An annual custom to which we are very faithful, that
of circu- lating extravagant and calumnious reports at this particular season between Christmas and Parliament, has assumed an unusually black look this year. The reasons are, perhaps, that the weather has been so chill and dreary ; that the period is one of coming wars and state vicissitude ; and that the Tories are out of office. For it is,the great party out of place which is charged with supplying the materials for these discreditable amusements of the season ; and although no party has betrayed a total want of capacity for the requisite invention, there is none which can match in determi- nation, and imagination, and spiteful iteration, with that party which believes itself to have a divine right to Downing Street. The two fables of the day are, that Prince Albert has been sent to the Tower, and Lord Derby " sent for " by the Court or by the Cabinet. The latter report is helped by a high Tory organ with a contradiction, couched in the form of a denial that Lord Derby would comply with the request either to form a new Ministry or to aid the present. We may be sure that his compliance has not been tested.
The other rumour is only the crowning absurdity in a series of systematic assaults upon the Prince Consort. There is always some penetrating patriot to discover Court mysteries. In the days of the Sailor King, we had " the Queen has done it all," and " the Duke of Cumberland conspiring with Orangemen against the suc- cession of his niece." No party is immaculate. The use of these rumours is to create that powerful weapon for an Opposition— embarrassment to the Ministry. Whether it is a bread riot, a Continental difficulty, a cold winter, or a rumour of Court intrigue, the responsible Ministry has to bear the brunt of the trouble ; and a party will at any time cut up a Prince to raise a tumult against a Cabinet. The surprising extent of country over which the re- port of Prince Albert's committal to the Tower (!) spread within twenty-four hours, although not reported in any extensively cir- culated journal, almost suggests that special means were used ; and plans for serving party in such a way would not be difficult to devise. A. few shillings to a few railway stokers would lodge the lie in all the principal stations of the country within the single ,journey of a down-train.
This case suggests the desirableness of a reform of public proce- dure, already exemplified in other effects of our system of secrecy during the progress of arrangements interesting to the nation. Etiquette withholds the simple denial that ought to be easy, until Parliament is in session to take " authorized " cognizance of popular rumour ; and thus the. Queen's husband remains for weeks under a stigma, and the duped public under an anxiety.
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