[We have been allowed to print the following extract from
a private letter, addressed by a vigilant politician of the Liberal order to a friend of his at present sojourning abroad. Constant readers of the Spectator will recognize the author of a similar letter, an extract from which we pub- lished on the 12th of April last year.] "London, Wednesday, 25th February.
"The time has not yet come for saying much about the new Ministry that can be either novel or otherwise interesting. The facts at present before is are not new, but as stale as facts could be made by long and familiar antici- pation. Everybody who carefully watched the Russell Ministry for the last two or three years, has expected that they would fall to pieces some fine and be succeeded by Lord Derby and his party. The fine day' has not come sooner, but later than was anticipated. Some affect a kind of wonder, not at the downfall of the Whip, but at the actual possession of office by the Derby party; but even these, if you question them, admit that the state of our polities was such that, provided the Whigs broke down. from the weakness of incapacity, a Derby innings was inevitable. Others (and you know I am one of them) believed that the Whigs must break down from incapacity sooner or later ; and they desired a Derby Govern- ment to follow, as the step which had of necessity to be taken before East- land could obtain a good strong Government with a good useful Opposition. These were of opinion that so long as a banded party of Protectionists existed, a popular and really capable Administration, sustained by its own majority, could not be formed ; and that there was but one means of dissolving ttie Protectionist party, namely, letting them into office, where their incapacity for govemiug this country on Protectionist or any other principles would soon be demonstrated even to themselves. Then would come a fusion of the most trustworthy men of all the old parties for the purpose of forming a new party and a respectable-Government I remind you of these calculations, in order that you may understand why I treat this change of Ministers as an affair which, was long ago discounted b_y thoughtful political speculators. There is nothing to wonder at, unless you should be surprised at that degree of incapacity in the Russell Government which has at last forcedlord Derby into office whether he would or not. "The manner of the change insures Lord Derby and his friends a fair trial.' They did not force themselves into office. On the contrary, they have taken pains to keep out, (whether intentionally or not is of no conse- quence,) by making themselves distrusted by all but their own party with one idea which has only a minority in the Commons, and by refusing a general election when it was offered to them last year. It was not they who pro- posed the vote which upset Lord lobe. Even admitting, as we must, that the real coup de grace of the Russell Ministry was Mr. Adderley's motion about Lord Grey bet down for Tuesday last, still the Derby party could not have carried the motion without large aid from ordinary partisans of the Russell Government ; and it was the anticipation of this defection from his own ranks which induced Lord John to resign. If he had not resigned till after the motion was tarried his Ministry would have been -finally destroyed by Lord Grey's administration of Colonial affairs; and Lord Derby would have been equally forced into office by a necessity not produced by himself. Therefore England's common sense and love of fairness will give his party the opportunity of governing if they can. They will have iinch treatment from the country as may be either "a fair trial" or "rope enough." Which it will be must depend altogether on themselves. I believe that the country (meaning thereby all politicians who have no personal interest at stake) would be glad to are Lord Derby and his friends retain offiee by means of giving satisfaction to the opinions and desires which really preponderate. -.And, indeed, it is only on the supposition that this wish is strong and general, that one can account for the common expression of an opinion that the Derbyites may possibly earn in office a popularity and public confidence which they have been far from possessing heretofore. We shall see. The question is very interesting ; and it is one, moreover, on which preseut speculation may be properly indulged. I will tell you beielly my own notions on the subject. "I am so truly aiek of Whiggery in office of Peelite torpidity, and of Man- chester nonsense, that it would make me happy to see Lord Derby get on in a wise and vigorous course. But I try in vain to persuade myself that this is even possible. I am not among those who think that he would do well for himself by shuffling out of Protection or misting it boldly away. He could not yet abandon it without utter disgrace. Come what else may, he must propose a corn-duty. Let us imagine that he proposes a five-shilling duty, together with the repeal of the Income-tax as respects professions and trades. The whole till, so compounded, would be swallowed by avast num- ber of Free-traders, as well as by the bulk of the agricultural interest, glad to get anything at all in the shape of Protection. There is some little reac- tion of opinion about Free-trade; the cause being a headache of trade after the dissipation titlast year. A five-shilling duty would not make bread 'dear.' hi free counteies, the final issue of political struggles is nearly al- ways a compromise. It seems possible--myself, I think it probable—that a general election, on the proposal of a five-shilling duty combined with the aforesaid modification of the Income-tax, would yield Lord Derby a majority in the Commons. I will suppose as mueh, believing that it may happen. But this faith rests on a conditional supposition,—to wit, that Lord Derby will go at once to the country with his proposal. For if he should delay, other eimumstances may intervene which would sLamn his party, and make it impossible that they should be the men to compromise the war between Free-trade and Protection. And this brings me to the grounds on which I consider it impossible that the new Ministry should last. "I limit their existence to the time which shall be requisite for perfectly 'satisfying, the country of their general and utter incapiteity as IMnifiters. Such -anampression can be caused by nobody but themselves. They will not be impeded, (for they may despise the bawling of Marylebone Vestries, set on by Whig ex-underlings,) but will be watched with intense anxiety, and judged by their own conduct, and by nothing else. In venturing to prejudge them unfavourably, I go altogether by the character of the men, according to my own opinion of it. I say, it is contrary to the nature of things that these men should bring into use those high qualities of statesmanship which the occasion requires—unpossible that the blind should see, the deaf .hear, the foolish practise wisdom. Their chief is but a brilliant and froward boy —a capital speaker, but whose statesmanlike faculties are all in his tongue, while he has plenty of such very =statesmanlike qualities as rashnees, prideful contempt of -others, extreme dread of responsibility, incapacity for hard work, wild spirits-when things-go well, painful depression in adversity, and constitutional liability to a fitof the gout whenever his irritable temper is crossed. He is perfectly fit to be the leader of an Opposition for fun, and as tho- roughly unfit to be Prime Minister ofEngland in circumstances which peculiar.. ly demand the exercise of caution, conciliation, boldness, laborious industry, self-command, temper not to be disturbed, and uninterrupted health. Turning to the leader in the Commons, let me remind you that I am very far from being disposed to run down a man not born to high position, but who strives to attain it by his own efforts. On the contrary, my plebeiau sympathies are all with the striving clamberer, whose every step up the ladder is grudged by five-sixths of his present colleagues, and only tolerated by them because their incapacity has needed the use of his ready tongue. But what is he, what qualities does he possess, that should make as hope that he will be able to lead the Commons of England for a month? I repudiate as false the terms of joaular contempt which Lord Derby is, begging his pardon, ass enough to apply to 'Dizzy' private society, and which are as public in political circles as if they were printed in the newspapers: but I know him (as who does not, that knows him at all?) to be a mere simulator of etatesmanship, an actor of it such as he has put into his own novels, with the dangerous real properties added, of a passionate love of display, and much facility in the art of biting sarcasm. Such a man might shine in mere de- clamatory opposition, (recollect that he has never made a serious proposal that was not laughed at,) and yet—nay, therefore—be totally unable to ob- tain respect as a Minister. He would make mistakes and commit follies by wholesale: and wielding the power of office he Would also make enemies at a great rate; in that, as in several other particulars, closely resembling his thief in the Lords, who, when in office, whether low or high, never was quite successful except in making enemies. These two are the only men of mark in the new Ministry; and they are its chief spirits. I am supposing them to have obtained a majority in the Commons by making haste to a gene- ral election before they have exposed themselves; and yet I say the Derby Ministry could not last with such leaders, even if their colleagues were very different from what they are. "And what are these? With the exception of Lord Harclinge at the Ordnance, (not a political office,) there is not amongst them a single person whose opinion on any political question of moment would have any weight with anybody. Even in the estimation of zealous Protectionists they are nothing but partisans. What recommends Mr. Walpole to the public, ex- eepting only his name and some reputation as a mere lawyer? His good looks and pleasing manners are unknown to the public, and are not essen- tials, still less sufficing properties, of statesmanship ; whilst those who know him in private life suspect him to be devoid of _political courage and will. The Foreign Secretary is wholly unknown to Europe, and only known in this country as a humble admirer and follower of Lord Derby the Protectionist leader carping and declaiming in Opposition. The Colo- nial Secretary, eminent in Worcestershire as a Swaim of the Peace, and with what is called "a turn for business," has never formed an idea about colonies excepting that they are proper receptacles of our convicts. Still he might do better than Lord Grey, by confining himself to mere routine, which would be really carried on by the clerks, were it not that in consequence of Lord Grey's mismanagement Colonial questions of great importance press for immediate settlement by Parliament, and must bring on debates involving theories and principles of government. Fancy Sir John Mittimus -descanting on such themes l And then the worthy Chairman of Quarter-sessions is said to labour under the very worst of political diseases—that of an organic and therefore incurable vanity, combined with self-conceit, which precludes him from believing that any- body can understand any subject better than himself, and yet enables para- sites to lead him by the nose. He seems made, with his ignorance, his pre- sumption, his bustling activity, and his insatiable appetite for flattery, to be victimized b the permanent officials who are struggling to retain in the other colonies the powers of distant control which they have lost in Canada. The folly of his mere acceptance of what Lord Grey has made the most diffi- cult of the highest offices, moves one to compassion at the prospect of his miserable break-down. much for the three Secretaries of State as helps to the Chancellor of the Exchequer and Premier. Mr. Henley indicates nothing but the moderation of a five-shilling duty. Sug,den, who is a sharp little man, may have the wit to swallow at a gulp the Law Reform which is all ready-cooked for him; but the world as yet considers him too old and too narrowniinded for such a feat. Thesiger is a man of the world, and Kelly has great abilities always available for any purpose : they would perhaps work Law Reform very creditably if the concern could be sustained for a year. With two exceptions, the only remark to be made about the others is, that there was a necessity for filling up the places, and that Lord Derby, as he confessed last year, had only wretched materials to use. The exceptions I would notice are Lord Naas and Lord Desert. The appoint- ment of the first just after his defeat on a spiteful unpopular motion, is an unmixed blunder: that of the second, instead of Mr. Adderley, whose notice of motion upset the late Government, and who is a painstaking Colonial Re- former enjoying much popularity in the Colonies, indicates that Lord Derby's Colonial policy will be that of the officials in Downing Street—the only policy which it has just become simply impossible to maintain. Look- ing at the two appointments, we may say that the new Ministry has aheady begun to break itself down. "I expect that their next mistake will be a resolve to attempt carrying on the government without a majority in the Commons. But on that point we shall be fully informed on Friday. Looking further forward, I anticipate nothing but the staving off of awkward questions so as to conceal want of purpose and general incapacity, together with a large crop of blunders, and follies, and inconsistencies, with a total neglect of the art of making friends, and considerable success in that of making enemies; all being the natural products of such a cause as the profound incapacity of these men for per- forming the task they have undertaken. "Nevertheless, I rejoice at finding them in office at last. You know that for three years I have never ceased praying for this event. I regard it, now that it has come, as the beginning of the end which you and I desire—the restoration of the old English constitutional system of a Ministry depending on its own majority in the Commons, and watched by a minority aspiring to office. This good end will conic sooner or later in proportion to the errors and laches of the Derby Government. Of these I purpose keeping a record, and sending you my notes from time to time."
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