The Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1860-05-31 00:00:00

A DRAMA OF. THREE ACTS.

THE present parliamentary session may be
likened to a Melo-di-anta of three acts, which has
already progreskd td the cidie df the ieeond,—
the opening of the third and concluding act
being now anxiously looked for at the expiry of
the usual Whitsuntide. - recess. The first and
second acts, separated by the interval of the
Easter recess, have been 'characterised by many
reverses of fortune to the principal characters,
and the interest of the drama has been main-
tained by many thrilling events and most inte-
reititig iitaatietis: While waiting of the
parliamentary drop-scene let us briefly review
the story of the session, so far as it has gone, and
glance at the relative position of parties, at the

recent adjournment.
Parliament assembled, an.l the play opened, in
January last, with a Confident feeling of strength
on the part of the Conservatives. With a certain
niajoritY id the ifotise or Lords; add a probable
majority of perhaps a dozen
,in,,the,ilouseof
Cominons, Lord DERBY'S party indulged in .the
pleasant conViction,. that even in Opposition a
bright prospect lay before them. lithey did
not carry everything befornthem, they might at
least safely calculate on possessing numerical
power siifficiedt to •conipel- the Whilpßadica
GdveiriM.erit td pay; on all Occasions; and in the
preparation and prosecution of all their tridaetires;
the most respectful deference to the wishes of the
great Conservative party. But alas! the scene
rapidly changed, and confidence and hope were,
momentarily 'shaken and-blasted.' The f•ride (if
power seemed to forsake them, and, in apparently
helpless prostration, they were left by the
umphant. Radicals to chew the cud .of bitter.
• •
reflections. In a seeminglylicipelessi minority,
they found . themselves '.parelyzed by the sudden
reverse of fortiine—an astonishment to them-
selves, and objects of derision to their opponents.
The country and the press shouted for the suc-
cessful party. The Manchester Radicals flapped
their wings and crowed lustily, for
.lo ! and
behold, by an unexpected turn of'events, Cotton
Statesmanship Was in the iscendatif.. Those
obsdlete "tOries4 had Icidt.till Chance of distruet-
ing their anarchical schemes ; and'tition the place-
hunting and threadbare Whig-Radicals there
dolt beamed the glorious anticipation .of. long-
andUninterrupted lease of seats on-the Treasury
benchei.

A feeling of discomfiture among the Conser-
vatives produced many and varied surmises and
suggeStieriS as to the cause of the misfortune, and
as to the best and Most likely rnearis of repairing
the disaster and regaining lost lio*er.; Some
proclaimed that another DEMOSTHENES had
arisen among the Whigs, and that the irresistible
eloquence of the CHANCELLOR. of the EXCHE-
QUER was enough to account for the catastrophe..
Others broadly hinted that the defective tactics
of the Conservaiiite leaders had been fatal to the
cause. Mr. bisRAELT himself has Irltai fhli and
happily described the true origin of such an
abnormal state of confusion among politicians
and statesmen, as neither more nor less than a fit
of temporai, 'hut wild and uncontrollable,
excitement—it all originated in the delirium
of the Treaty."

Throughout the remainder of the first, and into
the opening of the second acts of this session, the
opposition; guided by the most patriotic motives,
declined to run the risk of attempting to embar-
rass the Goverdnierit id the p'reserit cordition of
Europe. The treaty was not quashed, and even
the monster budget was accepted—but only upon
receiving from Ministers their most solemn
assurance; given at their utmost peril, that their
relations with France virere of the most friendly
nature ; and that there was nothirig known to
them, on the European horizon, that could induce
us, to look upon the treaty in any other light than
that of a great practical demonstration of the
amicable intentions of the Emperor of French
towards this country. The Cabinet announced to
the world that such was the only fair and justifi-
able construction to be put upon our communica-
tions with the French Government. Any attempt,
therefore, by the Conservatives to oust the Ministry
or to reject the Treaty, and its consequent, the
monster Budget, could only have beedrepresented
as giving the lie direct to the official assertions of
of the Foreign Secretary and his coadjutors—a
responsibility from which any party might well
shrink. Opposition, in these circumstances, would
have exposed its leaders to the charge of desiring
to offend France, and to effect a disruption of
peaceful relations with a powerful neighbour and
ally. However sceptical most good Conservatives.
may have been as to the truth of those Ministerial
assertions, coming through so incompetent a diplo-
matist as our quondam plenipotentiary to Vienna
and present Foreign Secretary, it would have
been an act of useless daring, in the circum-
stances,. to have entered Upon a factious and
obstructive course of opposition. The Whigs in
opposition might not have hesitated to do so. The
Conservatives, however, were actuated by more

patriotic and cotistitutional motives; and, satisfied
of the justice of their cause and never doubting
the ultimate triumph of their principles, they were
content to watch the pr4ress of the great political
drama, and to bide their time."

The Government seemed to be intrenched in
perfect safetyos the second act approached its
climax—when suddenly the bubble burst, amid a
great storm of thunder and lightening. The
descentlinc. torrents of rain, however, left the
horizon clear, and " the delirium of the treaty"
is followed by the triumph of Conservative
. .
principles: As"the drop-scene fell, -there might
he seen the dismayed conspirators skulking off in
all diroctions;;in. Most admired disorder, perplexed
with fear and confounded by, a sense of shame;
while the : Conservatives remained triumphant
Masters of the situation. So has ended the second
act:

We aCtait. the Openirig of the third, and
anxiOusli calcUlate what may be its probable

renouement.

It is universally felt that a Conservative reac-

ton had set in. The returning and rapidly
strengthening Conservative feeling of Parliament
has been displayed in all the leading discussions
Of the sess.ion, and in the divisions which have fol-
lowed them. The gradual discovery of the blun-
dering mistakes of the Ministry, in the Foreign-
office, and in the. Exchequer, to say nothing of
their miserable " little Reform Bill," has led to
a corresponding .diminution of the Ministerial
Majorities. The Minister reputedly " transcen-
dant" in oratory, has been found to be more than
transcendental in finance ; and his greatest skill
has been manifested in the facility with which
•he can say one thing at one time, and flatly
contradict it at another, when personal or party
convenience may require it. By offering no oppo-
sition to the second reading of the " little bill," the
Conservatives have most effectually expoked it to
Universal derision: The result of the debate on
the Paper Duty Bill is the latest triumph of the
Conservative policy in the present session ; and it
has doubtless inspired a fresh vigour into the
hearts of those who, for a time, could not but feel
greatly disappointed. What may be the next
great event in this political drama, time only can
unfold.. One thing, however, is certain, that the
revival and re-assertion of 'a sound and liberal
Conservative policy is a great fact, for which our
warmest thanks, as a nation, are due to Lord
DERBY,---a fact which will every day shew itself
to be of growing importance% and which is, of
itself, sufficient to rescue this 1:el/fat:liable session
from the undesirable pre-eminence it seemed, at
one tune, most likely to acquire, to use the words
of the Lord President of the Council, as " the
year of immortal smash."

OBSEQUIES. OF THE LATE MR. JOHN
BARON, THIS DAY.

The funeral solemnities of the late Mr. John
Baron will be performed this day. His earthly
'reelable' *4il_l he interred in the family vault, at
St. James's Cemeiek.
The late Mr. Baron had long maintilifed a
high position in this great commercial community,
as one of the most extensive and successful
brokers in Liverpool. In_ an age unfortunately
characterised by the too frequent occurrence of cases
of commercial dishonesty and financial mismanage-
ment, we can ill afford to spare a man whose
high principled integrity and scrupulously honour-
able dealing, had gained for him the warmest
esteem and admiration of his citirens. Few
men, indeed, in this respect, have attained an
equally enviable position. Mr. John Baron was an
unostentatious, but a most worthy and invaluable
member of society ; and all that is mortal of him
will, thii day, be followed to the grave amid feel-
ings of universal regret for his loss to the town
and trade of Liverpool, and of the deepest sym-
pathy- for his sorrowing wife and family under
their painful and irreparable bereavement.

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