The Sun.
London, England, 1864-05-14 00:00:00

LONDON, SATURDAY, MAY 14, 1864.

The Conservatives are certainly determined to
lose no opportunity. Wherever a chance presents
itself they are sure to step in and exert every effort
for the furtherance of their cause. A meeting was
held at Maidstone, on Thursday, for the purpose of
selecting a member to represent East Kent, in
place of Sir E. FILMER, who will retire from the
House at the close of this Parliament, The meet-
ing was very numerously attended, and seemed to
furnish the opportunity of making a rallying
ground of the party. In this particalar the Libe-
rals might learn an important lesson. How much
wiser it is to preconcert measures, and arrange
matters beforehand than to rush in a hurry at the
approach of an election, and very often to pre-
sent the absurd spectacle of two or more candi-
dates professing the same principles opposed to
each other. This want of unanimity has proved
fatal to many a prospect, and lost the victory
to many a so-called Reformer. Mr. HUSSEY spoke
with great decision and promptitude. He seemed
fully aware of the subterfuges to which the crafty
resort to damage a party, and he exposed their
fallacies in many particulars. He began by
alluding to the great failure of the " model re-
public" of which we have all heard so much. Mr.
BRIGHT would have been flattered to hoar the
analysis which he gave of its course, its decadence,
in popular estimation, and its manifest inade-
quacy. There is a great deal of truth in the
observations of Mr. HUSSEY in this particular, for
it is certain that the recent events in America
have tended to disenchant the minds of many con-
cerning the efficacy of republican institutions.
They did very well so long as things went
smoothly, but when danger and difficulty arose
the edifice crumbled away, and the struc-
ture was shaken to the foundations. In
one respect this is not to be regretted,
for it may be of service in preventing
false estimates and discovering sham professions.
There are many soi. disant Liberals at home who
were very much dismayed and disappointed when
the Government of Lord DERBY undertook to pro-
pose a Reform Bill. They were all right when
there was no chance of converting their opponents ;
they could abuse them to their heart's content, and
appeal to the sympathies of the people they wished
to enfranchise. But when the ignorant and mis-
guided individuals took their cry from them it was
a cad event. Like the civil war in America, it
tested the sincerity of their professions, and put
their zeal to the proof. Mr. HUSSEY ably described
the ingenuity which had been formerly displayed
hi making it out that the Couservatives were
against all progress. Nothing is more unfair than
to go on in this way, and assert all sorts of damag-
ing reports, without waiting to prove any. It is of
no avail at present, since the Opposition have had
the sense to free themselves by a mighty effort from
much of the cumbrous and worn oat gear of old
days of exclusiveness and prejudice. More re-
mains to be done in this particular; but the stric-
tures on their defalcations do not come with a very
good grace from those who gave them no encou-
ragement when they essayed to tread the padh of
progress, and who also grew so jealous of any
rivalry in their domains that they put a precipitate
end to the undertaking. Mr. HUSSEY also alluded
to the new dodge that has been invented, namely,
to declare that it is no use to be trying for changes,
because there is "not a pin to choose between one
party or another, or whether you vote for the Govern-
ment of Lord PALMERSTUN or of the Earl of DERBY."
The best answer to give to this adroit asseveration
is that the eagerness and excitement of these level-
lers of distinctive barriers to retain office is quite as
fiery as if all the old divisions of party were re-
newed with redoubled power. If there is no dif-
ference between the two Governments it might as
well be proved by experience, and it would be only
fair to let both sides have a turn. Mr HART DYKE,
the proposed candidate, made a brief but an effec-
tive speech. He spoke with great earnestness on
the good chances that awaited the Conservative
party, and of the great services they rendered the
country even in opposition. Earl RUSSELL was
under the influence of his evil star when he made
his celebrated speech at Blairgowrie. It will be
long before he hears the last of his " rest and be
thankful" policy. In every possible place, at every
available opportunity allusion has been made to it,
and at this Maidstone meeting it was again brought
forward. Mr. DYKE described the position of the
Foreign Minister as the " rest, not of the weary,
bat of those who dare not proceed." This is true
in a great measure, and certainly it would be a pity
if Ministers who do so little should be wearied.
Mr DYKE also made some smart hits against the
Chancellor of the Exchequer. That right hon.
gentleman has certainly no sinecure in the place
which he fills, for every marksman seems to aim at
him. Perhaps it is from the old idea of dislike to
renegades, and also it may be from the self-suffi-
ciency which is sometimes displayed by the Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer in his explanation of esti-
mates and announcement of plans. In his dealings
with the farmers this session, Mr. DYKE said that
Mr. GLADSTONE had acted as if they asked him
for a sovereign, and he had given them a very bad
half-crown. The brief estimate which the new candi-
date gave of his opinions appeared to afford uni-
versal satisfaction ; and as forewarned is forearmed,
there is no doubt that when the occasion arises he
will be returned to the House, there to put his
professions to the proof, and to convert his theories
into practice. Lord HOLMESDALE gave some very
geed advice to his friends under the guise of a
narrative. He related the story told by Mr.
KINGSLEY of a tribe of Indians, who prayed to
the evil spirit, but not to the good one ; and the
reason was that the good spirit was too fat and
lazy, while the evil spirit was a brisk little fellow,
always running up and down the world. The
moral that was deduced from this was that the
.c Conservative party in West Kent had been some-
good spirit, rather fat and
and down enough, or take
Lazy, s theyeta
no did
uecynho'll oughtikruen theuf
l;
r the purpose of defeating
Many others besides those to
the Radical party.'
wiiom it was addressed may take the lesson to
heart which is afforded by these superstitious tribes.
It is now too much the way of the world to hang
back, and fancy all is secure, until some desperate
struggle has all at once to be encountered. " Time
works wonders," is an old saying ;
certainly verified so far as the Conservative
triumphs and and the adage is
prospects are concerned. Constitu-
encies that send forth members to swell its ranks
do not now have to fear that they are only adding
to the lists of a dreary Opposition. Very different
is the position now assumed by the party, and there