The Express.
London, England, 1868-04-04 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, SATURDAY

this portion of his speech be wee moat happy, 'and Tory was dimmeled with it. It appeared as if be',
the alternate laughter and., cheers of the House only needed a proper field is order to testify that
showed how effective wail his limning. Mr. his deeds could be as edinireble as Ms language.
Lows, Lord Casaisoiurs, Mr. CazOwaLL, When Secrete* of Stall tel India, he manifested
Mr. BRIOHT, and ide'.I3LA.INIFONII-MNIS • allilk desire to do justiss to Or moves", while
touched with the hand of an artist whose forte supporting the claims of ; and, with
is sarcasm and caricature. It will probably in the exception of an and improper
future time be recorded as one of the " curie:asides" i despatch to Lord Canning, he showed an
of character that on the very night in which he enlightened appreciation of the responsibilities of
was freely hitting all around him—his former col- , his important office. Although the party with
leagues as well as his political opponents—be : which he acted was indisposed to trust him
deliberately stated that "he had never attacked implicitly, regarding his conduct as ambiguous, if
" any ono in his life." When some hon. member not deceitful, yet the public was favourably ire-
reminded him of " PEEL," he added "unless he pressed with the signs he gave of possessing saga-
"had first been attacked." On the memorable I city and coolness, and looked upon him as a man
night of December 16, 1862, Sir J. GRAHAM was I who might never do anything brilliant, but would
a man who was " greatly regarded but not refrain from committing any gross act of folly,
" greatly respected," and the present Lord I and would scorn everything savouring of intrigue
HALIFAX was informed " petulance was not and duplicity.
" sarcasm, end that insolence was not invective." I The Reform Bill of 1886, wbioh proved a
. crucial test for many reputations, gave Lord STAN'
Mr. DISRAELI was more unequal in his speech of
last night then he usually is ; and ho spun it out I LEY an opportunity for demonstrating that at bet-
tom ho was very muchof the partisan. The masueuvre
to such length that there was at one time
a call for a division. He tried to be
by which he endeavoured to trip up Mr. GLAD-
philosophical on the question of Church STONE served to reconcile him with his party, and
to alienate the sympathies of impartial men. Ho
and State, but ho was only theological or
no longer halted between two opinions. He rather ecclesiastical. Ho endeavoured to repel. no
to act as Mr. Dituteau's henchman rather
pre-
sent the attack on the Irish Churchman
-
the rights of property, and wound up with an than, the display of magnanimity and by
in-
allusion which was probably intended for the ear dependence, to earn the nation's gratitude.
of the Prince of WaLes that the policy of Desirous of judging him calmly, the public
the opposition would "injuriously affect even approved of his appointment as FOREIGN
the "tenure of the Crown." MINISTER. Possibly, his acceptance of this
office would have given less satiafactioAltad
At ten minutes to 1 o'clock Mr. GLADSTONE rose
to reply, and for more than an hour he kept alive it not been an escape against the greater evil of he
the attention of tho House. His beginning was moat serious affairs of the nation being entrusted
peculiarly happy. Ho charged Mr. Diseastz with to the management of the Earl of MAINES-
the irrelevancy and wandering of his *each. He BURY. Lord STANLEY has been credited with
made a "dear and intelligible" statement of the maintaining the peace of Europe by pro-
position he took up. He spoke withthe conviction posing a conference relative to the Luxembourg
of a good cause and an assured victory and fermi-
difficulty; but it should not be forgotten that he
nated the debate at ten minutes past 2.
stultified himself by then assenting to arrangementi
Then came the moment for clearing the house which infringed his cherished and rational theories
and putting the question. The members were con-
concerning non-intervention. On the other hand,
gregated on all sides, especially at the door.
he has honestly and wisely striven to restore that
Though the main result is probably known
friendly understanding between the Wilted States
and this country which the conduct and utterances
there in the case of great decisions
of his own party largely contributed to int-
there is always a certain amount of excite- pair. The present House of Conunets has not
ment accompanying thorn. The division of yet condoned the manner in which, listen-
last night was unusually long. When the members tionally or not, lie misled it with regard to the
bad returned there wee an anxious look to know in Abyssinian expedition, and the next House is cer-
whose hand the division-paper would be placed.
When it was handed to Mr. GLYN, the new tam to have a lively recollection of the tactics
party, a
cheer with which ho opposed Mr. GLADSTONE'S resolu-
tions for the abolition of the Irish Church.

broke forth from the Opposition, which
showed that they had at last " Oozed their ranks,"
and could no longer be taunted as the disunited
liberals. When Mr. GLYN announced the numbers
showing a majority of 60 against the Government
the cheering was repeated again and again.
Again the House divided on the question
that it go into committee, and owing to a
mistake on the part of two Liberal members, who
went into the wrong lobby, a reduced majority
of 56 was the result. Mr. G LADSTONI stated
his first resolution, progress was reported, and
the House broke up after 3 o'clock with "a one
cheer more " from the Opposition

Englishmen of all parties instinctively shrink
from contact with the politician whose favourite
weapon is trickery. In their eyes the com-
batant, who has been worsted owing to an
unfair thrust, is an object of greater admiration
than his elated opponent who bears off the spoils
of victory. That Lord STANLEY should join the
straightest sect among Tories would be neither sur-
prising, nor disgraceful. Indeed, were this to
happen there would be an historical consistency
between the conduct of himself and his father.
Yet Lord DERBY, despite many gravy defects of
tact and temper, is not personally chargeable with
resorting to underhand measures. If Lord
STANLEY would command general respect he must
conquer the predilection he has exhibited of late
for a policy of subterfuge. Natural impedimenta
hinder him from prevailing by his oratory. His
aptitude for business, however, is a treasure such
as few men of his rank either inherit or care to
acquire. If he seldom says anything original, as
seldom does he blunder through ignorance of de-
tails. He is well qualified for rendering the State
efficient service. As a cautious, indefatigable, and
impartial administrator, he has few equals among
our younger statesmen. But the political game
he has never played properly since Mr. Maxim.'
taught him to aim at snatching unfair triumphs
instead of scrupulously observing all the rules of
the contest. We regret that a politician who pro-
mised so well should have disappointed the san-
guine expectations once formed respecting him.
Yet it is better that he has now made his choice
than that he should have persisted in the ignoble
attitude of longing to unite with the party of pro-
gress while reluctant to leave the party of resist-
ance. Lord STANLEY can no longer be styled a
masked Liberal. We hope that the newly educated
Tories are fully satisfied that he is a splendid or-
nament of their party and the zealous advocate of
their cause. -