THE TRIUMPHANT TORIES.
Ax amusing scene presented itself to the stroller along Pall. Mall and St. James's Street on Wednesday afternoon. The exul- tation of the Tories was irrepressible. Sir ROBERT PEEL had been sent for by the Queen—had seen the Queen—had received a carte blanche, and the " Proximate Prime Minister" was at length Premier de facto. Every thee you saw at the Carlton beamed with triumphant delight. The nods of recognition were given with a knowing look, meant to convey the impression that " Plum has sent to offisr are something—as you will soon learn." Expectant Under Secretaries galloped along the dusty pavement, as if the new Administration could not possibly be put together unless their terms were agreed to and their assistance secured. Now and then, a grave-looking personage, who considered a Foreign Embassy or a place in the Household the least that PEEL could. offer him, moved in stately guise up St. James's Street, acknow- ledging touches of the hat from the meanest of mankind, with the air of one who could afibrd to be courteous, be was so well satis- fied with himself and his prospects.
Oh the multitude of good things which the expectants of pay and promotion parcelled out among themselves on that busy even- ing ! Aspirants to the Cabinet of course were few ; but the House- hold, "the Offices," the Colonies, the Foreign Embassies, the Church, the Law, offered to countless claimants opportunities of serving their country—and themselves. Not a stripling of twenty but fancied himself at least an attache ; not a noble greybeard of seventy but glanced at his "shrunk shanks" with the entire " per- suasion " that they would admirably become the Garter.
But there were difficulties!—" Very true, but PEEL is precisely the person to deal with difficulties." The Queen ?—" PEEL will soon learn to manage the Queen." Those confounded Orange- men ?—" Nonsense I Sop PERCEVAL with a place, and ride rough- shod over RODEN. No, no; PEEL has cut the Irish ground from under Whig feet." Canada?—" The Whig bill has settled that question till the end of 1840; and if we are not then ready with a new constitution, prolong the term of that useful despotism which Whigs have taught us the Colonies require." The finances ? —" The blame of embarrassment belongs to our predecessors. All will go well—don't talk of difficulties—vogue la galore !"
A general election, however, is not a pleasant subject of' contem- plation. It is associated with long bills, agent's fees, and heavy mortgages. " True, but we shall he chosen for the good old- fashioned term of seven, that is six years full—there again we have to thank the Whigs; and though money must be borrowed, there will be salaries wherewithal to defray the interest—an advantage which " they upon the adverse faction want." Thus, upon a review of every point of their position, the triumph- ant Tories, confident in the skill of their leader, and relying upon their own activity, wealth, and influence, perceived no danger, and recognized no difficulty which might not be avoided or overcome.
Walk in imagination past BROOKES'S. There might be seen men whose lowering countenances corresponded with the murky exte- rior of the Whig club-house. They could not, perhaps they did not attempt to conceal the conviction that the game with them was entirely up. They had ample leisure to calculate the odds on the Derby, and brood over the necessity of reducing establishments and providing for younger sons out of their own purses instead of the public coffers. Of course, some unhappy gentlemen affected nonchalance at the breaking up of their party, and tried to assume an expression of dignified scorn for the good things present and in prospect from which they had been cut off. But their smiles were bitter, and it was plain that the " grapes were sour" only because out of their reach.
Well, the Tories were at the top of the tree, and every object before them wore the rose-colour. How long did it last ?
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