The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1868-12-05 00:00:00

Teleyog,h,

Mr. Disraeli's fiitnle of presenting the issue on
which the opinion of the country hi Fist been
emphatically pronounced, of itself suffices to
show that there could he n difilealty in select-
ing his sneerer to the Premiership. The voice
of the people had unmistakeably de ,igasted Mr.
Gledittone as the statesman who shoull conduct
the momentons businesa that is ta come befare
the new Parliament ; and we may rest assured
that there wifii be no delay in taking the steps
which will enable the Liberal leader to gather
around him, in positions, the able and
experienced administrators with who c names
we have made the public familiar. Both Houses
meet on Thursday, the 10th instant; antl three
or four days will semi: for the transaction of the
formal business incidental to the asainibling of

a new Parliament. On Tuesday, the 15th,
therefore, we may expect that the necessary
steps will be taben for the re-election of those
incinbers who have accepted Milne in the new
administration. The present Ministers will oc-
cupy tile front Opposition Bench; the Treasury
Bench will necessarily be vacant; mid the new
writs will be move,' by Mr. Olya, the latrona.4e
Secre:ary t th Trcasury miler the coining
Liberal ..tl.7ti ;try. The I!attss,B will theall iiiurn
to a day in Feb.mary ; aid the eoun:ry already
knows the distracter of thus great Wailleo3 of
reform which Me. Gladstone has ulready fore-
shadow:A.

As soon as it became clear that the Liberals
would be returned to Parliament iii greatly pre.
pondecatin4o 1 hell. it WAS ei dfest
that Mr. Disraeli's lkst policy INS to retire at
the earliest opportunity. Tho humiliation of
being "chivied " out of office on a vote of want
of confidence, the spectacle of formal defeat in
any shape, was itself a thing to be avoided ; and
there were better reasons than that why the
Premier should choose retirement immediately
upon the meeting of Mr. Gladstone's House of
Commons. But very fee imaginations, we sup.
pose, corn a a ii the idea of resignation a week
beforehand. . . . Onr owe resentment at
Mr. Disraeli's wonderful cleverness Was not that
he numaged to do oh it Heaven designed us
Liberals for, tior even at his maneeavring for
"cheeks," nor at those philosophical little
"dodges" the minority clause and the principle
of personal payment of rates, to which he was
assisted by another sort of cleverness among
another sort of men. Our resentment was aud
is against the cynical, audacious, successful way
in which he used his adroitness to the destrne-
tiou of all faith in the political honour of public
men. No such example of cool, smiling, down-
right apostasy from all the opinions, professions
and pledges of a long life as that which Mr.
Disraeli made lust year is to be found in Parlia-
ment-say history; or, if so flagrant a case can
be found, it Wits not, at any rate, so aggravated
iii its shame by the applause, the laughter, the
jaettiel sort of satisfaetion with which Mr. Dis-
raeli's monstrous tergiversations were received
by Englishmen in general. Political morality
was low unoug,h before that time, and it may be
said for Mr. Disraeli, indeed, that if ho had not
beim perfectly assured of the genend decay of
politieal integrity throughout the nation he never
wonid have dared to have laughed away every
promote of consistency in himself and his fol.
Ins ers simply to aecounl,i Ii the trick if " dish-
ing the Whigs." But that being granted it was
not for bin' to display and to aggravate the de-
gradation of public opinion. This is our grudge
against the outgoing Government. As a mere
Administration it has done well, The most con-
siderable blunder in it —the appointment of Lord
Mayo to govern India—is only a part, perhaps,
of its great disgrace. Certainly Lord Mayo's
desperate contradictions of himself during the
Irish Church debates deserved as great a reward
al he loin after obtaiood. On the other hand,
the Administration as originally formed can
boast of one really honourable little episode :
nemely, the secession of Lord Crauborne, Lord
Carnarvon, and General Peel.
Times.'

Pull Mall Gazette.

The cards are thrown down. The Ministry
!rive resolved, for the first time since the days
of Mr. Frederick Robinson—the late Lord Rip-
on—not to meet Parliament; and, indeed, their
case is more extraordinary thou that of the sole
precedent which can be cited to excuse them, for
the Porlioluent which Mr. Disraeli has declined
to Lice is the one chosen under the advice given
by himoelf to the Crown. There has never been
anything like this voluntary surrender of the
high function of advising the Crown. Lord
Ripon was afraid to face Parliament ; but then
Lord Rip ,n WIISI Chlled to the post of Prime
Minister after Paidiament 11114 been prorogued,
and hiie ;I.ltl t boa always been considered pm.
C,LtS. No one will MIMS Mr. Disraeli of
such fear as is said to have infhtenced Lord
Ripon, lie has resigned simply because he
deemed it prudent to resign. lie tells his sup.
porters that his colleagues have felt it due to
their own honour and to the policy they support
not to retain office unnecessarily fora single day;
but. to ,king back—we will not say upon the last
or nine months, bat upon the last two
y vas—who is no aware that upon such a plea
the Ministry might have resigned thrnr posts at.
most as soon as they had accepted them? The
present resignation must be regarded merely as