THE ELECTIONS. 109 



lord apparently regards the party from which the furthe ranee of 

 future reformation must proceed. And here, indeed, we only dwell 

 with more express suspicion* than Lord Stanley, on the confidence to 

 which Sir Robert Peel's administration is entitled. The political 

 ductility, the prompt conversion, the two ingenuous exculpations of 

 Sir Robert Peel's reformed opinions, the mysterious advent of his 

 novel faith and grace, the singular coincidence of bright eviction 

 which surprised the independence of his colleagues, have too noto- 

 riously blazoned their political repute to need a word of commentary 

 on this patriotic flexibility. 



" But zeal peculiar privilege affords, 

 Indulging latitude to deeds and words/' 



Their inveterate repugnance to reform, diversified and designated 

 by whatever bigotry or trick, illiberality or sophistry, could possibly 

 devise to baffle that inestimable act of national regeneration, was 

 conscientiously upheld by arguments, which time can neither rob of 

 their malignity, nor any qualified pretexts remove from the profound 

 conviction of the minds which gave them birth. They were the 

 arguments of conscience j the irrefragable sentiments of patient me- 

 ditation ; they were daily strengthened by anticipation ; they incor- 

 porated a political belief; and they exhibited at once the fire and 

 frenzy of fanaticism. Was the energy of such repugnance softened 

 in the mortifying speculations of coerced retirement ? Did the light 

 of fresh conversion break upon the neophytes of reformation, during 

 that probationary absence from the service of the crown, while the 

 infallible, the conscientious enemies of the enactment were mag- 

 nifying, with malignant pleasure, the scarcely visible defects of that 

 stupendous benefit ; while appealing, with a morbid exultation, to 

 the partial failure of its operation ; while illustrating the evils of the 

 measure by appeals to their astute predictions, and daily uttering 

 their prophecies on the pernicious growth of its more tardy conse- 

 quences ? It requires but little penetration to infer no friendly aid 

 to measures of amendment atld reform from the avowed, obdurate, 



* " I cannot say that, on looking at the composition of the present govern- 

 ment looking at the individuals of whom it is composed, I cannot say that I 

 see reasonable ground of confidence in them on the part of those who entertain 

 the liberal opinions which I profess." Lord Stanley's Speech, reported in the 

 Globe. 



