STATE OF PARTIES. 



all parties, and secure the support of the great majority of the people. 

 In some degree they appear to be ignorant of their true position : 

 they seem to forget, often as they themselves have urged argu- 

 ments founded upon similar facts, that the most ultra liberal opinions 

 are spreading with vast rapidity and increasing force, solely because 

 they have delayed to enforce some moderate but sincere adjustment 

 of those interests, respecting which the wants and wishes of the 

 people, a year back, required nothing more than the ministers led 

 them to regard as half conceded. But the boon has been postponed, 

 the public necessities have increased, and the measure of relief which 

 would have answered every purpose before, will hardly now suffice. 



In periods of great political excitement, public opinion is apt to 

 run into excesses ; but no serious danger will result from this natural 

 exasperation of the public mind if by reasonable and well considered 

 concessions, we discountenance those wild speculations which only 

 agitate the mass of the people, when their rulers are obstinate in 

 misgovernment. 



But unpopular as the Whigs are, and much as they failed in the 

 high and noble services which their duty opened to them, such is the 

 state of parties, that the most zealous and intelligent friends of the 

 popular cause feel assured, that the present cabinet, however it may 

 admit of some partial amendment, could not as a whole be safely 

 displaced at present. True it is, ultra liberal principles are rapidly 

 diffusing themselves amongst the middle and trading classes, but 

 these classes are too deeply interested in the maintenance of order, 

 moderation, and tranquillity, to run the risk of incurring the dangers 

 which would arise, were the government to be intrusted to the Ultras 

 on either side. The materials for a Radical Ministry they apprehend 

 do not exist, and a High Tory Government they know would be 

 their worst choice of evils. Many of the present Ministers have so 

 greatly distinguished themselves as the advocates of liberty, that it 

 is hard to believe them hostile to that cause in the moment of its 

 triumph. In a word, although the Whigs have lost much, they still 

 possess a hold on the country, which were they to seek to deserve 

 would soon enable them to regain the popularity which they 

 have, during the last year, all but forfeited. While the parliament 

 was sitting their incessant vacillation and trimming to the Tory 

 Lords, was a constantly increasing source of popular discontent, but 

 the prorogation has somewhat calmed the public excitement ; it is 

 felt that if the Whigs would reclaim their character, they more 

 easily at least, if not better than any other set of men might save the 

 country. Hope never deserts us let our present sufferings or past 

 disappointments be what they may ; and hence it is that we still find 

 the community flattering itself that benefits of an enlarged and en- 

 lightened character are still in store for us at the hands of the Whig 

 administration. In such a state of things the great danger to be 

 apprehended, is that ministers relying upon the adventitious circum- 

 stances, from which they now derive so much advantage, may 

 consider it safe to pursue that temporizing policy, which at another 

 period, must have speedily dissolved their government. Their poli- 

 tical enemies will not always treat them with a forbearance which 



