The Sun.
London, England, 1864-10-14 00:00:00

~~~

hon, gentleman truly depicted the necessity that
existed for some sphere in which those who laboured
so strenuously could meet with some respite, and thus
introduced the immediate object of their meeting
that day. " Here we have," he said, " before us a
scene in which, as we leap from generation to
generation, the young and old of Farnworth will
seek for health and refreshment after the hours
of honest labour have come to an end," This is
in itseif a matter of great and vital import, and
one which may well excite a feeling of deep in-
terest in the minds of all who attentively
study the subject; and, besides the question of
health, there is the afterthought that the mental
and moral requirements of the labouring population
will be better cared for by the opportunity afforded
them for healthful relaxation. Mr. GLADSTONE
may be envied the privilege of thus having his
name associated with a work thus connected with
public good, and which is intimately associated
with the happiness and comfort of the great indus-
trial community of a crowded mart of industry. The
right hon. gentleman was scarcely so happy in his
remarks at Liverpool in the evening, for he made
some attempts to prop up the cause of the Ministry
which were not very cordially received by the
audience. A suspicious cry of " Oh," was heard
more than once during some passages of his speech.
This may, perhaps, tend to impress on his mind,
and also on that of his colleagues, that all is not so
favourable to the Ministry as they would fain per-
suade themselves that it is. .It was a more gracious
and genial task for the right hon. gentleman to
allude to his early connection with the town, and
the sentiments with which he revisited it. Since
the days when he was more familiar with it Liver•
pool has increaeed in wealth and in importance,
until, as the distinguished guest of the evening
observed, it " may challenge conclusively the place
of the first commercial emporium of the world."
Mr. GLADSTONE spoke impressively of the vast
responsibilities which lie upon this country,
and the due performance of the duties of
legislation for which utterly overtask the
best human energies. Thera was great wisdom in
the right hon. gentleman's remarks upon the instinct
of preservation that bas always been so strong in
this country; but he added this should be combined
with the spirit of improvement, "and the laws anci
condition of this country after all that has been
done yet will offer a rich harvest to the wise and
judicious efforts of the statesmen of future times."
Such counsel is correct and straightforward, and it
impresses those who depend upon it with the notion
that as yet there is no occasion for us to consider
that enough has been done in the way of improve-
ment. The surest way of maintaining the present
position of England is for her rulers and population
never to relax in their efforts in seeking for a better
and more approved methoi of transacting the busi-
ness of the State. This will prove the surest way
of meeting with success ; and those orators who
encourage the spirit of energy and the desire to
excel render a great service to the community of
which they are the pioneers from a glorious past to
an uncertain future.

The prorogation of Parliament at this time of the
year is an event which excites little interest. A
few "potent, grave, and reverend seignors" assemble
in discharge of a formal duty, and no one not im-
mediately concerned in the routine thinks it worth
while to step out of their way to look at them. Yet
the principle which lies at the bottom of this appa-
rently trivial and useless form is a very sound one,
as are most of the underlying motives of our con-
stitutional solemnities. The Septennial Act is a
national guarantee that the people shall be fairly
represented in the government of the country, with-
out depending upon the caprice of a despotic mo-
narch or the equally dangerous and tyrannical will
of revolutionary leaders. It is true that in either
case the tyrant or the amrch might act in di fiance
of the law had they sufficient power, but there it
stands as a substantial protest on behalf of consti-
tutional government. Moreover, neither tyranny
nor anarchy is established in a day, and these forms
ere the outworks which any invader of national
rights will have to break through, and by which
attempt he will give timely warning of his motives
and intentions. When the Parliament reassembles
next spring it will probably be for the last session
of the present House of Commons, a fact which no
one except its own immediate members will
be much disposed to regret. It began its
course on the 31st of May, 1859, and
consequently has a right to exist until May, 1866,
since by the terms of the A.it the seven years
of a Parliament's life are reckoned from the day
on which it assembles. Malty persons imagine
that the seventh session of a Parliament must
necessarily be the last, but this is a misapprehen-
sion, since there may be any number of sessions
within the given seven years. It is therefore
possible that our faineant dynasty may see fit to
prolong their present comfortable existence by
retaining the compliant members of the existing
House as long as possible. When a building is
tottering on its foundation, any shock or change is
much to be deprecated, and no doubt Lord PAL-
MERSTON would prefer to let the memories of his
Danish policy grow a little fainter in the
popular remembrance before he tests the feeling of
the country by a general election. It is, however,
always customary to dissolve is the sixth year, so
whether the etiquette will be observed or no remains
to be seen. At any rate, we may reasonably hope
for a little more energy next session, though Re-
formers must apparently rest and be thankful, and
ask no inconvenient questions. Whether they will
be contented to obey this emphatic injunction is a
question for the session of 1865 to solve, but the
growing feeling of the country will not support
them in inaction. A calm often precedes as well as

follows a storm, and the present lull in the Parlia
mentary atmosphere might perhaps, bad we political
as well as meteorological storm signals, foretel a
tempest of no ordinary description.

The public will learn with great satisfaction that
the long and harassing war in New Zealand has
been brought to a close; For some time past its
immediate conclusion has been looked upon as almost
hopeless, and we in this country at least were be
ginning to resign ourselves to a winter of inaction
before any further steps could be taken towards
the pacification of the colony. Rumour, however,
began to whisper that famine had proved a power-
ful ally, and that the brave and daring Maories,
who have proved no contemptible antagonists even
to our troops when behind their entrecchments,
were slowly but surely succumbing to the influence
of a more insidious but not less deadly foe. Happily
these reports have proved to be well grounded, and
within the last two days a telegram has been re-
ceived at the Foreign Office, conveying the welcome
t
intelligence that on the 5
meeting took place at Tha uarnad 6a, h
of
betweenAugu s a
the
ng
Governor of New Zealand and the natives, at which
the Maories submitted unconditionally to the
QUEEN'S authority, and paced their lands at the
Governor's disposal. Such a conclusion disposes
most satisfactorily of the difficulty which had grown
to be a serious one, and was threatening the fortunes
of the colony in an alarming manner. The most
rigid disciplinuigua could not exa t more than