TIME was-and that not immemorial—when a single defeat told Ministers to resign, and when they would have been ashamed to retain their places for an hour, after having been left in a minority on a Ministerial question. But now-though beaten black and blue, over and over again-they will not budge, but keep as obstinately in their burrows as so many badgers. Shame, pride, honour, conscience-all once forbade our rulers to persist in being our rulers, in spite of the declaration of the House of Commons that they were unprincipled or incapable; nor would the country have endured such tenacity to office as is now exhibited by the rump of the Whigs, but plucked them from their places, and flung them aside like rubbish. The people seem now to have lost that power. There sit a set of men calling themselves a Ministry, all quarreling with one another, suspected, despised, or hated by all parties, and yet at times all talking big and all pocketing their salaries, as if they were toiling from morn to night for their country's good. Not a creature can you meet anywhere, out of the circle of their own immediate menials, who does not regard them with dislike, indignation, or disgust; and yet-look-there they sit with honest Lord Althorp, now apparently their head-resolved to sit for ever-immovable by groans or laughter-or rising up, ever and

anon, and insolently exposing honest Lord Althorp, then apparently their bottom, to the uplifted foot of the Nation, as if they dared it to attempt kicking them out of their shameful position. The sight is humiliating, and cannot be long witnessed without degradation of the national character.

What a House of Commons! It is not of the crowing of cocks, nor even of the braying of asses, that we complain-the imitations of the latter animal being generally perfect; nor is our wrath excited by those indescribable noises which baffle the art of the most skilful reporter. In a popular assembly it was still to be expected that there would frequently be heard oh! oh! oh! and even in a Reformed Parliament, we laid our account with meeting much expectoration. We have no objection to any quantity of coughing, provided it effect its purpose; but now nobody can be coughed down

not even Pease. Why should the House "here exhibit symptoms of impatience," each successive proser being a worser, till the debate is closed by an anonymous oddity from some manufacturing town, who, it is conjectured in the gallery, may be reading a lecture to the country-gentlemen in the unknown tongue?

A few years ago, it was ennobling to read the debates-though even then the age of eloquence was well

nigh gone. "Great events were on the gale" and men whom the country, not in mere courtesy, called great, were the chief speakers. They had the ear of the House and of the island. They often discoursed wisdom. Elevated sentiments and profound thoughts were often uttered in music; and in the House of Representatives, on the night of some high argument, was heard the voice of the Intellect of Britain. Genius and talent took the lead, and were allowed to keep it, but not to the silencing of them who, without eminent endowments, spoke the words of truth and soberness, plain in their patriotism, homely in their eulogies as in their invectives, and inspired but by love of their country and institutions. The people were too free not to be discontented almost always with one thing or another in the conduct of every Ministry, and of every Parliament; nor were they ever choice or chary in their expressions about their rulers or their re presentatives. But they regarded both Houses with a respect and even veneration that were not shook in their minds by such temporary ebullitions of discontent or anger-how ever violent; and there was confidence-not undeserved-in the superior knowledge and wisdom, and in the integrity of public men. Is there the same confidence nowor has the character of the House of Commons risen, since the people got their own Bill, in the estimation of the people?

No-it has fallen almost to zero. Not a new man above mediocrity in talent nor by the people themselves so esteemed; most of the popular members being sad dunces, and ha ving nothing to pride themselves on but their zeal. A zealous blockhead is either a private or a public nulsance-and can never be made to consume his own smoke. Their integrity is about equal to their talent; and their knowledge, small as it is, equal to both. The people are not by any means proud of such representatives; and there is hardly a constituent among the ten-pounders who does not, and not unreasonably, think he would himself make as good a Parliament-man as most of the folk whose speeches he spells of an evening over his beer at the Cat and

8

Fiddle. We cannot help believing, though our hopes are not high, that all this stupidity must cure itself; and that in a few years Electors will require other powers in the elect than that of gulping pledges. Theo elect, too, will get sick of swallow ing lump after lump of indigest ble matter and the head regain its as cendency over the stomach. For our own parts, we used to derive much instruction from almost every dis-8 cussion in the House of Commons, on any important subject; but now most of the speeches are but chip-o pings and parings of pamphlets, and i we have found more information in a single paragraph of a leading arti cle in the Standard or Morning Posty than in many a debate that covered three sides of the sheet bearing then name of one or other of these admirable papers. This cannot well last go the meanest constituencies will get sorry and ashamed of such mouth-s pieces; and, after a Parliament or two, will be found preferring gentles men. The English are a proud people. Ap

The Conservative Party is, all over.R Britain, fast gaining strength and in/ Parliament it is the only party deb serving a name. The Destructives are not an hundred strong; and the Whigs are so generally despised, that by themselves they could not stand a day. 'Tis a great pity they are so worthless; for had they shewn some virtue, common cause might have been made with them by the Conservatives, without any sacrifice of principle on our part, and everyt other sacrifice would have been cheerfully made by men who desire but their country's good. Now, that is impossible. Yet see our power. But for the Conservative Party, what: would have become of the Ministry when pressed even by Joseph Hume on the Corn Laws? Why, one Minister would have strangled another

the Grahame sunk ingloriously be neath the suffocating hand of a Thom son-and the Government been a corpse.

His Majesty's Opposition should really not be in his Majesty's Minis try. Who, pray, is the leader of his Majesty's Opposition? A question arises, about the food of the people. They open their mouths and are not fed, says he of the Board of Trade;