Sir Robert Peel followed Mr. IIerbert with one of his
sharpest attacks on the Government, in a speech of bitter vivacity and cleverness, but as unstatesmanlike as Mr. Herbert's was wise and just. He called our policy one of selfish isolation, described us as menaced in the West and threatened in the East. He attacked Lord Lyons for his cowardice in leaving Paris. Our Government bad had a complete success in bringing about, within twelve months, so much of humiliation to the character and credit of the country. We had been recommended to accept a policy of complete obliteration. In France, in Switzerland, in Belgium, there was but one cry of shame against us,—" La politique Anglaise fait honte." He commented on the constantly reiterated use of the word " ventured" in the diplomatic papers. " We ven- tured to represent," &c., as if we were afraid for our lives even in making a representation. He laughed at Lord Granville for formally repeating in a despatch to Lord Lyons that M. Thiers had remarked what a very excellent fellow his (Lord Granville's) father was. And he finished up a thoroughly nasty' though somewhat amusing attack on the Government by a singular lament over the unification of Germany as an event of bad omen for all Europe. The rest of the debate was not important, except that Mr. W. C. Cartwright, perhaps the best informed foreign politician in the House, made an able maiden speech on the German side, and that Mr. Gladstone defended the humility of the Government, and intimated that its efforts would be used to diminish the pressure on France in reference to the terms of peace. The motion was by consent withdrawn.
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