TOPICS OF THE DAY.
INFORMATION FOR LORD GREY.
As to the state of public opinion concerning the Ministry, we pre- tend to have -bettes, information than the Ministers themselves ; who, surrounded by partisans, not to say parasites, are apt to be deceived on a subject in which they have the deepest interest; and the more because that interest is of a personal nature. Power repels truth and attracts flattery. Which of Lord GREY'S inti- mate followers would choose to annoy him by saying that Lord ALTHORP'S speech on the Sinecure question has given great offence? which of them, on the other hand, ever misses an occa- sion to tell his Lordship that the public is inclined to trust and support the present Cabinet? The two assertions are equally true ; but whilst one of them has never, probably, been made to any Minister, the other, no doubt, is continually repeated to all the Ministers. It is in this way that Cabinets, and especially Prime Ministers, are liable to form a wrong estimate of their own hold on the public mind. WELLINGTON never perceived till it was too late, that his handling of thd East Retford question had destroyed his popularity arising from the Catholic question. Just so, Lord GREY may not discover, till it be too late, that gratitude for his part in reforming the }Luse of Commons has been con- verted into dislike because the substantial improvements were withheld which the Nation sought by aiding him to carry his Re- form Bill. Hemay be thus blinded, not merely by such flatterers as surround all men in power, but also by a Reforming portion of the House of Commons and by the Reforming Press. How so, it will be asked? Let us explain.
. Some time previous to the elections, the public, exhausted by two years of violent excitement, had become sick of agitation, and desirous, for the sake of" quiet times," that future reforms should proceed from a Government friendly to reform, instead of being exacted from a Government opposed to all improvement. It was this feeling which led to the return of so many candidates who gave the single pledge" to support Lord GREY'S Ministry." This feeling still prevails. Thousands, tens of thousands of Reformers, are not yet disposed, like Mr. HUME, to "make the Government uneasy" with a view to the ends of Reform in Parliament, but seek rather, by something like flattery, to encourage Ministers in the good work which all but the blind know must be performed ill or well. Thus Ministers hear from so many quarters such warm ex- pressions of attachment, and are so frequently told in such strong terms of their pasi merits, that they may be excused for suppos- ing that their popularity would carry them through any folly.
But though such an excuse might be offered for such an error, the error would be great indeed. Though the public be disposed to support Ministers, that disposition arises from the wish that abuses should be corrected in a particular way. It is a question not of substance, but of manner. The public hope that Reform may proceed without any more violent agitation ; and therefore they appear inclined to support Ministers through thick and thin. But Lord GREY is grossly deceived if he have been led to imagine, that, because he is supported after having given the House of Commons a Tory Speaker, he will be supported in a system of Tory rule. The King's Speech, which might have been written by CASTLEREAGH for a Tory Parliament, was read with a feeling approaching to disgust by Reformers, who nevertheless continue to speak well of the King's Ministers. "Therefore," those Ministers may say to themselves, "we shall be supported at all events; so great is our popularity." It is a mistake, we venture to tell his Majesty's Secretary at War. The object of those who, dissatisfied with Ministers, continue to support them, is to prevent agitation ; but agitation will not be prevented if Ministers con- tinue to displease their supporters ; and when agitation comes, it will be seen too late why the Reformed Parliament and Reforming Press supported Lord GREY notwithstanding his Tory Kings Speech, his Tory Speaker, and his long attachment to Sinecures. For our part, representing the sentiments of an influential class of Reformers, we should be willing to make considerable sacrifices for the sake of quiet times. Between. bad o and agita- tion for good government, it is not so easy to choose, when one re- flects that heavy taxation is less injurious, perhaps, to the go- verned, than great excitement, uncertainty, and stagnation of trade, —such as this country suffered during the slow progress of the Reform Bill, or rather, in consequence of obstacles to its progress. Besides, what is more to the purpose, agitation, like war, interferes with practical improvement. For example, if the King's Speech had been written for a Reformed Parliament, -our papers on Taxation, planned and in part executed several months ago, would have been more apropos than they are as it is, when the public doubts whether Ministers intend to please The Reformers or the Tories. During periods of great excitement, -useful objects are neglected for party politics; an excellent rea- son for hindering agitation if possible. Every one knows that if the present Ministry should become unpopular, all hope of prac- tical improvement would cease for a time ; and this consideration helps to explain why, notwithstanding Lord GREY'S Tory com- mencement of the first session of a Reformed Parliament, we have as yet no strong expression of discontent, no meetings,* no peti- tions, no outward and visible signs of the inward spirit of Reform. Very many Reformers, we tell our late ally the Radical Sir JOHN .1 HoBaousis, are holding back, remaining passive for fear lest a This was written before the news frorn liirreingbam and WolverhamRton had arrived. agitation should interfere wit's effectual reform.. They yet hope that Lord GREY means well, and that he will act accordingly if he be let alone. But how great will be their disappointment, if Lord GREY, thus supported by a; generous and confiding people, should pursue a system in accordance with the King's Speech, the election of Mr. Surrosr, and the vote in favour of Sine- cures! And will not so bitter a disappointment lead to agitation more violent than ever, and more terrible, because in that case the Nation would be without leaders,. having lost confidence in all public men? It does appear to us, on reflection, that those who, for the sake of quiet times, support the Whigs in Tory pro- ceedings, may defeat their own object by the very means which they take to accomplish it. We shall endeavour to avoid this error; into which, we admit, such is our dislike of agitation, we have been very near falling. For all classes of the people at present, and still more for those changes which would serve all classes of the people, quiet times are most desirable; but will a Tory system of government prevent agitation? We submit this question to Lord GREY; telling him, at the risk of "making him uneasy," that the support which he has obtained from Reformers since the meeting of Parliament has been given for the sake of ends diame- trically opposed to those which his Cabinet appear to have in view.
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