" THE GREAT CRISIS."
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SPECTATOR.
Sra—The cause of the signal failure of attempts to produce agitation against WELLINGTON, is sufficiently plain. Just at present, agitation against WELLINGTON would be agitation for BROUGHAM and VAUX. Suppose such a row as the Reformers made in May 1832 ; what would be the result? Nothing but the return of Lord BROUGHAM to power; the same Lord BROUGHAM who thinks that we reformed too much last session ; the same Lord BROUGHAM who has lately declared in print (see Edinburgh Review) that WELLINGTON and PEEL ought to be in the Government ; the same Lord BROUGHAM who strangled the Warwick Bill, and tried to crush Lord DURHAM; the same shifting, tricky, unprincipled enemy of the Reformers, more drunk than ever with success, frantic through believing that any other Chancellor was impossible, and a worse hindrance to Reform—worse a thousand times—than a WELLINGTON Cabinet from now till March next. Agi- tation amongst Reformers, to bring back Lord BROUGHAM, uncorrected or rather stimulated in his Juste Milieu propensities !—No, Sir; the idea is ridiculous, and therefore worthy of the absurd Ex. Chancellor, who seems to be at the bottom of this miserable call for agitation.
The Whigs have nobody but themselves to blame. For two years, they have richly deserved to be turned out. It was not the King, or the Queen, or Lady SOPHIA SYDNEY, or the Tory intrigues, that turned them out : it was their own conduct, begi llll ing at the General Election, when they supported Lord HENLEY against HUME, and ending with the Ex- Chancellor's recent tricks in Scotland, at Salisbury, and in the Whig Edinburgh Review. As a sincere Reformer, I feel so truly rejoiced at their being out of the way of Reform, that, were I to attend a "great crisis" meeting, it would be to propose a cheer for their fall. Henceforth, it will be Measures, not Men—this is a blessed change. We have been cheated far too long with "great names" and "high reputations" and "former principles." Come what may, WELLINGTON himself cannot well be so decided an Anti-Reformer as to propos* "less reform next session than last." But if he should do so, there will be a fair fight on the question of Reform. Since the General Elec... tion, all the fighting has been "a cross" on the part of the Whip. Thank God ! they are out of the way. As for WELLINGTON, he cannot be a Reformer : the thing is Ian- possible. But let us pray that he may be in office long enough to make it impossible that the Tories should be succeeded by the Whigs. The grand point for us, the Reformers, is, that the cowardly, treacherous, feeble Whigs, should not get in again. We Gave a Prime Minister ready for action when the time shall be come. Let Lord DURHAM hold himself separate from the Ex- Chancellor ! Let him be quiet too: there is a time for all things ; and this is the time for allowing the Whip to be forgotton. At all events, we must wait three months for a " great crisis." So much time is required for the extinction of those who would surely betray and insult us as before, if they were again brought back to power on the shoulders of the People. A DURHAMITE ; WHO, FOR TIIE SAKE OF REFORM, PREFERS WELLINGTON TO THE WHIGS.
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