The National Register.
London, England, 1818-09-14 00:00:00

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No. 553.—V0L. XI.

POLITICAL DISQUISITIa

ON 'IiHE STATE OF PARTIES.

IN the last Edinburgh Review a well-writ
has appeared on the State of Parties. It is
to the pen of Mr. fliougham, and may be regarded as
the Nlunifesto of the Whigs, prepratory to the next
Session of Parliament. The writer sets out with stating
the objections which have been urged against party in
genera!, and particularly against opposition a regular
party.-1. The friends of Ministers, he says, never fail
tb stigmatise theme's disloyal, by the old sophism which
confounds the Sovereign with his Councillors—the
Constitution with the Ministry of the day.-2. And by
the Public the question is often put, Arc tho Ministers
always in the wrong? and an inference is thence
&awn that there is as much dereliction of principle in
always sewing with an Opposition, as in constantly
supporting a Minister.-3. In case of any coalition of
ifarties before opposed to each other, another cause of
censure arises, and many look upon coalitions as no-
thing better than a profligate abandonment of public
principle for the sake of private advantage.-4. But if
an Opposition party succeed to rawer, still another
source of censure is opened. How sparing soever as
opposition may be of their vnnnises to the country, far
more will always be expected front them than any man
can perform, and whatever has been done amiss by the
former Ministry, they *ill be called upon to rectify--
and that instantly; for delay is equal to aon-perform-
stilt*
Having enumerated these chsttger, the second of
Which has been alledged against all party, as such, and
the others against the unfortunate Whigs, the writer
proceed! to examine them each in its turn. The first,
indeed, he dismisses very properly as unworthy of re-
futation, and goes on to the second. Swift has said
that party is " the madness of many for the gain of a
few." This Mr. Brougham controverts, and it is to
be remembered that Swift himself was after all a party
man. The Reviewer defines party to he the union of
number of individuals, who agree in holding many
strong opinions upon many important topics,—who
agree in thinking a change of system (not of men only)
to be necessary for the salvation of the country; and
Who, entertaining these sentiments upon the general
line of policy which ought to be parined, mutually re-
linquish those details, upon which dif•.';rent minds can-
not all coincide, in order to unite their efforts for the
attainment of the important objects itt which they do
agree. If any set of Ministers have adopted a system
of government grossly erroneous, or corrupt, or uncon-
stitutional, a necessity arises feir taking every lawful
means to displace them, and prevent further mischief.
Such an union, the basis of which is to eacrifice the
attempt at minor objeets in order to attain those
that arc most important by united exertions, affotkls
the only likely means of success, for every Ministry
is sure to be supported by a party ut once numerous
and obedient, regularly Marshalled and kept together
in one solid body, a 3 much more romeact than the
best organized Opposition, as a standing army is better
disciplined than a corps of volunteers. But what
chance Would tin Opposition have composed of indi-
tiduals totally insulated, and not acting together ?—lf

the opponents of the Minister only attack him when

they are all agreed u; an th ►ncasura, they must for the
same reason make theiattack in the manner in which nfl
approve; that is to say, only those who agree in dis-
approving of the measure, can join in the attack ; and
of those, only such as agree in the mode of expressing
their dissent. It is not m:rely that one may be in-
fluenced by one reason, and another by another, to join
in the same vote ; this would lea 1 to no material de-
falcation of strength. But there will be found very few
yaws in which all precisely p.greed ; and if each izan