The Premier immediately rose to say that in Lord Derby
" the Queen had lost the services of one of her ablest counsellors ; those onlywho had served with him could fully appreciate his capacity for affairs, the penetrating power of his intelligence, and the judicial impartiality of his general conduct." For a quarter of a century he had been his colleague in office, and in that long time his re- lations with him had been without a cloud. His noble friend, " with prudence and perfect taste," had avoided entering into the reasons for his resignation, but to avoid mystery, he would say that at the present moment, when the balance of power in the Mediterranean is so disturbed, and the hopes of rectifying it through Congress have almost disappeared, her Majesty's Government had resolved to advise the calling-out of the Re- serve Forces. He deeply deplored that when the time came for stating his reasons he should not be supported by Lord Derby, but these wrenches, however severe, at least teach us that the sense of duty in our public men is great. " My Lords, I have felt of late that the political ties between myself and my noble friend must soon terminate, but I believed they would terminate in a very different and a more natural manner,—that I should disappear from the scene, and that he should remain, in the maturity of manhood, with his great talents and experience, to take that leading part in public affairs for which he is so well qualified." Time has not been given to ascertain the precise effect of this resignation, but there can be no doubt it will be great. Mode- rate Tories looked to Lord Derby as their guarantee against the recklessness of his Chief, and all Europe saw in him the chief opponent of the War party, the man who would not commence a great campaign out of mere haste or temper. He has dis- appeared, and known, as he is, to be fond of office, men will not readily credit that he has gone merely because the Cabinet has decided to call out the Reserve Forces,—that is, to expend a little more money in preparations. They will say, at all events until ample proof is shown to the contrary, that Lord Derby assented to the demand for the six millions, that he has seen the incessant preparations in the arsenals quite calmly, and that he must now see measures in contemplation which will directly lead to war. It is between war and peace, therefore, that the country has to decide, and the decision must depend upon the reasons assigned. As yet there is not a single sufficient reason for war alleged, or any mode indicated of prosecuting one. Russia has conquered Turkey, but in the Peace she has carefully guarded all English interests, and the only change is the inevitable one that Turkey may henceforth depend upon Russia, instead of England. That is a reason for superseding Turkey by a more independent Power, but not for entering on a war, which cannot restore to Turkey her vitality, or result in anything but leaving us with a huge burden on our hands.
