We would scarcely have notibed a rumour or set of
rumours in the Clubs, regarding certain Ministerial arrangements said to lie in Con- templation, but for an article relating to them, or something of the sort, in the 'Times of yesterday. The Times employs upwards of a column of " leader," not exactly to deny that a coalition is in contemplation, (although it sets out with calling the rumour in question a "very story,") but to demonstrate that it would be very unwise in the I /eke and Sir Robert Peel, and the Tories its general, to form a coalition ith the Moderate Whigs. The article is rather an attempt to frighten the Tory leaders from entering into a coalition, than a denial that they have listened to overtures. The Times might as well have told out
" very foolish story " alien it was about it : but since it will not, we will. , We " tell the toil:. as 'twas told to us "—neither vouching for its truth nor calling it in question—simply in our capacity of news- caterers for the public, giving our readers to know a hat reports are current.
Oct (lit, then—That Lord Pnlmerslon has established himself high in the good graces of the Queen ; and that the use lie is making of the Bo, al favour is to have the way for enabling; hint to retain the office of Foreign Secretary in the Tory Cabinet about to be formed. It is even sa1,1, that so confidently does he build upon tho footing he stands on at Court, as to be suspected of a scheme to establish his Lady in the Queen s Bedchamber, and then to add the Premiership to the control of the de- portment of Foreign Affairs! On (lit, that he has entrapped the Conservative leaders into a writien approval of his Eastern policy. The Duke of Wellington is repre- sented as saying that his approval was conditional, the condition being that no rupture of our amicable relations with France was to be ha- zarded ; while Sir Robert Peel mutters something about some circum- Stances having been kept from his knowledge : but there is no whisper of any such boggling on the part of Lord Aberdeen. This, we suppose, is the "very foolish story," which the Times cavils at, but does not ex- pressly contradict. It is curious enough, when viewed in connexion with this story, that the jibes and jeers with which Lord Palmerston, more than any member of the Government, used to be incessantly assailed, have of late entirely ceased. Not a word is said now about " Cupid," or " Cupid's Album." He seems to have become all at once the pet of the Carlton Club ; and the Morning Post laboured as eagerly to defend him from the attacks of a correspondent of the Times, as did his own paper the Morning Chro- nicle. Nay, the Times itself is oftener a discreet apologist of the Queen's Foreign Secretary than a severe assailant. It would he curious after all, to see another Ministry added to the long list of those in which Lord Palmerston has contrived to hold office. His Ministerial liaisons are unparalleled in number and variety, save by the amours of the lady carried about in a glass box by a Genie, of whom we read in the open- ing of the Arabian Nights' Entertainments.
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