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THE war-plot thickens : there is a singular alteration in the position . Russia is now the aggressive power in war , and the positive power in politics : as her ships come out from their ports in the northern sea , and as her besiegers become the besieged in the Crimea , so she gives up her negative attitude in . diplomacy , and begins to propose peace . On the other hand , the relative position of the Western Powers and their peoples alter ; the Governments are sinking back , and the
peoples are coming forward . ; the Government of France , like that of Ungland , throwing itself on public opinion and soliciting the co-operation of its legislative council—sometimes called Parliament . Again , it is not Prance and . England ¦ which are treating -with Austria and Prussia 5 it is Austria and Prussia which are endeavouring to modify tlie action of France and England . In short , tlie war is , in all its aspects , assuming a new shape- Events are drifting despotic France and aristocratic England into a revolutionary war out of a mere Turkish warthe Eastern question , becoming the European question ; and it is at such a moment that Russia , ¦ which has succeeded in keeping the Western and G-erman Powers apart , is now seeking to divide the Western Governments from the Western Publics . These Publics will speedily have the opportunities of putting their Governments to the test . The Emperor Louis Napoleon proposed
last week a campaign on the Danube : this -week that project is vaguely and sceptically spoken of . Why this change of plan ? Have the proposals of peace intervened ? Last week the English Government was contemplating a loan ; this week the Government organ , which had made the original statoment , denies , " on authority , " that there will bo any necessity for a loan . The statement of the one clay is , doubtless , that of a Minister , and the next day that of the
Minister ' s colleague : the hesitation indicating the vacuous inanity of the cabinet councils which are now almost daily—and daily bconuse the Government ia without a master mind to dictate—to decide , and to net . Now , it is very clear that if Louih JTapolcon , maintaining his feeblo conception of the war , confines his oilbrts to the Crimea , reserving his strongth for a possible Ithino campaign , ho cannot bo vory earnest in the alliance with us against Russia . It is quite as
clear that if our Government insists—with the Parliament that is not ready with a party to succeed them , and with the press ( of London ) , which is almost as exclusively a Governmental press as that of Vienna—that the petty pedantic and peddling finance which has hitherto prevailed during the war , must continue to the end of the war , then the intention is to limit the war—to grasp at a peace—and to delude the people . Certainly there is no immediate fear : that Ministry which did not repair the disasters of the Crimea , and maintain t he national honour by actual success , and
not by mere glory obtained by reckless waste of gallant life , would , in the present temper of the people , run the risk of impeachment . Troops , in great numbers , are being poured into JBalaklava ; and in good time we may hope to see Sebastopol taken , and the mistakes of our excellent general , in putting Sebastopol into such admirable connexion with Russian resources , rectified . But , after that , Lord Aberdeen would bo impetuous for an " honourable peace ; " and let us not make any mistake—Lox'd Aberdeen is , under existing arrangements , the governor of this country .
in the ilats of Balaklarva , in the cemeteries of Varna and of Scutari , appeal from their glorious graves against those weak and -wicked men , who have dared to play with history , and have assumed with insolent incapacity the grand duties of a great nation ' s government in a European crisis — which they created by their politeness , and would control in a gentlemanly manner . The relatives of those who have fallen feel some sensations of revenge while they mourn 5 and earnest -will be their protest in Parliament . Absolute distrust of the
capacity of the Government to manage even tlie smallest affairs is visible in all directions ; and it is with a sensation of relief we hear that the nobles have actually summoned Mr . Peto and his coadjutors to go out ivith their navvies to work the siege . The public look to Russian and Austrian arrangements to provide us with the bare news of the war ; our Government does not hear from
Constantinople under eleven or twelve days , and when it gets a despatch hasn ' t the hardihood to publish it—e ven cooked . Then the public looks to itself to pro-vide winter comforts for the army in tlie Crimea ; and Miss Nightingale writes to the Voluntaries for lint . No one thinks of trusting to the Government . Its plans about wooden andirou houses are laughed at : its statements about ample accommodation for the sick arc disbelieved . A
Kossuth in his speech at the Polish celebration on Wednesday evening , has inflicted a heavy blow on the Government . In his general argument he was illogical ; but in his detailed criticism he was acuto , convincing , crushing . A great strong man , speaking of the hysteric doings of little men , his genius rebuked tlie blunders and the crimes of the year ; and though it is highly desirable that England should not be led by a foreigner , yet if the Radicals , if thore bo ' such men , hide away in
" Crimean Fund Society" is established to organise Christinas presents to the army ; and books and papers are sent gratis by the publishers . It would really seem as if this Government , so crowded with experienced men , and possessing one man , the Duke of Newcastle , young , vigorous , and capable at least of spending the unlimited national funds—there being no reserve whatever placed on expenditure—was carrying on the war with the aid of newspaper correspondents—a cabinet council being called to consider the last now
prolnsigiuficance and silence , the people will listen to him wlio clous speak out . We venture to think that , in the main , Kossuth ' e speech will fasten itself in the henrts and brains of the country ; and of this wo are sure , that his mai'vellous review of the events of the year will constitute the text of most of the Parliamentary criticisms now impending —a uniform view of the Government failures being probable from nil parties—from Mr . Layard and from Mr . Disraeli—from liberals of the Seymour and Blackett School —and from the
convoraationject ventilated in the morning papers ! Thus Mr . Nasnvyth ' s letter about wrought iron guns excites the nation , wliich demands to know why the cast iron system has not been donu away with—or why is it not a Nasmyth , in place of a Duko of Newcastle , appointed to carry on the warP Ours is a very clevor public , cautious nndacutu ; and when a Perkins writcia , wil . Ii grout popularity , to suggest how to take Sobastopol , dating from a "hot water uppurntus manufactory , " tho Government iijjHfct , ' have got into a public position ignominiofiBly ^ ludierouH . *' . ' >)¦ Secret diplomacy is wunpant iu Germany ^ Prussia undortakes to obtain peace for Iiujngjuj ; . *
statesmen of the Clanricardo class . Right or wrong , there is u strong feeling growing up against the Government—not against its statesmen —but against its administrators , a feeling of which tho Wliigs , -who have had nothing to do with the manipulation of tho war , will possibly seek to take advantage . Tho heroes who lie huriod on tho heights of tho Almn , in tho gorges of tho Infcormnn ,
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YOIi . V . - . No . 245 . ] SATURDAY , DECEMBER 2 , 1854 . [ Price Sixpence .
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NEWS OF THE WEEK- i-aob The Koman Catholic Parlia- Men and Horses for the Army 1140 Children ' s Books ndfl Tho fe of Parliament § 8 ThffifoMd :: ; ::::::::::: Hi ? iJSfiSSrffi ^ " ^ - lit ? Books oa ™^ - ~ - ™ gS ^^ Notes ::::::::::::::::::::: n * . gs ^ SSfe-sa-iss- Burial 1 X 37 open council thearts-. S ' rlli Board ...... 1137 Babel U 41 High Art of a New Kind 1147 Anniversary " of the " Polish " In- Miscellaneous 1137 LITERATURE- Theatres , 1147 £ urrection 1133 public affairs- Summary 1142 China .., 1136 PUBLIC AFFAIRS- Heinrieli Heine 1143 Ireland ..... 1136 Public Opinion .. 1138 The House of Baby ......... . ! . ' . 1144 COMMERCIAL-AFFAIRSOur CiTihsatxon .......... 1137 The Leader Policy ia Office ... 1139 A Scholar ' s Life U 45 City Intelligence , Markets , Ad-Treaks of Fortune at Bristol ... 1137 The Volunteer Force ............ 1139 Some Political Books . 1146 verttsements , &c . 1143-1152
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Dec. 2, 1854, page unpag., in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2067/page/1/
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