Thursday's debate was remarkable chiefly for Mr. Lowe's speech. He
delivered a very effective attack both on the double- -dealing of the Government,—in the course of which he was called to order for speaking of the number of falsehoods the Government had contrived to pack into the despatch to Lord Odo Russell,—and on the use of the Prerogative. The Queen, he said, might pardon, if she pleased, all the burglars in the country ; she might make all the cobblers Earls ; but such a use of the Prerogative would be monstrous and dangerous to the Constitution ; and so was the use of it which withdrew this Con- vention from the cognisance of Parliament. If this course were to be followed, our liberties were not worth sixpence. Mr. Lowe also made a very amusing comment on the annexation of Cyprus. Great Britain, he said, used to do the part of the Good Samaritan towards Turkey. But now, instead of taking out two pence and giving them to the sick man's host, she asked him severely, "Have you such a thing as half-a-crown about you?—if so, hand it over," which was more like the thieves than the Samaritan. Lord John Manners's reply was not bright. But he insisted, like his chief, on the independence of the Sultan, the tendency of all we are doing to secure the integrity of his diminished dominions, and on the usefulness of the attempt to coach him into capacity to pass political muster among decent political Powers. The debate of last night,--the result of which we cannot know before going to press,—was expected to close the discussion.
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