The Times report of the thanksgiving-speech delivered by Sir JotrN
HortiOesE on Thursday to the electors of Westminster, has the fol- lowing passage-
" That unopposed election he took to bo peculiarly gratifying, not only to him per. sonallv, but to that Government if which he formed a pert. (Cheers and groans.) Ile was glad to find that there, in Westminster, the first deeds of that Government were now brought to the test. and that its conduct had been approved of (Some cries of " No, no.") He would say ' Yes, yes '—that its conduct had been approved of by the great and entight. tined body of the electors of Westminster—by those who were as lit to pronounce a judg- ment upon it as any portion of the People of England."
The electors, then, according to Sir JOHN HOEDOUSE, intended to testify their approbation of the conduct of Ministers, by again choosing him for their representative in Parliament. The Times, however, sees the matter in a different light ; affirming that he has been elected in spite not in consequence of his holding office under Earl GREY ; and re- garding it as beyond measure creditable to him, that even his connexion with Ministers has not been able to sink him. This opinion is ex- pressed in the following very plain terms, in a conspicuous part of the same Number of the Times which contains the report of the election- " The Westminster electors yesterday exhibited their good sense and sound principle by again choosing Sir John Elohhouse for their representative. Ile is a straightforward manly fellow, and deserves support. But, much as we admire the conduct of the electors, we must do justice to the elected, and state, that he does not owe his reelection to any assistance from the Government, but to his own vigour and integrity, and to the correct appreciation of his character by his constituents. The Government have been beaten in London, Sunderland, Cumberland—infiict, in almost every place where a contest has arisen-since the Worn Bill; during which period Sir John Ilubhouse has twice fought their battle in Westminster, and twice triumphed. Ministers owe a great deal more to this gentleman than he owes to them. But our principal reason for noticing this subject is TO WARN THE MixisrEtts. The People of England are not ungrateful, and arc anxious to support them against the vile Tory faction. The Reformed Ilouse of Commons supports them from the seine motives. Yet, such is their want of tact and want of energy, that with more means of successful maintenance of their position than any Ministry on record, they are almost always on the brink ,f ruin."
This looks rather ominous. The Times rarely puts forth such leaders as this, without having first felt the public pulse, and perhaps ascertained the real state of affairs in the Cabinet. So the Ministry are " almost always on the brink of ruin," owing to " their want of tact and energy !" This is an unkind cut from a stanch supporter.
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