Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-08-16 00:00:00

Irated upon some

between two celebrated Parliamentary
glacilat°l3 P Party organization is useful and
beneficial ; but it is subject to that kind of second-
ary motive which often puts faction before the
real good of the State, and thinks nothing done,
Unless a party victory has been gained or at least
risked. Yet, though political leaders are too lavish

hese
able

in scattering their attractive promises among their

hungry follower

our legislative assembly cannot

be expected to be always redeeming them; and

very often the most that can be said of what men

xll a dreary Session is, that it had nothing to do

Ind did it

le brief session just closed was, perhaps, as-

bled under exceptional circumstances, and
The

comes under the usual category

worst that can be said of it is, that it began with

the promise of a remarkable factious combination,
and that it was signalised by its success. Lord
DERBY had efficiently conducted the business of
the country. To that country he was obliged to
'complain that he was interfered with in the path
'3f duty by the factious obstinacy of one man, who

-was patching up his paltry rivalries, and. sinking
s mean, personal antipathies and hatreds, for
th

Purpose of gaining a semblance of union
'am authority. The country replied by giving
11'111 thirty more votes, exclusive of those
which the Liberals secured by nefarious and
means. The country had confidence

Lard DERBY. But the time had not come
When, the best of causes could resist the deter-

'lined onset of an old party-organization, who
e•
`earlied their no-confidence motion ; though it has
;11 'l4lnce become clear, that in a House constitutionally
711' 'elected, their narrow majority would have melted
be
IvivaN

This, therefore, begins and almost ends
'the tale of the session ; though it is true that the
London Times occupies four columns of its paper
to point its moral. He has not fastened, how-
ever, upon all its salient points. He has not

told us that, as to the business of the country, it
bad already been done for the present occupants
of office. He has not told us, that though the
Russell party spent much indignation in charging
lord DERBY with an intention of burking a
Reform Bill, under the plea of important public
business, this is precisely what Lord JOHN Rus-
Ria, himself has done: He has not told us that
Ibis important public business has, as yet, in the
lauds of their Liberal successors to power, been a
InYth ; and that, while Lord DERBY was blamed
for dissolving the House, under circumstances
-Which might have needed its interference, yet
11" v, when perhaps the most delicate and difficult
foment of the Italian crisis has supervened, the
~(3'vernment rejected that interference, and wished
0 stop all expression of opinion. He has not told
us that the chief article in the Liberal indictment

ainst Lord DERBY, viz., the inefficient manage-
lit of affairs by his Foreign Secretary, was

completely

quashed, and subsided in silence,

when the foreign correspondence was published;
and it is abundantly evident the indictment was
84 up in total ignorance of facts, and as a rash
.

'tercpt at taking advantage of a plausible elec-
" cry. He has not told us, that while the
-Liberals tried to make political capital, out of the
necessary delay in publishing the foreign blue-

book,—whose publication, in fact, would have

strengthened the position of Ministers on the
Hustings,—yet Lord JOHN RUSSELL has conceded
to the curiosity and vigilance of the House, no-
thing but two wretched rags of dispatches which
had endeavoured to amuse the Great Powers of
Europe with the anile platitudes of a school-
boy's essay. Above all, he has foe gotten to record
the shameless mendacity, and the subsequent in-
delible disgrace of himself and other licensed
accusors of the Press and of the Hustings. He
has not noticed, as the most remarkable feature
of the recent elections, and the deceased Session,
that the foul and baseless suspicion of a Conserva-
tive plot to corrupt the country has been not only
completely dissipated, but turned into an estab-
lished imputation upon the Liberals themselves,

by the clearest evidence of a profligacy wholly un-
paralleled in the annals of a " reformed" Parlia-

Such things are convenient to forget ; but
their omission in .a retrospect intended to be
exhaustive only gives them the more significance.
Without them, the lesson of the last Parliament
loses nearly all its pith and moment. With
them, both Conservatives and Liberals become

possessed of an instructive reminiscence which,
discreetly turned to account, will be as fertile of
good results to one as to the other.

- .-..._...-----

NOTES OF THE DAY.

We were quite right, it seems, in our estimate of the
Pontefract election case. " A great misconception,"
says the report of the select committee, "has prevailed
throughout, as well with regard to the intention of the
parties, as with regard to the meaning and effect of
the memorandum itself." This being the case, there
could be no imputation upon the integrity of
Mr. Rose, the Conservative agent, any more than
upon Mr. Leeman, the Liberal agent. The re-
commendation of the committee, that Mr. Chil-
ders should, if possible, be restored to the same
position in which he stood before the memorandum was
signed, is to be a matter for reference. Sir George Grey
and Sir John Pakington, with the assistance of the
venerable ex-Judge,. Sir J. Coleridge, as umpire, are left
to settle the somewhat delicate affair. Mr. Overend,
without hesitation, consented to this course ; and, be the
decision now what it may, that honourable and learned
gentleman will stand before the public free from any
reflection whatever unfavourable to his high character,
whether as a lawyer or a politician.

The Borough of Hull has got another chance. Almost

at the last moment of the session, a new writ was
ordered to issue for filling up the seat rendered vacant
by the extraordinary decision of the committee against
Mr. Hoare. The circumstances of the late inquiry, and
its adverse result, ought to stimulate the Conservatives
of Hull to use no ordinary efforts to recover 'a seat of
which they have been so unfairly deprived. The only
fault in their course of proceedings, at the last election,
was that, of which such unjustifiably advantage has been
taken,—namely, the practice, long so prevalent there,
among both parties, of employing a great number of
messengers or runners in the contest. On the present
occasion, 'they must abstain from this, whatever the
Liberals may choose to do ; and let us hope that, even
should their opponents have recourse to it, to their dis-
advantage, the rectitude of their principles will yet
enable them to succeed.

Paris was in a state of great jubilation on Sunday,
in consequence of the triumphal entry of a portion of
the army of Italy into that capital. Extraordinary
preparations had been made to give it as imposing an
aspect as possible ; and no one, we imagine, can have
witnessed the national enthusiasm which it called forth,
and doubt the influence which Louis Napoleon has ob-
tained over at least his metropolitan subjects. No doubt
k ground something ominous, after
of a latent feeling of discontent ; but this was so

there was in the b

completely eclipsed by the splendour of the festive eel(

brations, as

it. One th

g, however, is indisputable,

army on which Louis Napoleon relies alike for his
power and his popularity. With the army at his back,
he obviously can do with France what he likes. What is

most to be feared, therefore,

come to think

means of such an army, but in Europe even. A mili-
tary power like his would be dangerous to Continental

interests under any circum,tances ; and, in his ambitious
hands, it will require to be kept in check—if the peace
of Europe is to be preserved—by such a combination of
influences as it shall be impossible to resist.

It is to be regretted that the people of the United
States should continue to evince so much jealousy of
England on that Continent. The very idea, it would
seem, of this country strengthening its position in the
centre of America, is one which cannot be thought of
in the great American Republic but with apprehension
and with aversion. Nothing is more reasonable than
that England should endeavour to complete the chain
of its possessions from Canada to Demerara ; and the
negociations that are going on with the Republic of
Guatemala, in Central America, with that object, is as
natural as it is necessary. If it be true, therefore, that
the Republic has ceded its rights in Belize or British
Honduras, to England it is an arrangement perfectly
legitimate and fair ; and one cannot but regret to find
that it should be thought otherwise in the United
States. If England is to retain possession of her
American territories, she has a perfect right to strengthen
her position by every such means. It is only what the
United States Government is doing, as regards its
territories, wherever it has the opportunity.

We have quoted from the Saturday Review, in another
part of this sheet, a very amusing article respecting Mr.
Bright and his brothers-in-law, in which it is very
forcibly shown how true it is that "Patriots, like their
fellow men, are born to trouble, as the sparks fly up-
ward." It is as patriots, be it remembered, that these
honourable gentlemen are regarded. The title of the
article would be the indication of something most un-
justifiably personal, were it otherwise. The public
have nothing whatever to do with Mr. Bright and his
connections in any other capacity than a public one ;
and had the article quoted had reference to them in any
other than a public character, it would have found no
place in our columns. But as, during the recent elec-
tion inquiries before committees of the House of Commons,
it has happened that " a cloud has descended on the
house of Bright, and dimmed its glory," that is, as the po-
litical and patriotic house it has been sought to make it—
whatever instruction there may be derived from the cir-
cumstances of their case, it is not only right and fair,
but even desirable, that it should be communicated pro
bond publico. The moral of the sad tale that has been
disclosed, is, however, after all, but a very common one.

It is, that human nature is very much the same among
all classes of the people, and that neither political pu-
rists nor high-flown patriots by profession, are exempt
from its frailties.

The Roman Catholic Prelates in Ireland. have had
four days episcopal deliberations on various matters con-
cerning the interests of their church, and its influences
upon the great body of the people of Ireland. The
complete results of this proceeding will not be correctly
known till the reply of the Secretary for Ireland
is received, to whom their resolutions have been
transmitted before being made public. "Meanwhile,"