MR. HARVEY OUT OF OFFICE.
So, HARVEY'S "himself again "—at least we hope so ; and that he is in no hurry to reappear on the stage in a similar character to that which he has performed during the Parliamentary recess. In a letter to his constituents, the Member for Southwark fairly ad- mits that the income of the Hackney Coach Registrarship would have been acceptable to him, (alas! only 800/. a year ! ) but that Sir WILLIAM FOLLETT BEd Mr. AUSTIN were of opinion that the office mine within the scope of the statute of Queen ANN and disqualified the holder from sitting in Parliament. The choice lying between the Registrarship and the Membership for South- wark, Mr. HARVEY, in thlfilment of his promise to his constituents on accepting, has resigned the former.
" In giving up may office," he says," I do not cast a longing, lingering look
behind. Industry. and perseverance are, in themselves, profitable qualities, and my purpose is to resume my profession : if, in so doing, I can succeed in making my pecuniary as complete as my political independence, I shall be content. At all events, should I not succeed in attaining the one, I will never abandon the other."
Mr. ..HARVEY is not ungrateful-
" I cannot conclude this [tares" without availing myself of the opportunity it affords me of recording my public thanks to Lord John Russell ; upon whose favour I had, assuredly, no political claim. I am sensible of the benefit intended me, and I am grateful for it."
Mr. HARVEY'S gratitude is edifying. No doubt he is under a weighty obligation. He no longer believes that the office was given to him because no Whig cousin would take it. He was selected from a feeling of pure disinterested kindness pervading the breast .
of the Home Secretary. There was something very ungracious in Mr. HAnvny's manner of accepting the appointment ; but he has made amends by the becoming tone of his resignation. Beyond
question, Lord JOHN is disappointed and vexed at the result of his scheme for increasing Mr. HARI/ries worldly comfort. He wonders
at the preference of a seat in Parliament to 800/, a year, and pro- bably wishes he had doubled the salary. For we must believe that the desire of keeping Mr. IInavny out of the House of Commons
had a little to do with his selection of that gentleman for the Coach Registrarship. Even if its retention had not been ruled a disqualifi.
cation, and Mr. ILiavsur had remained Member for Southwark and Coach Registrar also, Lord Jonx might calculate on partially gain. ins his end,—thinking, as we suggested at the time, that " the in- fluence which no placeman resists would quietly steal over the el- (levant Radical and mollify his sarcastic soul." Indeed—it may be -
fancy, but we think we recognize in the terms of Mr. HARVEY'S letter of resignation, something of the influence alluded to. The
ex-Registrar can scarcely be very truculent in his attacks upon the noble Lord to whom he is so much indebted ; to whom his " pub. lie thanks" are due ; for whose intended " benefit" he is " grate- ful." And Mr. Hnitv.ny announces, that his opposition is not to be " capricious," but " constitutional
Time ensuing session will be occupied by questions of deep interest. We ore in a crisis which calls for all the wisdom and for all the energy of those who are at the helm. For myself, I shall continue—as I trust I have always done —in the line, not of a capricious, but of a constitutional opposition to what- ever measures may appear to me to be either unfavourable to the interests of the country, or ininned to the freedom of the people."
Mr. HARvEir states his intention to resume the practice of his profession. May he meet with a success at least commensurate to his very immoderate desires. He has been scandalously persecuted; and we regret that, by reason of this injustice, he is disabled from taking that higher walk in which his talents peculiarly fit him to shine.. But at the same time, perhaps, Mr. HARVEY would do well not to be in a hurry. He casts no "longing, lingering look" to- wards the Registrarship ; but who knows what better thing Lord JOHN RUSSELL may have in store for him, if his "constitutional" opposition should not be too troublesome, am! his grateful tempe- rament be preserved and occasionally exhibited in action?
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