When Sir James presented himself, shortly after the accession of the present Government, before his present constituents, he declared himself a convert, at length, to vote by ballot; or, at all events, as in a situation to become an immediate convert! Both in and out of the House, he has ever since been one of the most sedulous and skilful of those who have striven to lower the Government and their friends in the estimation of the country, timing his appearance with great exactness, so as to seize the moment for most effective action; striving to disguise his earnestness and anxiety beneath the mask of a jocular contempt, but ever studiously keeping himself in the foreground. When before the constituency of Carlisle on the 8th of July, he appeared to feel the necessity of diverting attention from the political wanderings of his whole life, by taking the lion’s share of credit for almost all the great measures of modern times. He had, however, transparently another object—to paint his own portraiture upon the eyes of the country, as THE practical statesman of the age, of enlightened sagacity and extended experience, with both the will and the power to do whatever might be expected of one aspiring to lead the motley throng combined against Lord Derby. We suspect, however, that the portrait, though finished off by the sitter’s own masterly hand, with a loving warmth of colouring, has only been eyed askance by those whom it had been intended to charm; while the _Times_ criticised it severely. “After perambulating England,” said Sir James, “I have come home at last, and once more appear before the Carlisle constituency. I have no personal object to gratify. I see a great public interest at stake; and I think it of the last importance that this capital of the Borders should send no doubtful voice to the approaching Parliament.... If the electors of this city shall be of opinion that the time has arrived when, with reference to the public interest, I should withdraw from the public service, I will respectfully retire. If, on the other hand, they be of opinion that my labour may still be useful to the public, _I am content, for a short time longer_, to give to the _public my best exertions_. I cannot promise you that they will be more zealous, more energetic _than they have been_; nor am I vain enough to expect that my exertions can be attended with greater success than has crowned my past efforts.” We regard this as neat, and unequalled. Such a cool bidding for power was probably never before made by a man of Sir James Graham’s mark in this country.—A certain Dr Lonsdale then assumed the functions of catechist of Sir James Graham, whose ears he first soothed with the dulcet assurance that “Sir James Graham was sure to hold the highest place in the next Administration!” and the venerable catechumen answered the courteous catechist very smoothly on the subject of foreign politics; but the latter concluded by