The political farmers and their distinguished friends, who are wandering
about in search of a policy or a leader, have been visit- in,g Ministers and Anti-Ministers. They went to Lord Stanley, and performed a little drama with him. They stated their case; and he made them a speech of encouragement,—leaving to them, however, all the labour of converting into a minority that ma- jority in Parliament which he thinks it vain to combat. The de- putation also visited Lord John Russell, and declaring Government responsible, threatened very terrible consequences, even " danger ", to the " institutions " of the country, if 'Protection were not re- stored ; and they urged him to appeal to the country. Lord John accepted the responsibility with his usual nonchalance ; he declined to dissolve Parhament ; and he reminded the deputation that the compromise which he could have secured in 1840 had been rejected by the agriculturists. Would he return to that now? asked one of the deputation. No, answered Lord John, with ready wit; a measure to lower corn from 588. to 508. would have been welcomed, but one to raise corn from 428. to 508. would be "taken ill." Not by us, the Protectionists might have said. No, but by the buyers Lord John could have rejoined : and he—no longer representing agricultural Huntingdon, but Member for London and head of a Free-trade Government—is naturally more careful for the civic consumers of corn than for the rural growers.
