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alwaysbeeri of an tmwontedly and unnecessarily diibious description . This affecting testimony alluded to was the invasion of Turkey , the treaty of Adrianople , and the destruction of the . armies of the Sultan . But Erince Menschikoff also desired , and this also in the beginning of the late embassy , to assure the present Sultan of the continuance of this favourable disposition , and viewed in a Russian light he succeeded most convincingly . He despatched commissioners to hold negotiations with the Sultan ' s rebellious subjects , whom he had already prevented the
Porte from chastising , and whose return to allegiance he had rendered improbable by compelling the disastrous retreat of the Turkish forces . He held " long conferences with Khosra Pasha , who negotiated in 1833 the treaty of Unkiar-Skelessi , who is one of the most devoted partisans of Hussia , and who has not been aUowed to take any part in public affairs since the death of Mahinoud , " he despatched " officers of his suite to Caltaro and the isles of the Archipelago , "
and represented these trips as parties of pleasure , with which comfortable object these persons had of course travelled from St . Petersburg to Constantinople , and for which they had solely been attached to the embassy ! "Should Russia fail this time , sir , through the united action of the European powers , be assured the mine has been laid which in some future day she will spring with far greater certainty , and with far greater effect .
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"A STRANGER " IN PARLIAMENT . If Englishmen would study their country in its aspects this week , they might be in danger of reaching the conclusion , that for the present it is not a country to be immensely proud of . Prominently , the conversations , on Thursday , in Lords and Commons a % to when debates on the Russo-Turkish question are to take place , should attract the attention of an enlightened public . Next , some observation is dueto the proceedings in the Commons on Tuesday , when , furnishing new proofs that it is a club , and not a
national senate , party tactics succeeded among indifferent members in shirking a great question—was it true ( as Mr . Druinmond ' s amendment alleged ) , that all Boards of Admiralty administrate their department in a corrupt spirit ? Then , the list of minor questions , occupying the week , is remarkable . On Wednesday , a bill was brought in to diminish the scandal of Simony in the National Church . On Tuesday , Mr . Collier obtained a great Parliamentary success , which no one ever anticipated , by a comprehensive speech on the villanies
of our Ecclesiastical Courts . Another threo hours , on the same day , were devoted to a consideration of the expediency of legislative interference to check the enormous mortality consequent upon improper systems of labour in our factories and mills . The hideous extent of juvenile delinquency has , conspicuously , been another . Altogether , though we have got rid of the remainder of the petition committees , thero is nothing in tho " business" of tho Parliamentary week to suggest national pride .
A groat nation is to bo kept in suspense as to tho chances of a great -war , because Lord John Russell has gone sick to bed ! Europe may tremble : but Lord John must cure a . diarrhoea . Trade may stop : but Lord John must have his chalk mixtures . Well , if tho great and self-governing , enlightened nation is content , why not ? Certainly , when Peel disappeared , tho country kept itself up . Certainly , when Wellington died , the funds did not greatly descend . And wo have still in the llouso of Commons
Lord Palmerston , who does know one or two things nbout Foreign nffairs . But wo can ' t do without Lord John ; no , we cannot got through a foreign policy debate without Lord John . You would not supposo that , from tho tulle in society about him ; from tho way tho House pours out when ho rifles ; from tho Hncering negatives about him in the journals But wo now know his value ; and crave for Cincinnatus from Richmond—at least tho postponement of Mr . Lnynrd ' a motion—which turns up with as much difliculty as n Nineveh monument—from 'Friday till
Monday , and over Monday , perhaps again , if Lady John Russell remains norvoue , was taken us a matter of courflo ; the tone almost indicating that if tho Queen had requested a prorogation because Lord John wanted rest , tho Commons would lmvo ordered cabs and gone to tho railways meekly . In tho Lords , on Thursday , tho postponement of Lord Clanrlcarde ' s motion was put upon different grounds , but upon grounds just aH « ugh % complimentary to a Holf-govorning people . BecauBo ft myatory balances un impertinence , tho " pub-T JT ™ ' " ° rottdy frl « n ( lH of fldgotty and weak ¦ uora Clarendon Huggestod , to tho feignodly coy Lord
Clanriearde , might be injured by a discussion s but why ? The people are regarded by the Peers just as Rabelais's poulettes were regarded by the cook j they may object to being either boiled or roasted , when the cook puts to them which process they will prefer , and the cook's comment on the answer is , that it is not to the point : the English nation is to be permitted by the Peers to discuss the measures of the Government after the Government has acted—may recommend peace when we are in the midst of war , or may demand war after disgraceful conditions of peace have been conceded by the Government . The English nation must be convinced
that it is a fine thing to have representative institu tions , and to be self-governing ; and the self-government is illustrated in the Cabinet crisis hanging over our heads this ten days , some saying that Lord Aberdeen had resigned , and some saying that he had not , and neither party being believed , and the people having no say whatever in the business ; and if we were to have our rulers changed from an austere intriguer to an intriguer who is not austere- —which is the ambitibn of young Toryism—nobody being entitled to declare a preference , except , of course , the very responsible
sovereign who is well known to be determined towards an amicable alliance with Louis Napoleon for the purpose of crushing Russia , and who , therefore , is not afraid of a war , and consequently not disposed to sacrifice national interests to the interests of the Coburgs and the Orleanists . Self-government may also be illustrated in a consideration of the course taken on the India bill . Everybody who is of any weight disapproves of tins bill ; but the House of Commons consists of the delegates of the governing classes , and there is not a family of the governing classes which has not some distinct direct or indirect interest in
sustaining the misgovernment of India ; and the result is that a bill to continue indefinitely the villanies of British governing classes in India , is to be passed , with a few modifications , by an overwhelming majority . But to come to proper , however unpatriotic conclusions as to that crack West-end club , the House of Commons , we must look minutely to its . workings on Tuesday night , in relation to Mr . Keating ' s proposal of a vote of censure on the Earl of Derby's Board of Admiralty . Let us look back and recollect the origin of the discussion . When Lord Derby , last summer , made his reluctant appeal to the country , all that Tory
corruption could do was done to obtain a favourable new Parliament . Mr . Stafford , the Secretary to the Admiralty , and to whom the First Lord handed all that sort of management , made desperate efforts to use his official influence for his party ' s political purpose ; and his sins having been partly acknowledged , after equivocations , and partly discovered , a committee was this year appointed by the new House of Commons to inquire into his proceedings , and this committee reported to the House that all the allegations were true ; that Mr . Stafford had corruptly and dishonourably erased an order which regulated
promotions in the Dock-yards ; had corruptly and dishonourably canvassed in the Dock-yards for his political friends ; had corruptly and dishonourably given a dinner to his political friends , and charged that dinner to tho expenses of his official department . This report was severe ; but in the public estimate a more direct censuro would have been justified by tho destructive evidenco elicited by tho committee . Tho report was read at tho bar ' of the House—and then ? In tho simple popular apprehension impeachment was a natural thing to follow ; at least the voluntary retirement of Mr . Stafford into private life was expected . The Duko
of Northumberland , Mr . Stafford's first Lord , had long boon guessed corrupt in i \ negative way ; ho had not been criminal ; ho bad only been—unwiso ; but ho unwise that some public apology , by In ' mself or by his friends , wan to be anticipated . Nothing of the kind . Tho evening of tho report , Mr . Stafford sauntered about jauntily , Mr . Disraeli did not look abashed , tho Government grinned , tho Radical patriots frowned , tho House was indifferent ; tho report was to ho a dead letter . A young member , not familiar with tho morale- of tho club , comes forward , and proffers himself as public prosecutor . But ho could only give notice of motion : after Easter , notices of motion nro confined to
Tuesdays , and for place on Tuesday every notice ha . s to ballot with competitors ; ho that Mr . Keating hud to wait till Tuesday next , and was then third or fourth on the lint . It was n clmrgc that a groat department had betrayed its trust—that the Navy had boon Hold to tho Carlton Club ; and club , if not general excitomont and interest , would huvo boon in duo course . The nation did not know tho matter wan coming on ; tho club woa excited simply us to tho best means of getting rid of tho business without further scandal . Driven to u vote , the majority in tho House would probably cany tho motion ; or , worse , carry Mr . Drumniond ' g chivrootorifltio amendment ; bub every on © in tho House ,
Sir Benjamin Hall and Mr . Keating excepted , wanted to avoid a vote . The club doesn't like that sort of question ; and it is an understanding between all parties , and tacitly there was an understanding between Government and the Tory Opposition on Tuesday , that tht ) . Keating class of innocgntsi ^ not to be encouragedthe club ' s dirty linen , of that description , being best washed and dried in the smoking room . But Mr . Keating displayed moral courage in giving the notice ; and he displayed the same quality in insisting on bringing it on . He was pumped in the lobby , wheedled in the House , bullied every where ; but on he would bring
his motion . Matters then looked serious for Mr .. Stafford , on Tuesday ; but he is so rich , so clever , and such a doosed good fellow , the club couldn't allow him to be harmed ; and Mr . Disraeli hit upon a method of evasion , which was perhaps a desperate resource , and not quite worthy of a responsible statesman—he determined to trick Mr . Keating out of the vote . He collected and talked confidentially with his solemnest tones ; Lord John Manners undertook to speak an hour or two on the Factory motion , which preceded Mr . Keating ' s ; and Mr . Edward Ball , a lymphatic Lablache , groaned deep acquiescence , and engaged
to save the Conservative party by employing the House , and keeping off Keating . " Keep Keating off till eleven , " was the word passed , " and then he can't go on , it will be too late . " Ball groaned , and Manners lisped , pursuant to promise ; and by their displays justified Mr . Disraeli ' s selection of them , as . the most tedious and insipid of orators ; but at last came eleven o ' clock , and worse , the House , which , seemed to have faith in Keating ' s resolution , was filling—Covent Garden and Pall Mall electric telegraph having notified to mourning senators that Ball was down , that Manners
had given way . What was to be done ? Mr . Disraeli , in a by-the-by way , suggested that it was late , somewhat too late , for that full discussion which he and his friends desired ; perhaps Mr . Keating would consent to a postponement ? "Yesi" said Mr . Keating , "if the Government will give me a day . " " Exactly , " said Mr . Disraeli . " Pray , Lord John" ( knowing Lord John wouldn't ) " give Mr . Keating a day . " " Really , " mumbled Lord John , " India—Budget—Educationmust prorogue before Christmas : can't , indeed . " What more important than the House ' s censure of corrupt administrators ? But Lord John takes the club view ,
and regarded Mr . Keating as a bore , and had already acquitted Mr . Stafford ' s personal honour . In that case , then , Mr . Keating would go on ; and amid the miserably malignant cries of " Oh , oh , " and the baffled scowls of a corrupt faction , on Mr . Keating went , with creditable equanimity , in well-bred repose of manner , and with an honest determination to say the truths he had made up his mind to tell . He told them , in great detail , but the detail was necessary to the force of tho charge ; and despite the continuous roars at him from tho one side , and the still more vexatious restive carelessness of the other , Mr . Keating did not finish till he had satisfied
himself that he had dono his duty . This was after midnight . Sir John Pakington was put up by Mr . Disraeli as a good available bore . With unaffected truth Sir John Pakington declared that ho could not dobate—that ho was incapable—that his party was incapable of un off-hand reply to a speech . Tho party cheered ! The Government smiled . Mr . Disraeli was vexed . And then Sir John went into a lengthy , ejaculatory gossip about the late Government in general , and the Duke of Northumberland in particular : not a glimmer of si reply to Mr . Keating—not a trace of a conception of tho gravity of tho accusation ; and this took till after the first small hour . Then comes Mr .
II . Drummoml with a well-known Parliamentary redhcrring , —an amendment to tho effect that tho pot was disentitled by his own colour to sneers at tho blackness of tho kettle—that nil Boards of Admiralty wen ; alike corrupt . A still graver accusation ; but lou d cheers;—tho cheers of people who h ave escaped a dilemma from tho Tories ;—loud laughter from tho Ministerialists . Odd ; but , jib it was said , II . Drummond " does hit homo ho . " On tho whole , the club was in raptures with Henry Drunnnond ; ho had given Mr . Disraeli a splendid < nrd to play . But Mr .
Disraeli , who on this occasion evinced remarkable capacity for party leadership , wns sagacious enough to see that ; it was a card which would keep ; and ho accordingly passed tho word to play tho rest of the pack first , llcnco tho appearance of nobody aftor nobody out of tho Tory ranks , with motions for adjournment of tho House , of tho debate , of everything , anything ; tho whito vests nnd white neckcloths , tipsy , as is tho rule of tho young patricians of tho club after eleven , wero quito reckless , so they could got Stafford off . And they did . At two , Lord John had gone home , and the lead of tho Houhobegan to bo rational ; and cany Lord Pulmcraton guvowny ; nnU tlu > Houho w »» wearied of divwiona
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664 THE LEADER . [ Saturd ay ,
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Leader (1850-1860), July 9, 1853, page 664, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1994/page/16/
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