The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-10-09 00:00:00

Eke gitourbrib'ge Otmertrer.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 9, 1875.

POLITICS IN AUTUMN.

The political rest which the. country is now
anjefing contrasts strongly with the agitation
that has characterised some former years. To
carry our minds no farther back than !I quarter
of a century, many of us must remember that
famous manifesto of the late Cardinal Wiseman,
"given out of the Flaminian Gate," which
created such intense excitement,. and led to the
passing of the Ecclesiastical Titles' Act, since
however, repealed. Then followed the last
struggle between Free Trade and Protection in
1852. The recess of 1853 was differently oc-
cupied. Rumours had been rife for some time
of the designs entertained by Russia towards
the Ottoman Porte, and very soon after Parlia-
ment had assembled in the next session there
was a declaration of war. The autumn of 1854
was diversified by intelligence of the Crimean
exnedition, and the battles of Alma, Balaklava,
and Inkermann. In the autumn of 1855 we re-
ceived the news of the fall of Sebastopol—an
event celebrated with many manifestations of
rejoicing. After the conclusion of peace in May,
1856, a period of rest ensued until the autumn of
1858, when a demand for Parliamentary Reform
was made by some of our great towns. This
question took 111) most of the sessions of 1859
and 1860. was the cause of a dissolution of Par-
liament and of a change of Government. After
having been practially shelved during the re-
maining years of Lord Palmerston's life, it came
to the front again after the aged minister had
been laid in his grave in Westminster Abbey.
In the Session of 1866, as in that of 1859, it
resulted in a change of Government, the Con-
servative party coming into power after having
been seven years in opposition. The recess of
the first-mentioned year was one of the most
unquiet which had been witnessed for a long
time. The newspapers were filled with accounts
of Reform demonstrations in London as well as
in the chief 'provincial towns, and the succeed-
ing session witnessed the establishment of
household suffrage in the boroughs, a reduction
of the county qualification, the subdi-
vision of a number of counties the
enfranchisement of many populous towns,
and the political extinctions of several decaying
boroughs. No sooner had this been cleared out
of the way than the Irish Church agitation was
launched, and the whole of the Autumn of 1868,
was occupied with preparations for the general
election.

• Another change in the direction of public af-
fairs was now brought about, and the Disestab-
lishment Act having been past in the Session of
1869, the recess of that year was an especially
quiet one. So was that of 1870, as far as do-
mestic politics were concerned for the great
Continental war was in progress, and people had
neither eyes nor ears for anything except the
intelligence from the scene of that tremendous
conflict. From that time until the sudden dis-
solution of Parliament by Mr. Gladstone in
January, 1874, it cannot be said that there was
any prominent question before
.the constituen-
cies. The measures of the existing Government
sweeping and organic as many of them were,
pass through Parliament without any very out.
of door pressure, and there was no need for
menacing demonstrations to secure the accom-
plishment of that which was actually done.
Since the general election of last year, both par-
ties by common consent seem to have subsided
into a state of political calm almost as profound
as that which preceded the death of Lord Palm-
erston. There is no burning controversy before
the people which stirs up the embers of political
strife, and divides the country into factions.
There are no fierce quarrels over education ; the
enfranchisement of the agricultural labour is
neither passionately pressed from one side nor
vigorously resisted by the other; the inequalities
in the distribution of political power are admit-
ted, but the machine of the Constitution having
been taken to pieces so recently, there is a gen-
eral disposition to allow the new order of things
to work a little while longer before disturbing
the settlement then arrived at. The Disestab-
liahment of the English Church can scarcely be
said i
to be a demand which s made by any con-
siderable section of the population. As for ad-
ministrative or departmental reforms, these
elicit little popular enthusiasm, but very strong
opposition oftentimes from those whom it is pro-
posed that such changes should affect. What is
there, then, upon which the two great political
parties in-the State will join issue, either before
or at the next general election ? No on at pre-
sent seems to be able to give an answer. Of
course the time must come when the period of
rest which is now enjoyed mus.t have an end,
and when the two great camps will range them-
selves under the leadership of their respective
generals. But apparently that will not be just
yet; and, meanwhile, opportunities are afforded
by carrying out social reforms which are imps.
sible when the public mind is . occupied with
angry contentions over ecclesiastical or political
questions.