Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-06-15 00:00:00

SPIRIT OF THE WEEKLY PRESS.

THE POLITICAL STAGNATION.

Instead of reviving, party appeara to be utterly
paralysed. The House of Commons has not in-
dulged in long debates, but it haa prelonged the
sittings, in order to compress into each night de-
bates upon separate subjects enough for a week
And if each member has not been content to be
silent, under the pressure of the universal hurry,
and the dread of being stopped, he has " cut it
short." Once familiar voices are seldom heard..
Nothing is more curious than the aspect of the
House during these discussions. The promised
watch upon Ministers is scarcely kept. Mr. Glad-
stone, who was to be* such a thorn in the side -of
Lord Palmerston, " waits" so long that the
friends of ministers are almost uneasy at his
quietude, and put forward provocatives to
make him break it. Cobden, however, is
scarcely more absent from the debate than Glad-
stone. And where is " Lord John?" Silent too,
or speaking only as a man who stands apart—a
spectator. Sir James Graham looks on as if he
felt a lively interest, and speaks now and then if it
is to corrct some historical point, but that is all.
It is not that subjects to talk about are wanting.
Quite the reverse ; there is an unusual number of
questionable acts which demand scrutiny—law re-
forms too crude to pass, bills begun to be recom-
menced, public buildings begun to be abandoned,
public money voted for doubtful or even unexplained
objects. The still small voice of the " private
-member" occasionally calls these duties to mind,
but the call falls flat. Ministers reply, in various
forms and tones of mild ‘, conciliation" that it is
" all right," and every question is hushed. The
subdued debating leaves the political atmosphere
stagnant ; the material stillness is exceeded
by a sort of moral silence, and is so great in
the house that you may hear a bill drop. Of
course there are reasons for any condition however
extraordinary and strange. One obvious reason
for the present situation is, that the minister is
supposed to be too strong for any resistance to
have a chance of success. Circumstances out of
doors have contributed to weaken antagonism against
him. If there is any attempt at attack upon him,
he turns it aside by an immediate assent The
willingness of ministers to do whatever they are
asked—if they are asked enough—is quite charm-
ing. They are ready to concede anything to
importunity. The Jew Bill was volunteered.
Sir De Lacy Evans has something to say
about military reform—but military reform
is promised. Ministers will give anything—
even church-rates. Sir John Trelawney was
going to ask for them, but his mouth is stopped by
the promise of a ministerial measure on church-
rates ; and Sir John Pakington is silenced by a
promise of the bill " this- session." "Anything
else ?" is the only question. Fortunatas has all
You want in his purse, from a Reform Bill to a new
bridge, or new licensing system. Usually,if a political
artist is employed upon some great work, he
invites friends to look at it, and at all events
produces specimens. ' Such is not the case at
present. The military education scheme has been
kept under a close- screen ; 'the new licensing
system proposed by Sir George Gray is as great
a mystery as the Reform Bill ; the manner in which
the church-rates are to be settled is entirely Un-
known. We must take everything upon trus`, and
wait till 1858. But what will be the end of this
state of things ? " It cannot last," cries that sapient
ners6l Everybody ; '"somethhig must bring it to an
end." But the something appears not. Some say
that so intense a tranquillity must, like an extreme
stillness of the atmosphere, forebode a thunder
storm ; but at present no i.gn of thunder is seen
in the horizon. There is no appearance of any new
war abroad—at- least, nothing unusual for Lord
Palmerston's own handling. ,'here is not The
slightest sign of any domestic disturbsuce. "The
working classes do not announce that " the time
has arrived," &c.; Scotland allows her Unicorn
to sleep : Ireland is boasting of her tranquillity
and her prosperity. The speculations of one set
of politicians are founded upon the age and health
of the premier; it is impoSsible, they are saying,
that he can stand the wear and tear much longer ;
already he looks considerably aged by the harass-
ing uirournetanUnti of -1110 position, and it in pre-
dicted that, Unless be consent' to break down
suddenly, he must retire to a marquisate and the
consultative repose of a Lansdowne or- a Peel.
Some are remarking the inherent weakness of the
present cabinet—its want of commanding talent or
prestige, and are reckoning that as soon as it is
7orced to come to the rough and difficult work of

political reform, it must break down. The promises
postponed to 1868 must at all events arrive at
maturity in that year, if only by force of accumu-
lated liability; and how can such a cabinet then
contend with real Reformers on the one side and
insidious Conservative Reformers on the other?—
Spectator.