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    not been Irish enough in his votes , haying opposed the Maynooth grant , and supported Lord John , who now ranks with Cromwell and Gastlereagh in Irish abhorrence . M » $ & $ & » ¥ ™ s 0 northward in search of a seat . x ^ The conversion of the French 5 per ^ pnts > which took the petits rentiers by storm a few "days since , was one of those measures which ^ a ^ bi&P predicted

    andannounced , but contradicted over find over again bv the Moniteur , so long as its disclosure was inconvenient . The pros and the cons of a measure involving so many public points of policy , and so large a field of private interests , are not easily to be stated : it is not easy to assent to the sweeping opposition of the DSbats , nor is jt possible to concur with the more sweeping approbation of the Constitutionnel . A measure that makes so serious

    an inroad on the hard savings of small tradesmen , and even of the working classes ( many of whom were , in ' 48 , compelled to accept rentes f 6 T a reimbursement of their sayings banks deposits , ) and that strikes at the resources of so many charitable institutions , must needs arouse ft tempest of complaints , and what is more formidable , a deep and sullen undercurrent of distrust and discontent . But does it relieve the finances of the State ? if

    so , the operation , in itself , is certainly not , whatever the Dtbats may say , illegal or unjust : it is not even unusual , as we know in England ; but in France the holders of the Five per Cents , maintain that there was an implied engagement ever since ' 97 , never to reduce these securities : still , if it relieves the State ? But to what exten £ ? to little more thanjhalf a million sterling— - to little more than will pay the self-appointed Civil List of the dictator !

    This measure , then , will unsettle and disturb still more the finances of the country , paralyze the confidence of fundholders , and not be atoned for ( as appears by-the estimates just decreed ) by reduced expenditure . The military and naval estimates are increased ; so are the . " extraordinary works : " and the difference presented in these estimates in favour of the receipts is , we need scarcely say " cooked , " as our correspondent informed us weeks ago it would be , by important " omissions . " Reduced taxation is rendered daily more impossible .

    The triumphant election of Cafftot by a second majority of more than 3000 is an unmistakable protest . Rumours are rife , as usual , of the coming Empire ? What matters it ? Louis Bonaparte will have his day : but like Balzac ' s Peau de Chagrin , it shrinks even with every fresh gratification—nay , with every new lust , of his disordered ambition . The clergy seem to be half afraid of taking their share of the prey . The game is in their hands , and they are afraid to play it out . They know that in France no power is so ephemeral as theirs . The Revolution of February

    respected the Church : the Church betrayed the Revolution . The lesson is not lost . The young Emperor of Austria has been playing the sailor on the Adriatic . It is amusing to here of this modern Canute , that he astonished all the sailors by remaining quite " calm affirm" up on the deck in a gale of wind , and was not at all

    seasick . Verily , a " divmitydpth hedge" your Kaiser , and supplies him with sfjpBgs and a sea-stomach The downfall of RosS ; the dictator of the Argentine Republic , was brought about by the fleet , army , and money of Brazil . The River Plate q uestion , which for fifteen years has baffled the diplomacy , and cv , cn the arms , of England , has now been settled—at least , seriously

    modifiedwithout pur interference , it may be , against our interests ^ Certainly puv influence cannot be very great there at present , for the past policy of Palmerston in that remote region was even more feverishly ambiguous than his European exploits ^ The whole affair was , from first tp last , an almost insoluble mystification , but the Argentine Republic ( the last to be consulted ) will hardly regret Rosas , whatever may be its welcome to . Unjuiza . A seqond Burmese wax appear ? almost

    inevitable . The first jjjfe , ^^ for three years , ^ t many millions sterling , and | he lives of many thousand bra ^ e men . If tb ^ KOfttiuuanpp of pfftpe tlepend # d _ enjirely on ^ | p » Indian GcJVe ^ nmeiit > we shoifft | : 'haye nb dottbt" of their decisje ^ . Ityt an airo ^^ t O |^ i ^ 4 P ^/ s ^ ounde ^ tf y wqjft £ n and fl ^^ rers ^ | jas an equal l ^ cV in th ^ Jnajte ^ and an ^ ^ m ^| bn puR pa ^ to avoid war wpuldbe construed by- the Burmese Cabinet into pusillanimiiy . The close of the Kaffir war is announced ; but

    so positive an announcement is somewhat like " hallooing before you are out of the wood / ' Sir Harry Smith has had a signal success . He had attacked the Kaffirs , it may be said , in their home ---in the part whither they had taken their women and cattle ; he had made a great capture of cattle ; and the Kaffirs seemed to be crushed .

    But a second expedition was necessary , and of that we dp not yet know the result . Enough had teen done * liowever , to shame Lord : Qrey ' s heartless scolding of the old soldier for inefficiency . We cordially hope that Sir Harry may return to England with the dagger-wounds of Downing Street covered by fresh laurels , green as the rnempry of Aliwal and the Peninsula .

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    HISTORY OF PABLIAMENT . MINISTERIAL EXPLANATIONS . Theee was a numerous attendance in both Houses , on the 15 th , and Ministers were engaged in their first contest witU the CtopoBitipn > This makes Monday a , night remarkable in the annals of Parliament , and affprds anew starting-point in thei strife df parties and principles . "We take the House of Lords first s because the debate was more compact , and the opposition less various and comprehensive ; hut still it was sufficiently so to show Ministers that they will ^ aye to face , even in that mild region , d etermined and hpstile antagonists . Lord Beaumont was selected as the catechist of Lord Derby . In order that he might place himself within the rules of the House , and enable their lordships to join in a debate , he presented a petition from certain person ? , owners and occupiers of land , in Yorkr shire , who prayed that they might be relieved from the existing ' uncertainty as to the intentions of Ministers regarding the re-imposition of a tax on corn ; and

    he asked whether Ministers intended , as soon as a new Parliament assembled , to recommend to Parliament ah alteration of the present policy , with respect to the importation of foreign com . His lordship occupied above an hour in putting this question in a dry , uninteresting speech , the . main points of which were that great uncertainty and great alarm prevailed as to the intentions of ministers , and that it waa impossible to discover , from their election speeches , what policy they

    really intended to pursue , Lord Derby ' s reply amounted to a virtual abandonment of protection , and , as will be seen , to a shifting of the ground of antagonism between Wmself and the late government from protection to parliamentary reform . At the outset qf his speech , he ridiculed the pomposity of Lord Beaumont ' s address , made merry with the insignificance of the petitioners , and said he looked in vain for the alarm and uncertainty which were said to prevail in the country .

    How could the mere categorical declaration of the intentions of government respecting the imposition of a few shillings , more or loss on corn , affect the relation between landlord and tenant , the amount of rent , and the covenants concerning land P To say that it would , was to depreciate the v ^ we of the fina } settlement of the question But supposing that a small duty woro "imposed , ho would not contend about the amount , whether it wore 4 a . or 6 s . or 7 s . a quarter , he would assort that a wry small augmentation of tho price would ensue ; and woidd any one tell him that the question , as to whether that small duty would bo imposed some sir or eight months hence , would have the offopt of introducing the smallest amount rtp ««« nnnM ^ nitifw na c % 4 V * % j * i-lv \ n > 4 liA val n fi nna li / itiir / mvfc ln * wllnv * sl Ul ¥ vu % j yuuif ^ uu

    LIUwUA I'ftljIAti 4 * 0 ^ t 4 * vi > v **« J 5 ^ v ^ mvAuua « f »*^ v ^ l + and tenant , with regard to the permanent cultivation of the land t- ( 3 till , ho ftjgreod ., with Lord Beaumont , that thja was a quoetion winch ought notj to bp allowed to remain any Imeer in abeyance than possible . ( Cheers from both sides of tho House . } But , as to the question of uncertainty—why , my lords , there is a largo party in the country , well known ,, who have declared m the most ) emphatic terms , that not till next election shall that uncor ? tainty be removed } that by the next election the question must be definitively BotWed » and to that , election , thorefore | t ; hey on their « wn part ponfldpnfc in fchq strength of then ? pwn pause , will be ready to appeal , an , d to submit if tiio aetnae of the country should be pronounced against them . $ ufc then ho' contended tha , t the fall of the )* to Mlnutaf had shortened tho perip ^ «{ « u > ppnae ; and , after again afeerting thftt tho appeal ougty to'bo mi ^ a rs , soon

    asthe e * eat ; f 4 &jy ^ ' % * J *™^ Wd permit hi ? made ajfofp ? an | f Pa ' 'emphatic declaration : — ' ¦ e cb ^ enge npJH ]| Mt ^ ^ which I . may be subjected no nlp ^ rtnlcatio ^;^ may be exposed / shall induce toe to re ^ co ^ iafnd to toy Sovereign that that disso jrution of Parlianjpnt j ^^ however anxious I may be for a ! S | eeision ^ 8 haU t ^ k » ' ^ lfUJe one hour sooner than those ereat j | nd paramount int ^ e ^ ts render necessary . , ( Cheers V ' ?? ^ e ej ( itrea ^^ h | S ¥ lprdsh ^ s to consider the ' circum ^ fanc ^ unjttef whicli he and his party had "' assumed " office . » 0 t by ^ y aaver ^ e motion Qf theirs had the late government fallen . JToble lords opposite would not

    venture to saythat ffysy had been encountered ^^ bya . " factious opposition , " or by ft . "idfesU-e to eject them from office " No j they fell from tlieir " internal weakness , " their "noloribufl inability to conduct business , " the " absence of their friends , " the quarrels of their colleagues . " The division on the Militia . Bill could not have been the real cause ; perhaps the potJle earl who was taking notes ( Earl ® rey ) knew tae real cause . But when that hostile division took placed Lord Jolm Kussell had consulted his colleagues as to whether they Should resign or dissolve Parliament and they had cbnie to the conclusion that a dissolution would be " inexpedient . " " Inexpedient to whom ? Inexpedient for the noble lord

    and his colleagues , cw inexpedient ior Oie interests of the country ? I will not impute such an unwprth y uabtiye to the noble lord as to suppose that it was for the convenience or advantage of himself and his colleagues that he so concluded . I must consider that both he and his colleagues had come to the conclusion that a dissolution of Parliament at the present tirie , whatever results it might have upon the future constitution of parties , was not expedient , but that it would be ^ dangerous to the interests of the country . I ask , then , my lords , with what face can any man , or any body of men , who have declared that a dissolution was inexpedient—who * have declared that they were imable themselves to conduct a government—who had advised the Crown , to ee ^ d for me fo undertake the duty

    and responsibility of Prime Minister to ^ the country—I ask , with what face or with what pretext can ' any one of those men , or any bqdy of those trien , call for a premature dissolution of Parliament which they themselves condemned , or seek to » emb ^ raaps thai Government which , if they sup 6 rgederan ^ 'destr 6 jy , Ithe ^ know they liave not the means of succeeding , or of erecting another in its place !" jgut Lord Beaumont said he ought either to state in plant terms thafc hie- would support the present commercial policy , or that he . Wfluld apt , ' aild if not , whjifc course he ^ tended tp _ pursue . That was not the h > e of conduct followed by Lord Johii ^ Bussell in 1846 , who , wheii Mr . Duncombe [ who , Lord Derby said , erroneously , was now supporting Lord Joha Russell , ] asked his Iprdehip ; . tp state

    the principles on which he intended to construct Jus government , denied both the right of Parh' anxmt to ask and the duty of Government to answer such questions . That was the doctrine laid doyrp . by Lprd John ^ Bussell m 1846 ; in that dpctrine the Opposition ef that day a . cquiesced , and had allowed Lord JohnJttusselL who hadf taken power ni the middle of tho aession , to carry on the Government " withoutvexatiousoppositipn * " . , _ , _ . , « T « My lords , " dramatically exclaimed Lord Derby , I ask no more . ( Loud cheers . ) I ask for justice , not to me or to my colleagues , but tp the great "interests of our com , mon country . ( Cheers . ) I a ^| not to be interrupted m making the usual financial arrangements . ^ I ask not to oe inJit state ot or «

    interrnpted in placing this country * . ga nizatioj and defence in the event cf foreign invasion . ( Cheers . ) I ask you not to interrupt the course of aU pubUc and private bufliness . I ask you not to ^ terfere with those useful reforms which have been ^ chalked out ly recommendations , given , no doubt , under % f ° ™ ™ T ™ l ment , but on whicfi the heart and mmd ^ of the people are set . ' i ask not , " he began- " but" further argument wa unnecessary . The ndvocates of a absolution J , ad no ; rea sons fpr requiring iff and if ^ ot , ^ her « wasiho ^ g p ^^ d ^^ a ^ ^ a ^ / Iaa ^ J « « f .-aIiaVtSriAtMt oii : " that the unWrtflmtywno hanu 8

    more than befoi © the Cfevernment changed , v ( i •? the ^^ present ParUawent . cwno * be Pf PWto ^ Sed--Thcnfin the highly melodramatic tone , ^ JJgJXin-« But if a businesa ' oflhe country ifl to be factious j ^ terrupted- ( m this house I J ^^ Jto £ S « be jnr hope better counsela wiUm ^ J)— £ nf t K , wh « tterrupted » whatever may be the merits ^ .. ^ Qatnent over tho judgment which on abstract' <{* *™™ . * temV t \ on may be pV ^ IP ^^ 7 = ?^ to necessary measures , \ l&p mte P ercnC 0 ^ Vhn business "' of a GovornmenTpndoavouring to carry . oh ta « »"" ont the country m the absenco of any o ^ «^ w ill bo which by possibility could conduct P ^ U ? JP"Tho heads

    visitod-i ^ nd visited iustly-by the ; « WV . ™ 1 ) of those who have so Interfered » ( Loijd cheers . ; ^ And in vindication of hia ftsaertion . «"»* t J 2 L to tb « t alarm , nq uncertainty he ppia Mf . ^ S puflie K ' " accurate barometer of p ^ ho fo cling—tneinH' d t 0 th 0 ^ he question was not and could not . bo ^"" 8 ia of tbo re-enaoiment of tho Corn-Law * J » ot ^ ^ TS ^ V mo « 'flt poljcy of S ^ r Bobert Peel . He d ^ d not ff ^^ od if policy rovorsed . b « t h 6 thought -1 * had boor ^ ca ,. and extent v tho

    an unnecessary dangerous . , ^ gation htws were altere ^ . had he ^ JSShA *" alteration " involved , nrihpiplos wl ^ oh , P » ^ final and irreversible ?'' „ C onti »« 7 ' i'l made that statement at tho time , J » ^ ^ \\\* " and I repeat it noV . I don't deaire to PjXfH law fif 1940 with Toapeofc to com . J J ° » V < gJL JwZ to the Uw of imr But he wpuW J ^ &ot *<> ^ consider whether they would ftpply * rtr « Mfl ootipnf reversal of the pr <> seat Byiitem , W ^^ f &y 3 k as wpuld ^ eyiatp ^ onfoW JjHhftfe-V * ^ for myaeV < m V * incliyiduftl- ~(« w * vaf ^ " •*

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    : . ' -. ' ' -. rm M 4 £ m- .. ^ ^^ mm ^ .. ¦ ¦

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), March 20, 1852, page 262, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1927/page/2/