ILL-MATCHED HORSES IN THE STATE COACH.
As Mr. STANLEY is a Cabinet Minister and a leading member of Earl GREY'S Administration, one would be apt to imagine that the formal declarations made by him in the House of Commons rela- tive to the plans and intentions of that Administration might be depended upon as official communications. But it appears that it is no such thing,—unless, indeed, Lord ALTHORP is virtually de- posed from his leadership, and Mr. STANLEY is to be held the au- thentic expositor of the views of Government. For these two gen- tlemen make contradictory statements respecting the same matter, and that not by any means a trifling matter either. Thus, Mr. STANLEY informed the House, that the interest of the money to be granted to the slaveowners would be raised by an additional duty of 3s. per hundredweight on sugar; and this he very sagaciously seemed to consider a mode of throwing part of the burden on the planter, and a relief to the consumer in this country. Well, this was thought to be settled; but Lord ALTHORP has since declared that nothing has been determined upon, and that he has never said that there would be any additional duty laid on sugar. Which of the two are we to believe? Lord ALTHORP and Mr. STANLEY resemble two badly-matched horses in a team: Mr. STANLEY is the prancing off-leader, and Lord ALTHORP the sluggish, heavy wheeler. They pull different ways; and as the driver on the box, if he really has a whip, is cridently afraid to use it, there is no small risk of the state coach being overturned in its rugged and dangerous path.
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