10 MARCH 1838, Page 17

THE MODERN WHIG STYLE OF CONTROVERSY.

Wilms affect to eschew personalities in political discussions. They wain] opinions, not with individuals. To the " oracle of Pod- dledock," and the " vile Tory weekly press," they leave scurrility, and the scandalous invasion of the " decencies of private life." Such are the professions of Whig journalists : their practice this week has afforded a test to try them by. The almost solitary topic was Sir WILLIAM TvloutswortTx and his motion. It cannot be denied that the subject of that motion Iru important ; that it would be treated with becoming gravity, nobody doubted. Though not an old Member, Sir WILLIAM HoLiswowni has always selected weighty matter for his Par- liamentary exertions, and never forced crudities and puerilities on the House of Commons. Such being the motion and the man, how did the Ministerial journalists prepare their readers for the discussion? Let the following elegant extracts—a sample of many—show. • Is all communities there are to be found men like Sir William Molesworth sad Mr. Leader, eaten up with self.conceit and personal vanity, who, anxious for notoriety, sad unable to distinguish themselves by labours entitling them to the approbation of their fellow citizens, seek to make themselves of importance br the mischief they can effect. The self-sufficiency of both these gentlemen, with the 'deader nature of their qualifications, has always made them peculiarly

obnatkais to all who came in contact with them in their public capacity ; and

it may be said with truth, that of the little knot of half a dozen at the utmost who have set themselves up as infallible oracles for the Three Kingdoms, the above two have been most successful in rendering themselves the objects of ge. rural dislike. • • • It may not be known to many of our reader., that these two mlf-important personages have literally constituted themselves politi- es! leaders, and issued their engraved curds, marked for ' business' in the serner, inviting the attendance of Members of the llouse of Commons to receive their directions."—Morning Chronicle of Monday. "If it were not so revolting, there would be a touch of the ludicrous in this boiy alliance of philosophical Radicals and exceedingly unphilosaphical Tories. But that the cunning and cautious leader of the enemy's forces stands by ready totem an excellent joke to serious account, and to convert a diverting spectacle into an exhibition bordering on the disgusting, Sir William Mt lesworth and his very short tail would only excite a shout of laughter exactly proportioned to the length and loudness of his own flourish of trumpets. There is something end. neatly absurd in his enactment of the character of a Colossus, striving to place one foot upon the Whigs, while the Tories seize him by the other, and hurl him headlongto his confusion.' We concur to a great degree in the Morning Chronicle's estimate of the pretensions of the two or three who gather together in the name of 31oleswerth."— Gmrier, Monday.

" It is fated that there never shall he more than two acting partners in the

firm of Revolutionist-Radicalism. Iiit!e while back, the dual party were Colonel Thompson and Mr. Roebuck. Marclehone rejects the one; Bath re. mum the other. It is now the d,,univirare, Leader and Moles worth. These gentlemen hegau rather cal ly, hot not injudiciously, by endeavouring to up the centre gauche with I-dr-a-Radical dinners. They thou issued circulars, underlined in Cabinet sr le, to the Liberal Members, as if they were their rccog- atzechleaders, with a perseverance worthy of a better cause, and much to the mtonishment of those who received them. They have found out at last the real attest of their following; and for the sake of the poor iirotegi% in Canada, we wish this had been found out sooner. They are now the Derby Dilly of Libe. nlism—a detected nonentity."-- Globe., Tuesday. In striking contrast to this miserable twaddle was Sir Wm-- MAY Moutswortries speech—full of matter, and devoid of per- motility. Before the Ministerial journalists again attempt to scribble about the Colonies, it would be well if they read and in- quired and learned one. tenth part as much on the subject as the almeted Member for Leeds.