SAVE US FROM OUR FRIENDS !

IT has been the fashion of certain meau-souled Whigs and their well-matched newspapers to accuse the Spectate?. of "encourag- ing the Tories," because we base scorned to pat forth lists of Members cooked-up for the purpose of delusion—because, having taken pains to ascertain, we have fearlessly till, the truth. Yet the very persons who have given must currency to this slander, are themselves encouraging the Tories, in a manner so palpable and with a perseverance so ludicrously earnest, that we are sur- prised the Downing Street gentlemen have not stopped the in- discreet manifestations of alarm, and the laborious efforts to prove that a Tory triumph is inevitable. It is admitted that if any considerable number of the Tory pe- titions against Liberal Members °succeed, the Ministers must be placed in a minority on their most trying questions. Well, what is the course of the writers in the leading Downing Street paper? Would it be believed, that day after day, they have endeavoured to prove (we admit with considerable sucee,,$) that those petitions mug succeed ? The St«uthrd and the Po4 slyly protest that Ministers having a majority. though a smell one, in the House of Commons, will heve an advantege over the Opree:i-a 1 a Eleclion Committee ballots: but the .1fvelling-, that the Opposition will have the majority. " We established," said the ChrouSe/e on TuesS.s,ata principally of Aist we rea I. sat it, that as ' Members enishaad on the public service under G on E1et'ti'rn Connoittsss without ■1 is.eet t' alone would eccasian 1110-1 11111t•'1 1 1! •,! !.! Prom the strength of the C.w.-rz,o, :■7 to this purpose, was al•,, to he t al .:1 p•c- tion are remelted. N ws s .• s • may be laid opon the tahle—s lseS s • \ know that threats of an 41:r.,-; st we do .sal We !WOW, .111:11',1VCI". .Lt 1 .7... 7 f !h.:/

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pint of any Committee :is:, 1S1Rrd to rev ti.., Ws: may 1. slss 0: it if ..ca find that n•c t, a• t., . • -el s nnti,n•ity far the put 'co-.... 1:1.Attion w... • anl open to so much trie!iery lut•I 1...rt it r I',,t i, t 71. „!' Very Nert1p111011S.1 C.: it. Mile ,s a oii.• itr fait 54' '5 ,5,'5515r5 I. !' t• Flat tits nu'14,5ir of .11, r6 st S: It cr. m's ••!.1 1,e Torii s."

Now, if this is not eneonmeetnent to tlte Tories to subscribe te

the eleeti either fuel, viol to _et IT selitiona in all Toar- ters, we eatinet tell is visit wey the l'oees .1re t 'e • ene,•tita 40(1. Call you this " loaelsis,. too: ee .1 1`7-,• Ths -use road to victory is here psriiite;l ...1st to the Te.;-, i. e.le prs- fesses to be an ally of the 11hig. But what has been the advice of the Tory-aiding Spectator

We have told the Whigs, that the only chance of making good the unsafe position which they have selected, was to fight the

Tories with their own weapons—to raise their election fund, and to retaliate by petitioning against Tory Memlers. In this way, probably, many Tories would be prevented from subscribing to

the petition-fund; and, at any rate, the chances of getting Liberal Committees would be augmented. But no—all at once the Whigs have become squeamish. To save the Irish Catholics from " ex- tetmination," they would not do any thing so immoral. Therefore they tell the Tories that their manoeuvres are not to be counter- acted—that their money will be well laid out—that they will

have favourable Committees to try their election-petitions ; not denying at the same time, that should some twelve or fifteen Liberals be unseated, PEEL and WELLINGTON must again be in office !

" Sonic improvement," however, we are now told, must be adopted in the system of deciding disputed elections. Gentlemen, your friends the Ministers should have acted on that notion last

session, when Lord JOHN RUSSELL threw cold water on Mr. CHAIII.bS BULLER'S attempt to establish something like an

equitable tribunal in the place of committees notoriously biassed

by party feelings. It may be that Ministers have now the iii- eiinatiou to effect a reform of the system, but have they the power Last session, when the prospect of a Tory majority was

hardly contemplated, the Opposition might perhaps have con- curred in some plan which would have assured fair play to the minority ; but now that they arc in full view of office, is it to be

believed that they will consent to repeal the Grenville Act, NS hich, under the circumstances, works so well for them? Observe—as

a first step, the Grenville Act must be repealed by Lords as well as Commons. It is not pretended, however, that a new court can or will be formed to try the election petitions, which now give so much alarm to the Whigs. No definite remedy whatever is proposed for the most pressing evil. All that the W big journalists can do is to complain and preach about Tory immorality,—as if it had been taken for granted that our opponents were scrupulous in their means of warfare.

Doubtless, in the end, one good will arise from this dilemma : the eyes of all men must be opened to the iniquity of the present ;node of settling disputed elections ; and perhaps some may be convinced that delay in effecting required changes is dangerous, and that to shore up an abuse is to strengthen Toryism.