The Sun.
London, England, 1864-03-28 00:00:00

Commence at 7,

ROYAL STRAND THEATRE.
Manager, Mr. W. H. Swanborough.
THIS EVENING, a new Comedietta, A HUNT FOR A
HUSBAND.
Atter which, the Grand Christmas Burlesque, ORPHEUS
AND EURYOICE : 3lessrs. Honey, Wood, James Fenton,
Mesdames Swanborough, Marie Wilton, Hughes, &c.
Concluding with MARGATE SANDS.
Commence at 7.

7Eldl THiftll EDITION OF " TH.E SUN,"
Containinq the Latest SPORTING INTELLIGENCE,
/Au be had Every Evening of
G. R. GLMNIE, NEWS AGENT,
No. 4, Connaught-terrace, Hyde-park.

COALS.—The LILLE3HALL COMPANY'S
COALT•7I.
Direct from their own Collieries.
Marquis'. --Ms. per ton. Double.. 215. per ton.
Top 255. „ Nut 5........ 199. „
Deep
Well screened and delivered within five miles of their De-
pots, Westbourne Park-road, W., and 17, South Wharf,
!Addington, W.
Best Coke
Terms cash.
JOHN SCOTT, Sole Agent.

The Weather—Sun Office, March 28, 1864,

THEI7AOMETER.

This day at Two ;'elock 4B
Barometer-29.62.

Wind—South-Vest ; moderate breeze, and hazy.

HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE.
THIS DAY.—Morning, 4h. 59m.—Afternoon, sh. 1,311,
o-motrlow.-Morning, sh. 2631.—Afternoon. sh. 51m

_
,
ciUn

LONDON, MONDAY, mARcH 28, 1861.

The Easter Vacation comes this season very
much like the lull before the outbreak of a storm.
It is already recognised as such upon both sides of
the Channel. A cursory glance through the organs
of public opinion both in London and at Paris re-
veals even to a far less eagerly observant watcher
of events than Soar professional politician the
prevalence just now of the impression that
a party contest of the severest kind may be looked
f)r, almost immediately the House of Commons
shall have settled down again to serious business
upon the re-assembling of the Legislature. It is
not simply that the two great opposing Parties,
the Inns and the Oats, the Government and the
Opposition, the Liberals, so called, and the Con-
servatives,are so vary nicely balanced that the result
of any great division upon a question vitally affecting
the existence of the Cabinet, is left in the smallest
degree doubtful. It is that the balance, clearly, noto-
riously, undeniably, lies on the wrong side,
on the side, that is, opposed to the existing
Administration. Discover any distinct question
involving as its issue a vote of confidence or
of no confidence in the present Cabinet, and
the result is already patent by anticipation to
everyone's apprehension. The difficulty before the
Opposition has been hitherto the discovery of any
such question presenting to them any such golden
opportunity. To manufacture an opportunity
of this kind would inevitably lay them open
(their leaders have evidently felt this all
along) to the charge of having degenerated into
that favourite theme for Ministerial obloquy or
Factious Opposition. Whenever either a
3linistry or a Parliament has reached that

period when it comes naturally to be called
in House of Commons slang moribund—then you
may be quite certain upon one point, that whatever
move is initiated, so to speak,adverse by the Oppo-
sition, not by the regular course of events but by
the Opposition, will at once be regarded from
the INlinisterial side of the House as the
a furious outcry, repeated and re-
signal for raising
peated usque ad nauseam of—" Factious Oppusi-
tion," Ai it happens—
the word moribund is at
this moment clearly
applicable at one and the
same time to the Ministry and to the Parlia-
ment. To both of them together ! The
Cabinet has as plainly as possible just nearly
reached the very end of its tether. The
Parliament, as Parliameuts have gone since the date
of the Reform B;11, has arrived at a tolerably ad-
vanced period of existence. In tae natural course of
things it may look, after no very exterv3ed interval,
to the striking of the hour of its dissolution. 'The