The " Peel rot" seems to be a very mild
disease, and not really an epidemic : it has carried off very few, and those none of the strongest. Lord WilliamGordon is the solitary seceder this week, at the eleventh hour. Two minor members of the Govern- ment, who were said, last week, not to be strong enough to retain their places, have falsified the aspersion : Lord Jocelyn is still Secretary to the Board of Control, Lord Arthur Lennox still Clerk to the Board of Ordnance.
On the other hand, Government has strengthened itself in such outposts. Lord Abercorn has become Groom of the Stole to Prince Albert; Captain Rous, that hearty sailor and Liberal Con- servative, is rewarded for his independent assertion of principles now put in practice, by a seat at the Board of Admiralty, in place of Lord William Gordon ; and it is reported that Viscount Canning returns to office as head Commissioner of Land Revenues.
The'postjust named is vacated by Lord Lincoln, who becomes Secretaryyfor Ireland. Lord Lincoln had been called upon by his constituents to resign ; but, as we saw, last week, he refused to do so, on " constitutional" grounds : some persons assume that his present transfer to another office, which is a kind of promotion downwards, is a mere evasion of his scruple, intended to bring him before his constituents in a more constitutional way. There appears at present no reason for such an assumption. In several respects, Lord Lincoln has shown the business qualities, combined with firmness and good feeling, all of which are essential in an Irish Secretary ; and that office is likely to be of unusual import- ance in the ensuing six months. We are inclined to presume that the appointment is made in good faith ; that his acceptance is dictated by his fitness, disregarding all "low ambition" for simple promotion as a personal advantage.
