The spurious " Manchester party" seems still from time to
time to attract a recruit from the lower ranks of the Derby Opposition, The spurious " Manchester party" seems still from time to time to attract a recruit from the lower ranks of the Derby Opposition,
notwithstanding the unqualified adherence of Lord Derby to the national policy in the war; and this week the Marquis of Granby gives political expression to a generous regret for Russia, and avows an inclination to conclude a peace. If there were any ad- vantage in the assembling of Parliament, which some quidmmos have dreamed, it would be, that mere make-believes of dissidence from the public feeling would be corrected, since the leading party on the left hand of the Speaker would be 'pulled up to a sense of its responsibilities. The idle " cry " about peace, to favour any coalition or Parliamentary mancenvres—as distinguished from an unaffected and earnest desire for peace—can have no effect but to defeat the object that it professes. It would be mischievous as well as silly to pretend that pacific men in this country are blind to the difficulties certain to be entailed upon us by -a prolongation of hostilities,—diffioulties which it is but poor comfort to think are felt tenfold by the enemy. We have become engaged in a war 'which the circumstances compel us to carry on, without having as yet been able to shape any such distinct and tangible issue that we could of our own will terminate the war by seizing its object. This class of reflections, we know, is now very •strongly engaging some of the most influential minds in the country : but it is one thing to recognize difficulties which we have to overcome, and ano- ther to create new difficulties by pretending a division of council which does not exist. The talk about peace may encourage Russia to a suicidal obstinacy in protracting a contest which is now, and 'must continue to be, a losing one to her. We cannot bring hos- tilities to a close until we have attained a guarantee against a re- newal of these pretensions on the part of Russia which originated our defensive action. But on no occasion have the Government or the people of this country permitted it to be understood that we are closed against listening to proposals, should they come from the proper quarter and be made in the proper spirit. It is not humi- liation that England would demand; we should demand such terms as would secure to us the object of the war, and would be consistent with the actual relative position of the parties to the contest at the moment of opening the communications. The whole weight of the country backs that settled conviction ; and while folly raises a sound of difference that does not really prevail in our councils, besides encouraging the enemy, it must distract those states on the Continent who could terminate the contest by giving the balance of their power to back the conditions upon which alone pease can be concluded. As soon as Austria and Prussia have been made finally to understand the pereinptory necessities of the case, Russia will awaken to a sense of her true position; the requisite proposals will be forthcoming; and at that point England, assuredly, will not be inclined to refuse a safe and ho- nourable peace.
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