As far as we understand the Poll Mail Gazette's recent
enthu- siasm for Peers, it believes that a title constitutes the difference between statesmanship and clerkship. We read, in last night's paper :—" Brand, Lowe, Goschen, Ayrton, Childers, Forteseue, Forster, Bruce, Stausfeld—some of them clever, most industrious, and even gifted men. But surely it is clear that if there were in the House of Commons only two or three of such powerful and original minds as used to be found there, as are still to be found in the Upper House, and as from out of that House will actually supply our best if not our only guarantees for the statesmanlike conduct of affairs under the new Administration, the pretensions of most of the new men would be much diminished." After read- ing this, we naturally turned with interest to its list of true states- men. This comprises Lord Granville, the Duke of Argyll, Lord Clarendon, Lord Salisbury, Lord Carnarvon, Lord Cairns, Lord lArestbury, and Lord Grey, to which, it adds with a flourish, that a dozen such names might easily be added. Why not add them ? —especially as Lord Cairns and Lord Salisbury are just as avail- able as Lord Derby and the Duke of Richmond, being, we may remark for our contemporary's information, Tories ; as Lord Grey, able as he is, besides being bitter against Mr. Gladstone, never could manage to act cordially with anybody yet, which is not a proof of statesmanship ; as Lord Westbury never showed a ray of political genius, great as he is as a lawyer, and would unquestionably damage Mr. Gladstone's Administration far more than he would aid it; and as Lord Clarendon has made plenty of grave mistakes as an English Foreign Minister, and never yet impressed the country with any confidence in his lucidity or strength. Few who know well the careers of the men on this double list would doubt that the most efficient statesman of all, barring the Tory Lord Salisbury, is on the side of the Com- moners. The Pall Mall cordially and sincerely believes in titular statesmanship. It is not an uncommon sort of belief, and will pay.
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