The Times, on Thursday, fell foul of Sir Robert Peel,
and lectured the Tory leader in the following fashion— "Respecting the discussion on the Poor-rates Collection Bill, which oc- curred in the House of Commons on Thursday, we can only say that the part which Sir Robert Peel took gives us sincere and unmingled pain. Ile may vaunt himself the share which lie has had in promoting that unhallowed measure the New Poor-law, if he pleases : the country which would gladly look to him fm relief, does not vaunt him : many of his personal friends do not. It is hanlly credible, as a mere matter of policy, that tie should thus by anticiption damn his future Ministry. Nobody wants him, since he has un- luckily taken up an opinion on one point hostile to the general feeling of the country, to relinquish that opinion ; but he need not blazon it. lie need not exult in the helping hand which he has lent to an odious Ministry to enthral an unhappy. people. " Let Sir Robert Peel understand his position. He is infinitely better than the wretched men to whom lie is opposed in Parliament upon all points except this. But lie is not a Canning, he is not a Wyndham, nor a Pitt, nor a Fox. lie cannot, by dint of personal influence or brilliant talents, carry his countrymen with him to any great extent upon questions on which there was no union of opinion before, as teas the ease with those statesmen born in hap- pier days.' We beg he would calmly ask himself' this question—' Does any one nein in all England think the better of the Poor-law on account of my exposing my-elf to unpopularity by praising it ? If not, (sod that lie must see is the ease,) whey should I needlessly, uselessly, and to no end whatever, incur odium 011 alT0011t of it ? It is no law of mine. On the contrary, it is a reproach to if the law be really a good one, that I introduced nothing of the kind myself while I was Minister.' Reflections of this kind would lie of great use to Sir Robert Peel. We respect him, but are no flatterers of him, nor ever will be."
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