The Sun.
London, England, 1841-07-20 00:00:00

" The Reformers have gained 37 seats, one of which
is in a Welch county, and three in Scotch counties ; and
the Tories have gained 78 seats, of which 23 are in Eng-
lish counties, four in Scotch counties, and five in Irish
counties. There are now only five Members to be re-
turned ; one from a Scotch county, and four from Irish
counties."
This, it is to be remembered, is the calculation of a
Ministerial journalist, of a journalist, too, who but a few
days since predicted that the Conservative majority
would be nil, or very small. There "can be no reason,
therefore, for supposing that it overrates the Conserva-
tive victory ; but there as every ground for believing that
that victory is considerably underrated ; and such is the
fact. However, we are contented to accept the calcula-
tion as it is given; This calculation gives a majority of
no less than eighty-three to the Conservative party
upon 653 returns—a majority which cannot possibly
be reduced below seventy-eight though all the Ave
remaining returns should prove adverse. There
however, no reason for supposing that such will be
the case, and in any event as respects these five
returns, the Conservative majority must exceed ninety
when all the petitions promised shall have been
disposed of. The Conservative majority will be, as
we believe, more than ninety ; our adversaries confess
that in any event it cannot be less than seventy-eight—
a majority, we own, exceeding by nearly twenty that
upon which we counted, and one that plainly con-
founds with wonder the defeated party. This majo-
rity is important beyond the present moment, or the
interest of any existing party ; it proves beyond all
possibility of doubt the safety of confidence in the
British people. One of the arguments against Parlia-
mentary Reform was the difficulty which it must op-
pose to the " carrying on of the Government ;". and
during the last four or five years we have heard it
repeatedly alleged as an apology for the Whig-Radical
Ministers retaining office with majorities of tens, and _
fives, and threes, and twos, and even in disregard f de-
feats, that never again can a Ministry be expected-to
command a large majority—such a.majority as enabled.
Mr. Pitt to administer the government with the vigour
with which he did administer it. Why, never at any
•
ttme during his Administration, except perhaps in the
thickest gloom of the French Revolution war—say in
1796, 1797, 1793—did Mr. Pitt command such a power-
ful majority as is now prepared to support his every way
adequate representative, Robert Peel. It was calcu-
lated that in Mr. Pitt's 'tn.,:e the Treasury could' com-
mand no less than 120 seats. The number was much
diminished by the operation of retrenchment after
I the close of the war ' • but even at the time of the
passing of the Reform Bill the number of yreasury seats
constituted an anomaly and a nuisance, which the nation
could no longer bear. Lord Grey saved as many ,of them
as he could, and their number may not now exceed 03 ail
in the hands of the Melbourne Cabinet, of course, at Pr, -
sent. It is not then because, numerically, 31r. Pitt's
majorities may have exceeded the present Conservative
majority, that we are to suppose his government stronger
in the support of the people than Sir Robert Peel's e -
ministration is sure to prove. A majority of 80 to 90
now, is more powerful than a majority of 200 in the
days of Mr. Pitt, or all that we have heard of the diffi-
culty—indeed, it was called impossibility—of carrying on
the Government, as well as all that has been said of the
necessity of small majorities, for the time to come, must
go for nothing. The majority which we see is indeed
the attestation of the people to their preference for Con-
servative principles ; it is the testimony of " the Conser-
vative democracy." It cannot be ascribed to the influ-
ence of any oligarchy, aristocratical or otherwise. This
will be manifest upon a glance at the following statement :
—The constituencies of England and Wales, in which
the Conservatives have gained during the late election
number—
In the Cities and Boroughs*
In the 'Counties
The constituencies in which the
TVldg-Radicals have gained num-
ber :
In the Cities and Boroughs
In the Counties

78,676
145,037-223,713