The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-01-08 00:00:00

POLITICAL PROSPECTS.

THE time is drawing near for the meeting of
Parliament, the opening of the session having been
fixed for the 31st of this month ; and yet political
prospects can be deemed in no way satisfactory, from
whatever point they may be viewed. The Con-
servatives, it is true, occupy the most prominent
position when compared with any other single party,
but although the reports industriously circulated of
their disunion are destitute of foundation, it cannot be
said that advantage has been taken of the recess to
improve their position, or to prepare themselves for
the strife of parties which is generally believed not to be
far distant. A year since the war was deemed a
sufficient reason for submitting to any kind of
ministerial arrangement, and Lord PALMERSTON has,
therefore, been endured as Prime Minister ; but such
an excuse should no longer be allowed to prevail, for
sufficient experience has been afforded that the success
of the war is in no way dependent on Ministerial
permanency, but would, on the contrary, be far better
promoted if the Cabinet possessed ability and public
confidence—two qualities in which the present ad-
ministration is notoriously deficient. The war has
served its turn as a cloak for numberless deficiencies
and inconsistencies, and it is time that some attention
were paid to the many important questions with which
the legislature might be advantageously occupied.
If we turn from the Conservatives, we shall find no
party, or section of party, that does not present a
miserable minority in itself, and, therefore, utterly
useless for all practical purposes of government. Of
Ministerialists it would be difficult to form any correct
estimate, inasmuch as they consist of but few, except
the actual holders of place, and many of them would, no
doubt, show little unwillingness to hold office under any
kind of a ministry, so long as they enjoyed the emolu-
ments ; nor would such conduct display any great sa-
crifice of principle, inasmuch as the PALMERSTON
Administration exhibits all phases, from pretended
Conservatives down to ultra Radicals, although osten-
sibly representing neither set of opinions. The Whigs,
as a party, have no longer any bond of union, nor
have they any recognised leaders, so that they are
virtually destitute of Parliamentary strength. No
doubt the most respectable amongst them would give
their support to a Conservative Administration, whilst
the remaining few might hold aloof, after their old
tactics of waiting upon Providence, and, making a
virtue of necessity, may profess to prefer measures to
men, a form of faith very convenient in doubtful times,
when it is difficult to predict the tone which public
opinion is likely to assume. The Radicals, who not
long ago presented a phalanx by no means to be
despised for numbers, have sensibly diminished ; and
as many of them have shown their utter want of
patriotism in taking up the absurd and craven cry of
peace at any price, they are divided amongst them-
selves, and are consequently almost powerless for
good or 'evil. The Romish Brigade, which at one
time, under skilful management, proved itself able to
turn the scale of party, and was open to the highest
bidder, is now no longer worth purchasing under any
system of valuation. They sold themselves to their
avowed enemies, upon the false pretence of saving
their countrymen from the Income-tax, and then
accepted office under a cabinet that imposed it ; so
that they cannot even fall back upon their vaunted
patriotism, and the diminished influence of Romish
superstition in Ireland will afford. them little chance
from that source. The Peelites are still more in-
significant in point of numerical strength, not-
withstanding their boast of monopolising ad-
ministrative talent, in which they proved them-
selves miserably deficient during the career of
the Coalition Cabinet, so notorious for mismanage-
ment ; and a dissolution of Parliament will leave most
experienceince of the past Legislature.
nortu promises.
the They
hofav'e 'them without
neither
for the future upon which to appeal to any consti-
tuency possessing the hearts of Englishmen, whilst
some of them would, no doubt, gladly take office under

[JANUARY 8, 1856•

a Conservative Premier, in order to drown the recol•
lection of their backslidings. They would willingly
return to the paths they have forsaken, if the oppor•
tunity were afforded them ; and, therefore, whatever
turn affairs may take, we do not anticipate any serious
opposition from them.

-It would be as well for the real interests of the
country if the Conservatives paid more attention than
they have hitherto done to their own position, and the
duty which is expected of them as the natural leaders
of public opinion. The country is essentially Cower'
valve, whatever may be the assertions of Badleah
writers ; and though it has become too much the
fashion, in modern times, to make political changes
the result of popular agitation, such influence should
not always be waited for. The leaders in both houses
of the Legislature should not rely upon a pressure
from without, but give the full weight of their own
power to accomplish the desired change. Abundant
opportunity will be afforded them in Ministerial
weakness, particularly on the important subject of the
national finances ; and when the appeal is made t 4
the country, by a dissolution of Parliament, there eat'
be very little doubt as to the result.