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    bj this time hare obtained that important measure from all -the Talents—( laughter and cheers )—those gentlemen who jnake such enormous propositions , bat who aecotmdish such . slight results ? ( Laughter . ^) Wha t have-those dis ti nguished jULd gifted beings whom I see before me done equal to the tstablishment of the militia , on the voluntary sjstem , and the reform of tlie Court of Chancery ? " _( E ° ^ cnurt . ) Another proposition of Iiord Derby ' s Government — " a liberal and enlightened proposition "—had been defeated by the aid of the " sanctimonious rhetoric " of Mr . Gladstone ; and Lancashire and Torkshire

    still cry for their share of representatives . Mr . Gladstone then said cl it is not for a Government of sufferance to propose a measure of Parliamentary reform . You must wait until you have a Government worthy of confidence . And here , no doubt , the vision of a true reforming Government passed before the right hon . gentleman ' s prescient and prophetic glance . ( Laughter . ) Well , nar , what have you got in the matter of Parliamentary reform from ibis Government ? " QCheers . )

    He next charged Lord Jolm Russell with denouncing a graduated income-tax , and then joining an Administration that passed a graduated income-tax . "But under what circumstances did the noble lord join that Government ? The noble lord must , as I said before , 'iave made great sacrifices . He pactedfrom the colleagues of his life , who had been , faithful to him , to take into his bosom Kne- ancient foes who had -passed their ; fives in depreciating Ins abilities am ! in decrying his eminent career . He gave qp the ? confidence —~ I may say he almost brokefnp' -thebfeineor * ttbat historic party , the confidence of which to a man uke > the noble lord ought not to have ^ heen less' precious than the ifaspur of his Soverei gn * ( Cheers .: } And for what did he > da jfc ? . Not from any spicitof faction—not fromwany spirit of apolitical jealousy or envy of Lord Derby or anybody else , but { because he was devoted to great principles and -was resolved

    to carry great measures—the great measure of education for 'example . To carry the great measure of education—that -teas the reason why the noble lord ! broke tip an ancient and : noble party—long connected hi its associations with the glory or this country . There were alfeo other great measures , hat perhaps hardly of equal importance , and not so pressing . There was the completion of the ; reform . of this House the fulfilment of the religious liberties of the country . Those were great measures indeed . We know what happened with that great scheme of education which the noble lord brought forward last year . It evaporated most suddenly and completely . I don't know at this moment whether it was ever introduced into the House , but I believe it vanished even While the noble lord -was making his proposition . He might ask for some explanation as to the relation existing between himself and the Government of which he is a member ? Ail

    the great measures for which he made costly sacrifices have been defeated or withdrawn , but the noble lord still retains his . position . The most eminent statesman in this country one of the oldest and most experienced of the members of this House—one who has been throe times Secretary of State . —mho has been Secretary of State in each department—who "was Prime Minister of England for a long term—one who ia associated with the memory of threat principles—who is beloved b y large bodies of liis countrymen—who was the leader of a noble historic party—condescends now to accept a sub . ordinate office under one who is not only a Minister not entitled to the confidence of the country—( hud andeontmued cheering ")—but who was his ancient and inveterate political opponent , and whom only four years ago he rose and denounced in this House ( lie talks of connivance 1 ) as a eonniver with foreign conspirators- { Loud cheers . ) And now lie comes down to the House and tells us that the defeat

    ¦ which his bill experienced on Thursday night has been occasioned by my being false to the principles which I ha . d previously professed . The noble lord said that I pretended fo be an asseiter of the claims of the Jews to political equality ¦ with the other subjects of her Majesty , and thab I made that cause subservient to political schemes ; that when occasion suited me I left the House and did not vote , and that ¦ when it was convenient I did vote , still as occasion suited me . Now , I givo to that statement a most unequivocal and unqualified denial . ( Loud cheers . ) .... I believe the noble

    lord has been much too easily influenced b y counsellors who bave already injured lis position , and who will not rest in their endeavours until they have permanently sallied his once illustrious name . ( Cheers . ) This I plainly tell the noble lord . I have now endeavonred to vindicate myself from the attack which the noble lord has made upon me , bat there is one subject upon which I do not wish to be mistaken , and I therefore repeat that the noble lord is in error—unintentional , I have no doubt—in stating that I ever left this House when a vote in favour of the Jews was called for . "' ( Loud cheers , )

    To this assault Lord John was then precluded from replying by the forms of the House . Sir George Grey , one of his old colleagues , rose up to defend him ; and was received with loud cheers -when he said that tho course taken by Mr . Disraeli was not one calculated to elevate the tone and character of the House . He rated Mr . Disraeli for his violent and unprovoked attack upon Lord John , followed by a still more violent personal attack " made with a vehemence of manner and gesture and an acrimony hardly witnessed in former displays upon tho part of the right hon . ' guntloman . ' " { Loud cheers . ) His invective "would not in tho least impair the character of Lord John Russell .

    " Tho right lion . ' gentleman' bus nccu . soil my noble friend of wishing io throw over bin former colleagues , und ot lending himself to those who have Lkm'H opposed to him till hia liiu ; unil ho hua denied that tho noblo lord , in taking that courao , wua actuated by any patriotic motives . IIo Una accused inv noblo friend of taking a course of which hia p : ust life * , from tho commencement of Ills Parliamentary career , in the beat reiutation ; and I truut that when tho

    right hon . gentleman has sat as long in Parliament and lias been as long before the country as my noble friend , the esteem in -which he will be held by the country will be equal to that in which my noble friend is now held . ( Loud cheers . ' ) I can only say that my noble friend did me the honour to consult m « when , upon the dissolution of Lord Derby ' s Government , he was invited to take port in toe Administration about to be formed ; and I may say that the part which the noble lord subsequently took in ibrmiHg a part of the Government of Lord Aberdeen met with my hearty , sincere , and cordial approval . ( Cheers . ) I could appeal to evidence which perhaps the right hon . gentleman would not

    like me to resort to to show the uniform support which las been given by every former colleague of the noble lord to the Government of which he is now a member . Further , wfren the right hum . gentleman expresses in this Hdase a firm belief that the Government of Lord Aberdeen does not possess 'the confidence of the country , I would repeat what I and others hare observed before , that I think it degrading to the party of which the right lion , gentleman is the leader that these assertions should be made night after night ; without testing the opinion of the House in a proper and legitimate manner . ( Loud chews . )

    Colonel PfiEi . having declared that , Conservative as he was , he could never be a party to such attacks as had been made upen Losd John Russell that night ; tfie motion was . agreed * to . The moving that the order for the second reading ofthe third bul be dSsehargefigaveiLoTd Jcnbzv an opportunity for reply ; and fbr-matemga statement of historical value regarding what . took place at the formation of the Aberdeen Administration . At the commencement of his speech ^ e regretted if Tie had done We . Disraeli any wrong with regard to the Jewish etaiafe . But wheaacGused ofJ * Btioua ^ r opposing Loid Derby ' s Cfeov-emment ^ hemuat question the fact » relied

    upon by Mr . IDtsraelL . Thedkct was btehad < opposed the Militia Bill 1 because he thougbtihi * own-the better measure ; and eo far from repeatedly dividing the House against it , he only voted against the second reading , and took no part whatever in the committee . What bl « did object to was the attempt made ) "by Lord Derby to carry on the Government without possessing the confidence of the Souse of Commons ; and owing to the course he took Lord Derby - was compelled to disclaim that doctrine and consent to wind up the session . Thart which overthrew the Government of LordDerby was theirinode of carrying on the Government , and the means they resorted to to obtain a majority in Parliament .

    " Bat lie says that I opposed his . plan of finance upon , the difference between permanent and precarious incomes * The utmost which I did was to state my doubt upon the subject , and to say that it was a . principle which was entirely new . Bat when that Government was overthrown ,. , a . serious question offered itself to my mind , on which I might be obliged to give a decision . That question was * as I had taken pact with those who had : overthrown , tha Government , whether or not I should take any part in the Government which was , now about to he formed . I do not hesitate to

    say , that if I thought a Government couli have been formed , either by myself or by any other party , without any union of different parties , capable of taking-up , a . strong position in the Hottse of Commons , I should nave said it would be better to have one party only than to hare the union of different parties who had nob hitherto acted , together . But when I came to consider the position in which I should , have been placed , supposing her Majesty should send me an invitation to form a Government , as her Majesty afterwards did send me such an invitation , I saw that I should not be able to form a Government which would have power to carry on the business of the House . But with regard to Lord Aberdeen , could he , with the assistance of Sir Robert Peel ' s

    friends , form a Government alone ? He said no ,, it wa-s impossible . Lord Derby ' s Government had been justly defeated after a dissolution of Parliament , and after every means had been talc-on . —I will not enter upon the nature of these means —to insure a majority for that Government . Was I to contribute to bring Parliamentary Government into discredit ? Was it not my duty to do everything which I could to enable her Majesty to form a Government in the House of Commons ? I did not act alone—I did not betray—I did not desert—I did not surrender the confidence of party with which £ have been connected . ( Laud cheers . ' ) My right honourable friend ( Sir G » Grey ) who has just spoken has , I think , given you a testimonial that I did not surrender the confidence of thab party : and the man I naturally went

    to consult on that occasion was not one who had been constantly my enemy , and one in whom I could have no political confidence . The man whom I went to conBu . lt was my Lord Lansdowne—( great cheering )—and I found with him aright honourable Friend of mine , as distinguished for his talent and character as any member of this House— -1 mean Mr . Macaulay . ( Cheers ?) I think I shall betray no confidence when I state what passed at that interview . I asked Lord Lansdowne whether , supposing Lord Aberdeen were to > have a mission from her Majesty to form a Government , lie thought I could be a member of the Cabinet of Lord Aberdeen , and whether he thought it my duty to become a member of it ? We discuBaed various

    contingencies , and Lord Lansdowne cuded with declaring that , in hia opinion , it was my duty to tho public to accopt office under Lord Aberdeen . ( Loud cheers . ) Mr . Macaulay declared liis opinion still more strongly . * I know you are not afraid of responsibilities ; but you never will huvo incurred so awful a rosponaibility as you will incur if you do not lend your utmost assistance in forming a Government at the presont moment . ' ( Cheers . ) I consulted others , and ninone Uiem my right honourable friend who haa just spolceri j and thuywero all of opinion that tho best modo of forming a CJovurnincnt was b y uniting the Whig party with tho party of tho remaining friends of Sir U . l ' eol , who wcro then reudy to accept office under Lord Aberdeen . WiUi regard to Lord Aberdeen pernonully , 1 must say 1 havo alvyjiya beonon terms

    of private friendship with him . I have always respited His public character ; and when I have had occasion towtfak iH ?^^** *** «> ign-office during the AdminL&a tion of Sir Robert Peel , I have said that , Hwmgb ; oppose * ia many respects to that Government , I could hat fiadtftat on any occasion the honour or the interests of too country bad been sacrificed by Lord Aberdeen , Such was my whEo testimony to the conduct of Lord Aberdeen whenl w » Jia Opposition . ( Cheers . ) The right hon . gentleman ehooLs to say that when I spoke of my noble friend near me as not being the Minister of Austria , or of France , or of Russia , or of Prussia , I alluded to Lord Aberdeen . \ made n ? suS allusion . I meant no such allusion ; but I meant to declare that h there

    thoug was a coterie then formed rn this country --compoBed , no doubt , of foreigners—my no « te frie »< f ww the Minister of England alone , and not of any foreign Pdw * r ( Cheer » . ) I maintain that sentiment to thfe Twrnr / I th&k that my noble friend , as Foreign Minister of this country upheld to the highest point the honour and interests of the country , ( cheers . ) But , Sir ,-the question was whether : it being as I thought icnpossible to form « Ministryjof the Wlig party , impossible to form-a Ministry of the folfowera df MSir Robert Peel , and unwise , if not impossible } to leave tho Government in the hands of * jparty which 4 j 3 notpowfea the ctmfidence of the House of < Joinmotw and , whienyiif ihy opinion , did not deserve that coT&fan& ^( b * xftfteer »< frini the Ministerial ftencfle *)^—wfoetfher the men irhttha&lfc&d

    together on the greatest qw 3 at » n whkm foraam&t ym * had divided Parliament—namely , s& 9 qptestkm h ^ wjms < prbitction and free trade—whether tin men who had cojtfonfed together on that'question might not confer onvefher / gMgstfoas and enter into Office ^ togetler .. (^ cHewsJ ) . The ?* wire many of mv former colleagues to whom office , wa * jjpot proposed : there were some to whom office was pcopotwd and declined j but , with : xegor * to both one tatf tffeTi&lWr , havbgthe highest arpmiwof ttwtr ( partj ^ h « vittg : a < t ^ r % ifh th « m all wy Wt ^ '&llt&amMbai-Wmipf ^^ ciples werei&e pirad ^ fcai of tUfciCtevetnTnent , if * fc ^> i 4 wthat which ; thayconsidirea . a liberal oeors * - mii $ fl ^ S ^ m ^* saw that liberal conxsetemperotl by the stoinMion mfcrnk

    has always been the characteristic of th » Whigjpotty ^ ittdl which , vras so acknowled ged and declared b . ; Mr . ^ utWr ^ f they saw that those principles were the pruicnjleaof the Admuiistration , whether they * held office or notttbeijigefabs would be of no consideration , but they wouldtas heartffrittri as wiUbgly give their support to a Government so cdnstjtti&d as if they themselves - formed a part at ft . ^ Louti dlm ^ And , Sir , I have not been' dfeceiived in the men with wnoitt I had . acted . ( Cftee r *) I could sot , indeed , Have fbroieil ^ n Administration from which they could-hme been « xdi ( ded ; but the Administration ; of Lord Aberdeen : was ; satttr ^ lfy formed , in great part , of those with whomhe had iMSted ^ Mfltd ; since the tormation of the present GovepDUient uooni- ^ l

    fenend principles of domestic policy wo have agreed . Cneers . y I cannot , of course , pretend ,, after waat . has passed to-night , that we have been generally succassfiaKm the measures that we have propos « d . I , thinkwe oraeiv gaged at present In a most difficult task apart Iconx . any measures of reform of Parliament , of oat £% , « r of' cwinofc purposes . Should The ofopinion , that the cpuducfc ofJ ^ ewiv is not safe in the hands of tie present Government- —tW that Government is not carrying oh the war with this . yigpox which makes war successful , and with a -view to . a penoe which alone could be safe and honourable , frcmthatmoxnent I shouM cease to be a membei of it . ( fcoud aAeers ^ Jiu ^ Sir , considering that that is the great and . thejpreasui £ 7 aueAtion of the country , no taunts of the right hon .. mntfettum

    woum make me leave the vioveenment mim ~ TCh 4 ch ^ X am-xu ^ nected : —a position , God knows , of more labour and . anBuietjy than of any pleasure , profit , or emolument . QJBear % tai ^ and cheers ?) I repeat that , 'unless I were canvihcad 4 fia the present Government is nob more h'kal y tta ^ -airy . ^ jtaHWi * - ment which could be formed to carry on tne-wat suocfiufoHv , and to conclude it fcy an honourable peace , I should cease to be one of its members ; hut , so long as I hwvo-fhat opinion , I shall trust to the House and to the countty for putffirg' a fair interpretation upon m . y caaducL ( Loud cheers . ) I rely upon that Justice of a country which , -wbila it is moat enlightened , is , at the same time , sometimes rnfsledwithrazard to the conduct of public men . I relyupon thatJusticcf Wmoh hardly ever fails to construe rightly the actions of JttbUp meu- ' { Loudand continued cheering . )

    Here ended the combat ; and it was maw foe the spectators of the fray to make , comments .. Me . C > sbob-njb reminded Mr * BiaraeU that ia . 184 ft he -wa » absent from a division , en the Jewish , claims ^ « nd that in 1850 He voted against them .. BiaregaxduMf the attack . Mr . Disbjubu explained that he waaMl great part of 1849 ; and that bis vote ia 1850 must have been upon a ciross-diviaiion . Mr . Osborne offered him Hansardi , but he declined to take it Mr . Waiupoilb defended Mr . DisraeE ' s conBistencyi and questioned Lord John ' s account of the prinxsipte

    on which Lord * Derby ' s Government was founded ! . Mir . BnxGHT made a smart attack upon Iiord John , who , he said , had come out of the affray with some scars . He firmly believed that Lord John joined LoTd Aberdeen from the purest motives ; hut the Government was not one that could act for the weAfarc of the country . It vas only the financial measures of Mr . Gladstone that had saved them ; hut upon every other matter Government did not lead—Lord John did not lead the House . Their beat naeit *

    sures are unceremoniously kicked overboard ; and n cannot be said that Lord John led the Hottfrlajft week upon the Oaths Bill . " But if tho Government of Lord Aberdeen were formed upon such patriotic principles , and if the noble lord entered that Government with such honourable views , if the noble lord finds out , after eighteen months , fluit the experiment has been a fuilure , and that tlio whole of the promlsos held out with regard to what was to he done La FarliMnxent , SpK tho country by that union of men , hi . th . erto aopwatod in politica , havo failed , then I am not quito euro that it will

    Untitled Article

    Junb 3 , 1854 . ] THE LEADER . 5 ^ 7

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), June 3, 1854, page 507, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2041/page/3/