TOPICS OF THE DAY.
THE COMING ELECTION—WHIGS AND RADICALS.
A CIRCUMSTANCE has just occurred, which confirms the opinion so often expressed by us lately, that without a speedy revival of the Whig-Radical Union, the Tories may return to power with a majority in the House of Commons. Our readers are well ac- quainted with the electoral state of East Cornwall. Mentioning this subject last week, we said-
" In East Cornwall, Lord Eliot may slip in ; not because there has been any reaction in favour of Toryism, but because the Whigs have acted as in- discreetly as ungenerously towards Sir William Molcsworth. They refuse to support Sir William no account of his advocacy of Peerage Reform. Sir Wil- liam, on the other hand, considers the Ballot essential ; and in his address to the electors, advised them to make support of the Ballot a condition of giving their votes to any candidate. Ho would therefore act consistently in recom- mending his tenantry, and the very numerous and influential body of electors who share his opinions and look upon him as their leader, to plump' for Sir William Trelawney, and leave Sir Ilussey Vivian, who is opposed to the Ballot, for the NVhigs to get iu, if they can. Should Sir William Molesworth take this course, which he might 410 with perfect propriety, it is probable, nay almost certain, that a Tory would be elected for East Cornwall. Sa much we concede to the Standard; and, moreover, we must admit, that in any other town or distrkt where the Whigs act as unwisely as in East Cornwall, the Tories will have an excellent chance of displacing the Whigs. But all the Whigs are not blockheads."
What we then thought probable has actually taken place. Sir Huss Ev VIVIAN having applied to Sir WILLIAM MoLEswoRra for his support,—intimating that, on the Ballot, he is open to con- viction, yet saying that if his opinion should grow to be for the Ballot, he cannot tell whether, as a inember of' Ilic Government, he shall be free to vote according to that opinion,—Sir WILLIAm MOLESWORTH flatly refuses to support him. Neither Sir HussEe VIVIAN ill East Cornwall, nor Lord EBRINGTON in North Devon, will be a match for the Tory candidate without Sir '‘VILLIAst MOLESIVORTH'S support. Sir WILLI All, WO are informed, declares that if the Whigs maintain their Cabinet opposition to Ballot, requiring such of their adherents as approve of Ballot to vote against it, he will not support any IVhig candidate at the next election. Here, then, are two Whig County-candidates, exposed to almost certain defeat, and simply by the unreasonable opposi- tion of the Whigs, as a Government, to a most cherished Utica of their Radical allies. Who will now accuse us of hostility to Ministers, in having urged upon them the timely adoption of open questions as to all matters of difference between Whigs and Ra- dicals?
It will be inferred by sonic, from Sir HUSSEY VIVIAN'S refusal to promise that if he should approve of the Ballot he will vote for it, that the rumour which has been set on foot by persons connected with Government, of Lord MELBOURNE'S intention to adopt the system of open questions, has no real foundation. At present we are of a different opinion. We are inclined to think that the ne-
cessity of the case is now perceived by the Whigs, but that, like most p:ople who only yield ta necessity, they have waited till the concession loses much of the grace with which it might have been made. That, however, is their own affair.
It remains for us to express an opinion upon the course adopted by Sir WILLtAu MotEswoRTIL Considering by whom he is driven from the representation of a constituency devotedly attached. to him, his answer to the Whig candidate seems perfectly justi- fiable in a party sense. He owes nothing to the Whigs of East
Cornwall but the loss of its representation. After their treatment of him, who has been a constant supporter of time Whigs in and out of office for two years, his voluntary engagement to promote the return in his own place of any Whig candidate not opposed to the Ballot, was an act of remarkable generosity. For this he will be returned, if he pleases, at the header the poll for Westminster ; for this he is now, with Reformers in all parts of the country, an object of enthusiastic admiration. But if, from tenderness to the Whigs, he had abandoned the declared sine qua non of his sup- port of a Whig, his conduct would have been inconsistent and absurd. Sir HUSSEY VIVIAN has nobody to blame for the dilem- ma in which be is placed, but those mere Whigs about Lord MELBOURNE .vho yet object to a Ministerial promise of open questions. As to the policy of Sir WILLI Ala MOLESWORT H's course, con- sidering his present position before the millions who want the fruits of Parliamentary Worm, his answer to Sir II usssv VI %•1 appears as wise as it is frank and decided. He has struck the right nail upon the head. More or less of Radical concession to Whig prejudice or worse, would not have hit the very mark. It is good policy for the Reformers to keep the Whigs in office, but on the condition of open questions—neither more nor less. Many are the places—Marylebone, Newcastle, Dundee, &c. &c.—in which Sir WILLIAM MOLESWORTICS example will be surely followed, unless the progress of Radical independence be stopped by an early Ministerial promise of open questions. It is well, nay most desirable, to inform Ministers, even with a view to keeping them in office, that Radicalism can set up for itself; and that they should know precisely what is the degree of concession required from them. This they will now learn most accurately by the election proceedings of East Cornwall. Sir IVILLIAm MOLES- WORTH'S generosity and spirit, being consistent with his youth, are less remarkable than such discretion and sound judgment in one so young.
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