The burgesses of Glasgow have presented Lord John Russell with
the freedom of their city ; and in return he has presented them with a long speech and five shorter speeches. Lord John therefore is free to set up a retail trade in the Candleriggs or the Saltmarket, as well as in the Cowgate or the Canongate; by which it appears that he is of more consideration than James Watt, who was forced to find an asylum as a tradesman within the precincts of Glasgow University. Lord John's speech was a laboured effort to make up an imposing appearance. As to the late " crisis " it afforded no explanation whatever ; that being dis- creetly reserved for the meeting of Parliament. But it was a voluminous and elaborate testimonial in the speaker's own favour as a statesman. All his best deeds were passed in review, with no end to the hints of what he had suffered and achieved for the good of the country. Of his rival, Sir Robert Peel, he spoke with less acrimony than usual ; but the spirit of invidious disparagement lurks throughout the long oration, and peeps forth every now and then. One point on which he bestowedsome pains is remarkable. He proposed the " toast or sentiment" of " Peace with all na- tions," and made a little lecture at Ministers on the necessity of bringing the negotiations with the United States to a peaceful issue. Can the man, you ask, who speaks in this way, seriously have meant to intrust the Foreign Office to Lord Palmerston ? Why, do you not see that that appointment is the very cause of the lecture ? Lord John is doing his bat to keep the warlike tendencies of his friend's method of diplomacy out of sight. From several passages the reader will be able to infer the view which the prac- tised politician entertains of probabilities with respect to measures in agitation. Lord John evidently puts great trust in the power of the Anti-Corn-law movement. He is now an absolute Free- trader. Even his eight-shilling fixed duty of 1841, he begs to assure us, was to be removable by an order in Council And as the Protectionists obstructed his law, they shall have none. He is for total and immediate repeal—no compromise—" the bill, the whole bill, and nothing but the bill." He clearly holds the Anti-Corn-law move to be the winning game.
