THE PRESS.
HOME POLITICS—THE NEW "COUNTRY PARTY."
STANDARD—We are gratified to find that we are, at length followed by the intelligent part of the public press of all parties in reproving with contempt the fictitious importance given in Parliament to questions about Greece, Terceira Dom Miguel, and so forth. We claim no praise for setting the example ; and, for ourselves, we boast nothing of the prose- lytes to our opinions, because we are well aware that it is the indifference of the public to the exotic nonsense in question which has at length taught our contemporaries that the domestic state of the empire is the only subject upon which they can write with any reasonable hope of interesting their readers. More of our British fellow-subjects are at this moment famishing, or rapidly descending into the state of famine, than would make up the whole population of the countries upon whose con- cerns so much of the time of Parliament has been wasted; and the people will no longer bear that the sufferings of their immediate neigh- bours and countrymen shall be postponed to the consideration of the lighter sufferings of strangers : and they feel, too, that the liberties of others nearer home are at present perilled as deeply as those of the Ter.. ceirites or Greeks. This is a great step towards improvement. The next step will be taken—if, indeed, it is not already taken in Parliament. The prevailing sentiment which has silenced, or is silencing, the press upon foreign politics, must exercise a like influence upon the members of the Le- gislature. The fixing of attention upon domestic affairs will make or rather will reinforce (font has always existed in the Protestant Tories)1.hat opponent most dreaded by Ministers—a Country Party. SUch-a party, formidable in numbers, in talents, in rank, and unrivalled; as all will allow, in purity of character, we have reason to believe, is already con- solidated Confident in its own power, and in the sympathy of the majority of the nation, it can freely communicate and co-operate with any other parties, of the objects of which it may approve, without ap- prehending the suspicion of compromising principles, or of any of those other unworthy submissions which make the name of " co- alition " disgraceful. Such a party as we suppose-such, in truth, as we believe to be already formed-might, with the utmost con- sistency, support the motion of a Whig, or of any other denomi- nation of partisan, if the motion were essentially free from objec- tion; and might as freely from all danger of- reproach communicate, without respect of party, with the mover of a proposition beneficial in itself, if such communication should seem necessary to its success. Such a party would, or, again correcting ourselves, let us rather say will, con- stitute that rare desideratum in politics-a really honest, zealous, and decisive power in the composition of the Legislature. It will indeed be found opposing by a direct, as well as an indirect operation, the Admi- nistration of the Duke of Wellington ; but this is an unavoidable incident to its aim of promoting the public welfare.
BRIGHTON GAZETTE-In addition to what was stated last week, we understand that upon the Currency question the Tories will cordially co- -operate with Lord Grey ; and that both parties, as we indeed then inti- mated, are firmly resolved to watch with a wary eye the proceedings of the Government, checking them wherever their measures may appear to be wrong. The Tories will rally together, and form what the Duke of Richmond on a late occasion termed "a Country Party," acting as an organized body, adhering together, and determined to kohl the balance between all others. This result will, we are sure, be highly satisfactory to the country ; and we are happy to know that they will constitute a body sufficiently powerful in numerical strength, as well as in the moral influence of political integrity and sound talents, effectively to maintain the position of arbiters.
TIMES-We are glad that such a plan is adopted (if in truth it be adopted), for we fear that not only the present, but every other Ministry, if it be not narrowly watched, will be but too apt, either from the in- fluence of high importunity, or the wantonness of power, or various other causes the enumeration of which is unnecessary, to do things which reason disapproves, and the spirit, if not the letter, of the consti- tution forbids. But the notoriety of the fact that they are watched, both supplies an excuse to extraneous applications, and may check improper intentions in their own breasts. But who are the watchmen ? One party at least, if we may judge from their own habits when in power, will have no disposition to check Ministers in acts of extravagance, or in arbitrary measures ; and with respect to the other party, they have had no practice in the art of governing, having been but little in office, and not knowing how to keep it when they had it, and being totally mistaken upon the issues, if not upon the principles, of most of the great questions which have agitated Europe and the present geueration.
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