Mr. Cardwell addressed his constituents at Oxford on Wednes- day
evening amidst the pauses of a terrific thunderstorm, which interrupted his speech. But, clearly, if he had been a peer, or such a peer, at least, as Lord Clarendon approves, he would have left the thunderstorm in possession of the field, and kept silence, even from good words. He said nothing at considerable length, and very nicely,—explaining how hard the Ministry had worked, and how they sleep only in the recess, not being able, like Mr. Henley, to sleep in the House,—how hard Lord Hatherley had worked at the Bankruptcy Bill, how the habitual criminals and the compound householders (whom Mr. Cardwell not unnaturally associates together), had both been provided for this session,— how admirably Mr. Forster had managed the Endowed Schools' Bill, and how generously Sir John Pakington had recognized the merit of that achievement,—how kindly the Tories had refrained from factious opposition to the Irish Church Bill, —how Ireland comes to have a land-grievance,—how the Conservatives had pre- pared and he himself had effected a reduction in the Army Estimates,—how good the Army is,—how completely we let the colonies do as they like,—how hard it is to decide about the ballot, how completely Mr. Cardwell himself reserves his judgment thereon,—and finally, how poor a ghost is the wandering Protec- tionist who has lately put in a pallid appearance in Manchester. There is an artistic satisfaction to constituents, we dare say, in listening to this sort of thing so nicely put together, but it is hardly instructive.
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