The Sun.
London, England, 1869-01-15 00:00:00

RUIVOURED RETIREMENr OF MB.

TREVELYA.A.

It is mentioned that there is a report current in
official circles that Mr. Trevelyan is to be forced to retire
on account of his use of the following expression in his
recent speech :—" Those who were at the head of
the War Department had a terrible task before them.
They had opposed to them two tremendous influences—the
influence of the aristocracy and the influence of the Court.
Ile would not speak against any member of the Royal
Family, whom they all affectionately esteemed, but he
maintained that it was not right that a royal duke should
be placed permanently in such a position as that of Com-
mauder-in-Chief." A Liberal contemporary declares that
"to Mr. Trevelyan such martyrdom would be in every
sense a gain, but a fatal error on the part of Mr. Glad•
stone. Probably our early reference to the report
will cause the subject of his dismissal to be recoil.
sidereal, and we venture to warn the Government against
the extreme unpopularity 'which would follow such an

unjustifiable act. In our opinion, Mr. Trevelyan, by
his imprudent speech, has done more to promote army
reform than Sir John Pakington accomplished in two
•cars at the 'War Office."

LORD HALIFAX ON MIDDLE-CLASS
PARLIAMENTS.

A banquet was given to Lord Halifax in the Town Hall
at Halifax on Wednesday. The noble lord, in acknowledging
the compliment, alluded to public affairs in genera], and de-
clared it to be for the advantage of the country that those of
independent position should take part in its Government.
The middle:class Parliaments had ceased to exist, but their
name would always be found, for they had secured civil and
religious liberty and destroyed class legislation. They had
put a stop to the reign of protection, and this conferred great
benefits on the people. One thing they bad failed to do—
to deal with the question of the Irish Church. Lord
Russell bad long ego recognised the claims of the working
men to the franchise, and he and Lord Halifax had been
very active in proposing a franchise which would have
satisfied the Liberal party, but the Government of that year
(1852) were not strong enough to curry the measure. The
reform bills of those days failed more on account of the
lukewarmness of the Liberals than from the efforts of their
opponents. Referring to the measure of 1867, Lord Palifax
declared that ho was glad the bill had passed, but he was
sorry for the manner in w'u:ch it had beon passed. He had
never feared the consequences of that "Democratic
measure," but ho thought the mode in which it
had been carried had changed the character of public men.
The reputation of these men was public property, and it
was a matter of painful regret to him when they
ceased to command the respect of the country,
whether they entertained the same political opi-
nions as ha did, or were opposed, to him.
The Conservatives had not realised the advantages which
they had expected from the Reform Bill, but he thought
that Mr. Disraeli had acted wisely iu withdrawing
from office without testing the vote of an adverse ma-
jority. By such a course the late Premier and his
colleagues had prevented all angry ani acrimonious
feeling, and left themselves free to act with the Govern-
ment that had succeedel them. He believed that the
result of the political change made would be to increase the
power of the people to govern themselves, but he thought
the task of legislation had been more difficult since the
passing of the first Reform Bill. Much difference of opinion
now existed upon public qu. stions, even among those who
were most Lieedly.