NARRATIVE OF POLITICS.

SIR JAMES GRAHAM has taken occasion, on the opening
of a small railway near his residence of Netherby, to
deliver his sentiments on the subject of Peace and War.
After going through the form of turning the first sod,
he addressed an assemblage of the neighbouring country
gentlemen and others. He began with an allusion to
the circumstances under which the citizens of England
continue those great works that in other countries have
been left to potentates; expressing his gratification at
having been called to the duty "amid the din of war";
amid "the profligate and fruitless expenditure of
millions of public money; amid the grievances, the
disasters, the death, the sickness, the wounds, the
groans of thousands of our fellow creatures." He was
rejoiced that at such an eventful moment efforts of
this kind are not suspended; and although other
works have been attended with some risk and doubt,
in this case all doubts had been tested by the minutest
examination of the most competent authorities.
The ceremony was followed by a dinner, in the course
of which Sir James again alluded to the war. "I see
the question constantly asked—a question which you
cannot fail to divine, seeing that it has been so recently
and frequently put—'What would have been the
conduct of Sir Robert Peel in existing circumstances were
he now alive?' Permit me to say, that this is a fruitless
question—a needless and unproductive speculation. It
is hard to say what in present circumstances would have
been his conduct; but time has not abated my sorrow
for his loss. I feel every day more and more the loss of
his friendship. I regret every day the absence of that
advice on which I so much relied—that advice which
was ever dictated by the soundest sense, by the warmest
sympathy with the interests and feelings of the people
of this country, whom he served with constant fidelity,
and whose happiness, prosperity, and welfare it was the
object of his life to promote. Gentlemen, I cannot tell
you, although perhaps, without vain boasting I may say
that I enjoyed to a great extent, to the last moment of
his life, his confidence—I cannot pretend to say what in
the varying circumstances of the present moment might
be his position. I can, however, look back to what was
his past conduct; and, recollecting what that past
conduct was, I can truly tell you, that in reference to the
past, it is the proudest recollection of my public life
that I was associated with him and enjoyed his
confidence for the short remainder of that public life. It
will be my endeavour to act in conformity with the
principles he enunciated, and with the view I know he
took of what was conducive to the prosperity of this
country. Of all things he was the maintainor of peace;
he was the promoter of constitutional and progressive
reform; he was the great defender and champion of
commerce; he was the guardian of the manufacturing
interests of this country, from which interest he sprung,
and evinced the utmost solicitude for its welfare; and
if for a moment a cloud passed over his memory on the
part of the agricultural interest, yet now I think the
time has arrived when I may safely appeal to those
around me to say whether he was not the agriculturist's
friend—whether he inflicted any lasting injury upon that
interest by his deep conviction that commerce,
manufacture, and agriculture, were identical and inseparable.
These were the principles of my late lamented friend—
principles which to the last moment of my life will
actuate my conduct. I regret the loss we have sustained;
but when I am asked what would have been the
conduct of Sir Robert Peel in the present crisis, I will
answer, that for the remainder of my public life I will
endeavour to give effect to the view I take of his principles."
Mr. James, a neighbouring country gentleman, in
proposing the toast, "Agriculture, Manufactures,
Commerce," made some comments on Sir James Graham's
speech. He agreed in the desire for the restoration of
peace; but the question was, how was that desirable
object to be effected? He did not know what the
opinion of Sir Robert Peel would have been now. He knew
that Sir Robert changed his opinion upon the question
of the corn-laws and other subjects, and, notwithstanding
Sir James Graham laid "the flattering unction to
his soul, "it was perhaps not quite so certain that had
he been alive Sir Robert would have entertained the
same views as the right honourable baronet present
upon the question of peace and war. If he might
venture to give his humble opinion upon the subject, he
should say there was but one way in which peace could
be safely, honourably, and with the least possibility of
success, durably obtained. There was but one way of
accomplishing this object, and that was by crippling the
resources and humbling the pride of Russia, by crippling
her resources and humbling the pride of her insolent
rulers. Mr. James's remarks were received with loud
and reiterated cheers.

An address having been presented on the 14th inst. To
Lord Palmerston, on his first visit to Melbourne in
Derbyshire since his accession to office, his lordship, in
reply, spoke as follows on the subject of the War. His
address was received by a numerous assemblage with
great enthusiasm. "It was true," he said, "that the war
was at first encumbered by great difficulties. This country
had for a great length of time been happily enjoying
the tranquillity and repose of peace; and it would
easily be supposed that when suddenly called upon to
send a large fleet and an army to the other side of the
globe, to compete with an enemy fully prepared for any
emergency—an enemy who, in time of peace had kept
up a war department upon a most gigantic scale, and had
been incessant in his endeavours to meet any opposition
to his schemes of aggrandisement that might arise,—it
might readily be supposed that many difficulties would
supervene and much suffering and privation be endured.
The last few months had, however, set all these matters
right; and he was happy to say that the last accounts
received showed that never was an army in a better
physical condition, or more inspired by a noble and
gallant spirit, or more prepared for any and every
emergency that the course of events might give rise to. The
other day he had the pleasure of seeing an eminent
medical man, and one of the staff of civilians who had been
sent to the Crimea to inspect the hospitals and examine
into the physical condition of the army. That eminent
man stated that the hospitals were in the most admirable
condition—that, in fact, they might almost be regarded
as a model for the hospitals in London—that the troops
enjoyed every comfort compatible with a military
campaign, and, indeed, were in as good a condition as if
they were in a peace establishment at home. Well, we
have now a great triumph. We have struck a mortal
blow at an enemy whose aggressive policy threatened
the whole world, and particularly the interests of this