4 FEBRUARY 1837, Page 13

" PAT THEM ON THE BACK."

Mr. Humes ,Sspeeek an 11w Address. Boswsm. tells a story of some foolish person who got into a dis- pute with Dr. JonNsnsr at a dinner-party, and, by way of encou- ragement, was patted on the back by Davies the booksener; whereupon BURKE said quietly to BoswEse, that "he could not conceive a greater degradation than to be patted on the back by Toni Davies." Mr. Hums cannot be lowered to the level of Toti D.tvii.:s; but still Lord JOHN RUsSELL must have felt Mr.II UNIE'S " pat," on Tuesday night, though intended as a bit of encou- ragement, more galling almost than the sledge-hammer thumps with which Mr. ROEBUCK so mercilessly belaboured him. Mr. Hum; however, meant it kindly. lie assu:nes that Ministers are the best-intentioned creatures in the world, and only deticient in pluck. If they " know the right and yet the wrong pursue," it is only because they have so small a majority wherewith to encounter the Tories, and can scarcely rely even on keeping that majority together. Consistently with this view, Mr. HUME ima- gines that all they want is "patting on the back," and eschews the use of the cudgel. But the Member for Middlesex should

recollect that there is not the slightest chance of a single mea- sure which the Tories disapprove of being carried by the Whigs.

We shall have just as much of Reform as the Tories choose to give us, and no more. The right men to " pat," therefore, are the Tories : they can really return a quid pro quo. Nothing is to be had from the Whigs, for they have nothing.

But, on the other hand, in order to preserve public respect, men's words should square with their acts ; their speeches and votes

should not clash. Mr. HUME, we know, will vote right—when it comes to the point, lie is not the man to flinch from his principles or his duty : but then, why does he habitually profess respect and confidence in Ministers, whose policy he plainly distrusts, whom -■

he is constantly opposing, and who hate him ? The impression conveyed to the minds of many by this inconsistency between the practice and the professions of Mr. HUME, must be that he is in- sincere. It is needless to point out the damage done to a public man by such a suspicion.

" Nothing for nothing," is a maxim which Mr. HUME fully comprehends ; and we again ask him what he has got by his patting plan ? He has not obtained—we do not say a good mea- sure, fur the objects of his flattery cannot carry a good measure —but has he gained over a single vote? No. If he should re- join, " And what has been gained by the cudgelling system? what advantage did the good cause derive from Mr. ROEHUCK'S bitter philippic' on Tuesday ? " the easy reply would be, that he is not required to assail the Whig officials, but simply to refrain from silly adulation—silly, because proceeding from the notion that h“tin by flattery win them over unto more decided Reforming courses. If, however, we were obliged to strike a balance between the profits of the HUNIE and those of the ROEBUCK policy—be- tween patting and pummelling—we could easily show that the few moves in advance that have been made by the Whigs since the Reform Bill was carried—the small amount of assistance that they have rendered—have all been the result of Radical threats, or the part: d withdrawal of Radical support. Had the Liberal majority i.. the first Reformed Parliament been of one mind—all supporters of the GiCe.Y and STANLEY policy—does anybody sup- pose that l. ,rd MELie. or Lord JOHN RUSSELL would have interfered will the Irish Church or the English Corporations ? No, they would have pocketed their quarterly cash in contentment, and would have completely restored the old dominion of the Aris- tocracy. The same thing now as regards the Dissenters and Church-rates.

For any thing really Liberal in the measures of Ministers, the country will be indebted to the exertions of that party with whom Mr. HUME acts in the House and out of doors; but if his and their deeds were of the same compliant and complimentary description as too many of the speeches delivered by Radical Members—for Mr. HUME is not a soiitary sinner—there would be no prospect of political improvement.

No, Mr. Hems:. Let us be fast to the Ministers. Let us abstain from assault and invective ; strenuously supporting them in their good measures—finely opposing and perseveringly cor- recting their errors. But "patting on the back" is a practice of foolish badness, which, at our time of life, and with all the grave experience appertaining to it, is neither dignified towards the Ministers ncr giaceful in the RefAmers.