; recentl y taken _plaeiei , T wish te > advert to a circuinfltunco which I _utieletrstoeid occurred a few ( lays ago in thia House ; , _wWii the noble ; e ; arl eippeisite , at a ' timo ne > t altof ; ethe ; r iimmi , _iM-cusod me ; anel thoso who _uotoel with mo eif laving ( Milored " _... _( , „ a .. peeiios eif _comhinatiein or eonspiraoy to overthrow _liis _tl _MvemnK'nt . My lords , I believe that / _acciijaation was _nnnweir _^ i a | , _Uiei _i , j ,,, ' _J _, y my noble friend , x uoblo duke ; _neiar me ; ; i . » Ve ; rthele _; ss , I wish to ndel that my _nhare ; in _Hiie ; h a conspiracy -waa not for the purpose of ejecting thei neible _; _eiurl freim e ) llie ; e ; , but . for the purpose <> f

    keeping him in- _Office . When it appeared from the equivocal . and _arffiW _^ fuous paragraph ki her Majesty ' s _speeitf _Ifeat it _wifct _adispeitilbly _neceTarttfy that some _resdhitior _ikjhld be ritotred—sdirife _declaration shotiid be made bf the ; _Advantages <* f Free 4 rade—my db & f ahxiety was that th « _fefms of thftt _resolution should be _stich as that noble lords tttid their colleagues Might accept it withottt doing violence fc their owii _tfeeltttrfSj _attd thatitigigiitbe _consistent With the policy they metujif to pursue . Tfiose terms were fraftle'd and adopted , and singularly enough they had the effect intended by those who prepared them , namely , that of enabling noble lords to retain the offices they held , and , in fact , enabling them , to do so by the . assistance and votes of the very conspirators themselves . My lords , if any further evidence were required of the nature of this conspiracy , I have to state that , precisely at that time , I hael myself taken measures to engage a residence at Nice , with a firm determination of passing the few winter months on the shores of the Mediterranean . So much for the conspiracy . My lords , on Saturday week I received—after the vote of the previous Thursday night in the Etouse of Commons , and the resignation of the ildble lord and his colleagues—I received on Saturday week a message from the Queen desiring my attendance at the Isle of Wight , and informing me , at the same time , that her Majesty had been pleased to summon my noble friend the noble marquis near me

    ( the Marquis of Lansdowne ) , to attend at the same time . On communicating with my noble friend , I found that , from indisposition , he was unable at that time to leave hi 3 house . I therefore thought it incumbent on me to wait her Majesty ' s farther direction . I received this on the following day ; and , my lords , I confess it appeared to me that the time had arrived when it was possible for men whose political differences the course of events , and recent legislation , had _almost , if not altogether effaced , and whose personal respect and friendship had never been interrupted —( hear , hear)—I say I thought the time had come when it was possible for such persons to act together in the public service . ( Hear , hear . ) I _thought that- _ the _ piiblic—that the country—was tired of distinctions without meaning , and which had no real effect on the conduct and principles of public men . ( Hear , hear , ) My lords , it appeared to me that if my noble friend the member for the City of London should entertain the same views and feelings , I _inight attempt to undertake the task which I now have undertaken , but without his aid I should in vain have attempted it . I had neither the youth , the strength , nor the ability sufficient for the task , without his assistance ; but having had an interview with my noble friend the day before I went to the Isle of Wight , I ascertained that his sentiments were entirely in accordance with my own ; and I therefore had no difficulty in assuring her Majesty that I would endeavour to fulfil the task which she had been pleased to impose upon me . My lords , on my return from the Isle of Wight , I lost no time in endeavouring to fulfil the injunctions of her Majesty ; and I do not say that this task was attended with no difficulty , hut this I will say , that I found in every quarter the greatest desire to lay aside all personal views and objects , and cordiall y to unite , as far as possible , in the promotion of that anxious desire which we believed to be shared in by the country . ( Hear , hear . ) My lords , in the course of the week I succeeded in

    preparing a list for her Majesty ' s approval—a list which was fortunate enough , to receive the approbation of her Majesty , and whieh now stands for the judgment of the country . ( Hear . ) The noble lord opposite stated that ho thought I might have done this in twenty-four hours , but I can assure him that I found it could not be so quickly and easily accomplished . ( Hear , hear . ) Proceeding , very brielly , to touch on the different political points connecteel with the object and policy of her Majesty's Ministers , I need not detain your lordHhips at any length upem tho nature of our relations with foreign powers . The truth is , that feir the last thirty years the principles of tho foreign peiliey of this exmntry have never varied . There may havo been differences in its execution , _according tei the elifferent hands entrusted with the direction of that poliey ; but the foundation of the foreign _polieiy of this country tor tho last thirty years has been the same—it has been the respect duo to all independent states—a desire to abstain as much as possible from the internal affairs of other countries—an assertion of our own heinour nnel interests—and , _nbeive ; all , an earnest _elesiro tei Boeure the general peace of _Kuropo by all such means as wo have ; in our power . ( Hear . ) 1 do not say that differences may neit havo existed , or that sympathy may not have ; been excited em bohalf * eif certain _stateis in their oneleaveiur te > promote ; constitutional reforms , and ceinstitutieinal government ; but the principle eif our peilicy has always been tei respect the ; entire _inelependonco of either states , great or small , anel not tei interfere with their internal affairs . This I trust will be still the ; case , anel that we ; shall retain tho friendship anel deserve ; thei geioel will of all countries of every eleseription , _wlmteiver may be the ; natures of their government or const . ituliem . ( Hear . ) Anel if ever it should be ; the fate eif this country

    to bo calleel upem to interfere in any _matteirs eif feire ; ign states , my earnest ele ; sire ; and greiat hope is that , we ; shall newer be eialleid upon to act _oxe-opt tei _eixeireiiHe the ; blessed _eiflieie _; of peace makers . ( Hear . ) Hut , my lords , earnest ly as I desire to see ; a continuance ! eif _peiaeo , and anxious us I am to promote peace _t , at , tho same ; time , I am b y no means elispe _>» e ; el to relax in those elefensivo _preparations wliich have been recently undertaken , and which perhaps , hael been teiei long _ele ; _lnyeul --not that _thi'se ; preparations _inelieiato Any expectation of tho liece > ssit , y of arming in heistile array ; on the ; contrary , they are ; _ceinelucteiel in thc interest of peace itself ; anel as these preparations are _essentially defensive , they ought neit anel cannot give ; umbrage tei any foreign power whatever . My lorels , the ; great object eif heir Majesty ' s present Uovoriiniont , the gre'iit _e-hiirue'teiristic of this ( iovorniiient in the mission with which they are _pei-• ouliarly ( intrusted , is the _muintenai . _i'c and the priielcnt extension of . Krexi-trudo , and the _ceimmetrcial anel financial _nystem _establislicel by the l ate Hir itobert |» _» , <; l . 1 elo not enter into liny _eliscuHBiem of Hie respective merits of direct or indirect taxation . The union of both 1 believe to be /

    indispensable , ho _^ ef er they may be varied iii their appli . cation , for the _pftispetfrj' of the country . With a revenue such as _ourd bbth modes of taxation are indispensable , and it is to the just distribution and application of these principles tnat _wetkrb to look for the prosperity of the country . A finaricial crisis trill probably—I may almost say , neces-Barily—arise _hf this early cessation of a large _branph of our revende . It is the . first object for which we should provide .. It must be met , and doubtless it will tax the ingenuity arid ability of all those concerned in this under- " taking to accomplish that great work _accbrding to the principles of justice and equity . My lords , there is another matter to which I may refer , in which the country is deepl y interested , and on which a general expectation exists—the extension of national education . This has become a want —a want which the country strongly desires to see supplied , and which has engrossed the attention of all who have undertaken the direction of public affairs . I am old enough to remember the introduction into this country of the Bell and Lancaster system of education , and I well remember the apprehensions it excited , the opposition it met with ; but , by degrees , the only difference now amongst us is , not whether or no education should be general and universal , but the mode in which it can best be carried into effect . I admit that the subject is full of difficulties , and attended with many great obstacles . It is undoubtedl y toy

    great desire , recognising , as I do , the vital _importance of the religious element in alf education , to see the due influence of the church exercised in a manner consistently with that perfect right of freedom of opinion which all ihen are entitled to expect in such matters in this country , and which it has long been our pride to _dcknowledge . My lords , another want which I may say the people have now been demanding for some time , has been the progress of those law reforms which , introduced by Her Majesty ' s late government , have been taken up by the noble and learned lord upon the woolsack , and prosecuted with so much vigour and ability arid judgment in his hands . These _^ reforms must still be continued , and no doubt they will meet with the concurrence of yourlordships , and will finally tend to the satisfaction of the public . My lords , by the extension of education , and by the progress of law reform , I trust that the social condition of the country will be materially" improved ; and that , by the progress whieh it will be our endeavour to make in all matters for tbe welfare and happiness of the country—by cautious and steady progress m this direction—that both _intellectually and _materially the condition of the people may bo advanced . My lords , these reforms will not exclude an amendment of our representative system—an amendment not rashly , nor hastily taken ; but safe , well considered , and efficient . My lords , it can scarcely be denied that some amendment of this system is required , and unquestionably the events of the last election have not been such as to render any one more enamoured of the system which actually exists . ( Hear , hear . ) My lords , the noblo earl on the occasion to which I have alluded referred to the existence of a Conservative government , and expressed some surprise and curiosity as to how I should be enabled to carry on the service of ' her Majesty , surrounded by those persons with whom I was likely to be associated . Now , my lords , I readily declare to tho noble earl that in my opinion no government in this country is now possible except a

    Conservative government ; and I add another declaration , which I tako as indubitably truo , that no government is possible in this country except a Liberal government . The truth is these terms have no definite meaning . ( Hear , hear . ) I never should have thought of approaching my noble friend the member for tho City of London ( Lorel John Itusscll ) unless I had felt he was a Conservative , and I am sure he woulel never have associateel himself with me unb _*! he thought I hael been a Liberal . My lords , these to « as _* t may be convenient to keep up for the ; purposes ° f P arty factiem —( Hear , hoar)—but tho country is _-fck of those _elistinctiems which have no real meaning , anel which provent men from acting together who » ro able to perform _geieiel service to the creiwn anel the people . Therefore , my lorels , I trust , that in every just « mso and in the reputation of the world , whatever the measures proposed by her Majesty ' s _preisemt government may be ; , they will be Conservative measure's as well as Liberal measures , for , my lorels , I consider both to be indispensablyneie ; _eissary to _theceiuntl-y . The noblo lorel ( tho Enrl eif Derby ) also referred to the dangers and tho _nejceissity of _resisting the _encroaeihuie'nts of democracy . Now , my lorels , T am quito ready tei unite ; in resisting the _oncroachmniits eif democracy or any other encroachments , but 1 am at a hiss to see where these encroachments exist , and I loeik in vain for any such indication at tho present moment . I . shoulel say , on the contrary , that I never rccolleieit this country more tranquil , meire _eiontonteel , less abeiuneliiig in _suhjeie-ts of danger anel a _^ urm , than at tho present time ; and this prosperity , _thid contentment , and this happiness 1 believe to be mainly owing to tho system of Hir Robert l _' eied , whie ; h it is our business to uphold . No doubt , _speculative ; men , anil thoughtful men , have at all conclu

    times in this eiountry , in their _eiloseits , ceime tei the - sion that thei democratic form eif government may bo _preferable to the meiniircliicul ; but . these are not the men to _overthrow states , and are _theireilbre not tei be feared in a _statei eif soeiieit y likei eiurs . There must also always _lx > mein reckless anel violent , unprincipled and reaely for liny excess anil eiutruge , it is true ; but , at the same ) time , 1 repeat that , there is less le _^ _seni tei entertain _sue-h _approhoiiHiotiH nt the' present _mouuint than I _eveir recollect in tho ceiur _" of my life . ( Hear , hear . ) I have great , ceftifidnncn in Oie > . people ; of this country— - ( hear , hear )—and 1 _elei _beiliovo that the iinpulafiem , and evein the existence of alarm , at t ' moment is almost a libel em the people of England . ( H < _W » hear . ) My _leirels , J regret to havei been informed tMfc '' _l' " noble earl ( the Earl of Derby ) expressed himself 111 tones which indicafeiel hostility to heir _Majeisfy's _preiflertt government . I regret it ; deeply , because ) * ! Weill k _^> w the vast [ lowers eif the iiobhi carl . ' I um well uwur « of nil thrtt he is able to elei ; but 1 believe and trust that , if it can eirily be made truly manifest that wo _nr « sincerely animated by a real desire to promote tho welfare ot tha _greAt hody

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), Jan. 1, 1853, page 2, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_01011853/page/2/