The Press.
London, England, 1856-07-26 00:00:00

ceasing in his efforts to maintain the Liberal
party in Spain. Every Oovernment in
that country has had to encounter his
hostility which would not subscribe to
his constitutional formula. ESPARTERO was
his statesman for all emergencies, and his
ascendancy was identified with British in-
fluence. The Constitution and ESPARTERO are
suddenly overthrown together. The Liberals,
rising in insurrection, are shot down in
Madrid, and sabred in Barcelona. Lord
PALMERSTON'S friends look to him for aid, and
he has no other answer to give them—he who
has been intriguing and interfering in Spanish
politics since his Foreign Legion helped to
found the Throne of ISABELLA than that
Spain has nothing to apprehend from French
interference. The blow has been struck, and
his Lordship acquiesces in it.
On the Continent, the constitutional system
now finds refuge only in Belgium and Sardinia,
and those countries are, from the mere fact of
their isolation, placed in an uneasy position.
The first year of Lord PALMERSTON'S Premier-
ship has been signalised by his entire aban-
donment of the Continental Liberalism with
which his past career has been mainly iden-
tified.

RETROSPECTS AND PROSPECTS.
THE session has now drawn to a close, and its
retrospect is most unsatisfactory. Whether
we consider the conduct of Government with
reference to the existing parties in the
country, or to the practical exigencies of our
social system, the verdict in either case must
be adverse to the Downing street officials.
Although war terminated before Christmas
the progress of the civil legislation of the
country has been nearly at a stand•still. Less
has been done for law reform than in any ses-
sion of the last few years ; and Mr. LOWE'S
attempts at commercial improvements are
only the continuation of the original efforts of
other persons. The name of " Administrative
Reform " sounds ridiculously with Lord
PALMERSTON at the head of affairs. In truth,
it would be foolish to expect from the present
Cabinet any large measure touching the ad-
mitted evils of our present official system,
since the Ministry has not had sufficient poli-
tical power to carry some pressing questions
like " Appellate Jurisdiction," even when
helped by external aid.
Retrospective censure in such a case is idle,
unless we consider what are the prospects of
the future. The Cabinet has broken down,
mismanaged questions with which it meddled,
and avoided taking up subjects which press
for legislation. Is there the slightest hope of
things being better in the next session? Will
Lord " -tuft° more reforming
or
CORNZ•
City "?
such
-still
and
the

iberals.
attempts

Lord PALMERSTON acquire more reform"'
zeal, or Sir GEORGE GREY more vigour,
Lord CLAREND •fr,z.171 ra- ' .dour, or Sir CORN
WALL LEWfiC .tre4!l_7l3). 57th " the City
There is rafoer*?, . • J'g„,,l,e,ip rood of SW
results. 'Me :'" ':,,T,,' s is a stand-st
is/
Cabinet. , i ..,,,-' dli •• er direction al
p.
it is cer% e4r,4. . zi,,, 1,1„ L ; nd it lacks tl
high ad n& --t• It .10„,.; : • , which migl
.f,t-- .rts ~„ .• ...•
atone for r. • It is a coaliW
of exhaus ...7191t‘,111i .' twavering Libera
It turns,k, ~I.Z--'rl..).",te es;W it attemp
nothing great-;'.70---"'-'7.- represents no lar
masses of opinion. There is a remarkal
similitude between its condition and that