TOPICS OF THE DAY.
-WHAT PEOPLE SAY OF THE PEEL GOVERNMENT. THE Tory Protectionists say, that it has doubly disappointed them ; for that, instead of their making a tool of PEEL, as they fully in- -tended when they brought him into power, he has made a tool of them: and for their part they are now of opinion, that the best thing they can do is to turn him out, let in the MELBOURNE Whigs, and go back to that state of things in which the Conservatives used to conserve "old abuses," as the Liberals termed them, by means of a "Liberal" Government truckling to the Tory Opposition.
The great MELBOURNE Whigs say, that, like every other Go- vernment but their own, it is one which of course they should much like to turn out ; but that, though it may perhaps be turned out by means of combinations between themselves and the thorough- going Protectionists, yet, alas! they can't see their way to taking its place with any chance of staying there. The ex-underling MELBOURNE Whigs say, that if possible, it
ought to be upset anyhow, to the end that they may get into Downing Street again ; for that (and they appeal to the past) it is -very hard to turn anybody out of Downing Street who will make every sacrifice in order to stay there.
The Leaguers say, that it is just now a surprising Government to them, as having been saved the other day by themselves alone ; and that they intend to support it on Free-trade principle against any combinations founded on the joint principles of revenge and want of place.
O'CONNELL says, that it suits him, since he enjoys under it more influence and far more money than ever ; and that if its only method of pacifying Ireland is sending him to prison, he hopes it may probably last his time.
The Chartists say, that they like it better than the Whig Go- vernment, because it has never cheated them with false promises of happiness for their class to be produced by the Reform Bill, and has never sent any of them to prison; but that they bide their time.
The inarticulate peasantry censure it with fire.
The "White slaves "* of competition—the helpless women and children in the factories—condemn it with sighs and wailing.
The Colonial and colonizing public say, that it is the worst they remember, as being the most SrEenEN-ridden.
Mr. Mazzisu says, that it puts him in mind of the rascally Go- vernments of his own country. ,
" TOMMY " DUNCOMBE says, that he likes it, because it con- tinually gives him opportunities of showing it up to the advantage of his own popularity.
Cuningsby.spits upon it, and sells. A large proportion of the press, in town and country, speaks evil of it. Among London papers, the Standard and Morning Herald alone say what they can for it ; whilst the Tory Post fiercely de- nounces it.
The Times says that it is not yet crippled enough to be attacked every day with satisfaction to the Great Public ; but that most people are growing-careless -about it, and therefore find sport in seeing it get sharp kicks every other day ; which sport for most people the Times provides, in the due quantity according to demand.
The Spectator says, as heretofore, not that it is the best of Govern- ments, but that it is the best Government possible under present circumstances—nay more, the only possible Government ; and that as we cannot have any other, our wisest course is to make the best of it. But the Spectator adds, that it is a Government surrounded with difficulties which threaten its destruction, (come what may afterwards,) unless it speedily take a more comprehensive and bolder view of the difficulties of the country, than during this and the last session it has appeared capable of taking. In 1842, it was strong in the momentum of the large measures which it had the sagacity and courage to propose. In 1843, it stood still; it seemed to have no impulse : it lost its hold on the public imagination by ceasing to be original—by becoming commonplace, or merely place- holding. This year again, it does things by halves or quarters; puts O'CONNELL in prison, but is afraid to touch the social ills of Ireland—takes up the Sugar question, but wants boldness to deal with it as a whole—affects Law Reform, but disgusts Law Re- formers—and so on with regard to all manner of subjects—till at last it is no longer respected. It is not, indeed, despised, as the MELBOURNE Government was long before its fall; but there is a growing resemblance in the PEEL Government to that which it su- perseded: and this accounts for its being so weak as to be liable to injury from such enmity as Mr. Dzsitam.fs, and to be turned out on such a question as a difference of four shillings the hundred- weight on a fraction of imported sugar.
Standard, passim.
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