The Express.
London, England, 1857-04-30 00:00:00

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LONDON, THURSDAY. APRIL 30.

TO OUR

A DOUBLE NUMBER of the EXPRESS will
be palaliehed as anal on SATURDAY NEXT.

Ir it be tree that in the present House of Com.
mons the Liberal Party of all shades muster no
fewer than 380 votes, the duties and responsibilities

of that party arc proportionably augmented. No
isabt an Opposition numbering, as it boasts, 280
members, is &body quite capable of fulfilling all those
constitutional functions which our parlisnwatary
. . .

system so properly assigns to a minority. But with
a majority of 120, the Liberal Party have a field of
pnblie usefulness opened up such u they have not
enjoyed since the days of the first Reformed Perli►
meat. The Quarterly Retina makes it a matter of
'reproach to the Liberal Party that they never volun-
tarily surrender office. There have no doubt been
time when the liberal majority in the House of

Commons boa been too small, fluctuating, and un-
certain to support a thoroughly liberal policy, and
when the force of the Conservative minority has

coerced the policy and tempered the meaaares of the
Ltlarral Government. At such times it might pro-

bably have been a wise course on the part of the
Liberal leaders to have been more prompt in ex-
changing the responsibilities of office for the duties
of opposition. Those times are past. Whatever may be
the exact or accurate figures which constitute the ma-

laity, this is certain, that the Liberal Party is in
so largely predominant in the new House of Com-
mons as to be master of its own fortunes, if it only
have the courage to fulfil its mission.
In the last House of Commons, Lord PALMERSTON
was, to a considerable extent, the Autocrat of a party
which possessed a bare majority. In the new House
of Commons, however, it will be the fault of the
Liberal Party itself if the present or any future
Ministers are not reduced to the much more useful
position of being the leaders only of the party, not
its masters. If the majority now assuming the name
and position of Liberal be only, as we have no dis-
position to doubt, sincerely and earnestly what it
professes to be, the policy of any Government
depending on it for support and maintenance
in power must in all essentials be thoroughly liberal
also—and not in words only, but in measures, in
action, and in the distribution of patronage. During
the recent elections there was a tendency on the part
of the Ministers of the Crown, and of their imme-
diate followers, to make a distinction between real,
uncompromising Liberalism, and what they were
pleased to call Progressive Improvement. By pro-
gressive improvement was obviously meant a slow,
halting, gradual, unconnected aeries of measures, all
vary useful and important in their own separate
spheres, but involving the recognition of no leading
and important principles, rising to no commanding
elevation, affect in g only isolated and distinct interests,
and leaving untouched the advance of the popular
tame and the completion of those larger questions in
which the heart and soul of the nation are interested.
On this system the duties of the Cabinet are
reduced to the preparation and advancement of
mere departmental contributions towards parlia-
mentary business, instead of being expanded to
their true dimensions of laying before Parliament
and the nation a solid and comprehensive policy.
A powerful Liberal majority ought to require
all this, and something much more besides. It
will be entirely its own faialt if it do not
secure more. But then to do so it must threw
fear away. It must have faith in its own great
principles, pluck up its courage, think of some-
thing beyond keeping any set of men in place, and
never for a moment submit to the mastery of any
individual as an inevitable Minister. If the Liberal
party do that, if it only can persuade itself of its
own inherent strength and force, it will occupy a
position in the new Parliament that will redound to
its own honour and credit, and restore vigour and
efficiency to the Government of the country, no mat-
ter in whose hands it may be.
Spirit and independence on the pert of Liberals
are all the more necessary, for as yet we have no
evidence that the Cabinet has adopted a more digni-
fied and advanced policy in domestic affairs. The
speech which the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
made the other day at the Herefordshire dinner gave
forth uncertain sounds, and if it reflect the recent
deliberations in Council of himself and his colleagues
they hare hardly yet risen above the dull level of
progressive improvement. The choice, too, of Lord
HAIRY VANE to move the election of Mr. livetru
DIOLHION to the chair of the House of Commons, Is
die sevens of encouraging. For not only did
Lord HAIRE not sympathise with the perdar piety
in this country during the Rumba warmest only
was he an apologist of these acts of aggren.
non and ambition against which all England
rose ; but it cannot be forgotten that he
it Ina who led that movement before which
Lad lons RensELL was unwillingly caw
pelted to yield, and withdraw the Reform Bill which
he introduced. Estimable and influential and highly
connected as Lord HARRY VANE may be, thaw AM
not qualifications which ought to distinguish on is
important an occasion the organ and mouthpiece of
the great Liberal party in the House of Common
At all events, they convey warnings that ought net
to be neglected, and suggest, not indeed any with-
drawal of confidence from the Government, but the
tEREtiSC of some self reliance and independence on
the part of Liberals.
There is one small test which Liberals are well
entitled to put the Government to without lipy