The Member has at last spoken--the nominee of my Lord Ward has
opened his mouth--and his lordship's lump of Political Capital,
Mr. JOHN BENBOW, of Mecklenburgh Square, is prepared to shew
to all comers that a cypher in St. Stephen's may at least be
somebody in the Borough of Dudley.
And should we not be grateful to our "Right Honourable" for the
legislative present he has made and is still willing to make
us? When we consider that his Lordship, if he so willed it,
would make the "calling and election sure" of his groom in this
_Independent_ Borough, ought we not to be grateful that our
degradation is no deeper? Should we not rather rejoice that our
political Jupiter, instead of giving us a Stork, has, in the
plenitude of his condescension, kindly thrown us a "Log?"
And is it not delightful to contemplate the Honourable
Gentleman's Parliamentary career?--his exemplary discharge of
his duties--his punctual attendance in the House--the undying
eloquence of his speeches--the constancy of his name in the
Division List?--Indeed, so admirable is his conduct in these
respects, that it may be said they form the exact measure of
his political ability.
How kindly too has our "worthy member" cooked his address
"To the Electors of Dudley?" With what delicate tact has he
avoided the usual term "Independent?" This would, indeed, have
been severe, and in our present abject state the "unkindest
cut of all:" but he goes through the farce with an amiable
make-believe which is really refreshing to behold. "His
political opinions are well known to us"--God help us; so
they are. He "will not seek to re-impose a Duty on Corn." How
magnanimous!--a return to protection is impossible, therefore
Mr. BENBOW won't attempt it. How thankful we ought to be! Mr.
BENBOW will support Lord Derby's administration--but where are
the political opinions of the noble Earl?--Echo answers--where?
They have been stifled in the atmosphere of Downing Street!
Once "the Rupert of Debate"--bold, fiery, impetuous, but
without a stain on his honour--he has, since the advent of his
present official career, condescended to become the "Artful
Dodger" of politics; carried to power as a Protectionist, and
treacherous to the principle by which he obtained it--his
subsequent career has betrayed a succession of miserable
expedients. Firm, even to obstinacy, when "Stanley was the
cry," the "great" Earl of Derby is now the veriest political
weathercock of modern times--in fine, he has done more in the
short space of a single session to destroy confidence in public
men, than all the political Apostates of the present century.
With these facts before us--can it be really true that the
political influence of an important manufacturing town like
Dudley, lies prostrate at the feet of a man, who appears to
feel as much interest in the moral and social well-being of the
district from which he derives his immense wealth, as he does
for the natives of Timbuctoo. Is the decay of public spirit so
manifest that not a blow can be struck for the emancipation of
the Borough? Are there not a few good men to be found in this
political Nazareth who, for the honour of human nature, and the
sake of human progress, will come forward and manfully assert
the principle of political independence? With such men I should
be proud to combine; and though we might be only leading the
forlorn hope of a better state of things--we should at least
discharge our duty amid circumstances disgraceful in an age of
feudalism, but a perpetual reproach to the institutions of the
nineteenth century.