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describes the stabe of parties at that time. ®Tt is unlike,”
;8. he said, “everything I have witnessed for the last fifteer
years. There seems to be no party having an intel:
gible principle or policy in which any considerable body
out of doors takes an interest. The two sides of the House
no longer represent opposing parties—unless, indeed, it
may be said that our leader is at heart an aristocratic Tory
while the chief of the Opposition is, if anything, a demo:
cratic Radical. Of this a considerable number on the Tory
side seem to be shrewdly aware, for they evince no desire t
turn out Palmerston, in whom they have more confidence
than in Disraeli.” Under these circumstances, however:
bhe position of a Minister must always be precarious, for
the absence of definitely antagonistic policies places him 86
the mercy of fortuitous personal coalitions. One of these
coalitions came into existence now. The Peelites were only
following the tradition of their master in condemning #
precipitate and nseless war. Mr. Disraeli and hig friends
played the official part of an Opposition in censuring 82
Administration. Lord John Russell obeyed an honest
instinct for justice. All these sections resolved to support
Cobden. It was on the 26th of February that Cobden
brought forward a motion to the effect that without expressing
 an opinion on the causes of complaint arising
from non-fulfilment of the treaty of 1842, the House
thought the late violent measures at Canton not justified
by the papers, and that a Select Committee should
inquire into the commercial relations with China. This
enabled him to cover the whole ground of our policy in that
country. He did 80 in one of the most masterly of his
speeches ; it was closely argued, full of matter, without an
accent of passion, unanswerable on the special case, and
thoroughly broad and statesmanlike in general views.
V Speeches, ii. 181- "Ka