The Sun.
London, England, 1869-06-08 00:00:00

SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS.

" A majority of eighty against the bill." This, says
the Times, was what we were promised on Monday, and if
the peers who cheered on Lord Derby on Saturday had
remained steadfast, the threat might have prevailed. But
it was found that the minority of reason was more power-
ful in numbers than any had suspected. First one, then
another, rebelled. In the afternoon sitting of the Lords
on Monday, a member of the late Ministry took occasion in
the most pointed manner possible to disavow all approval
of the policy of blind resistance. Lord Devon, in presenting
a petition from the clergy of Exeter against the bill, added
that it would be disingenuous on his part if he
did not explain that he could not agree with the prayer of
the petition. Lord Devon's courage encouraged many
another peer, and the brief sitting was scarcely over
before it began to be said that it would, perhaps, be better
to allow the bill to be read a second time by a small
maior:ty, and thus retain a power, otherlise lost for ever,
of attempting to modify its provisions in committee. 'rho
Times trusts the danger to the House of Peers is past.
Perfect confidence cannot, indeed, be felt in the stability
of a body which thought of acting upon advice prompted
in a mere spirit of criminal levity, anti some time must
elapse before the character and influence of the Upper
House will be thoroughly restored ; but we may
well hope that the danger it would have incurred is
averted. The experience of the last two days has
done something more than re-affirm the old truth that in
a direct issue the Lords muEt allow the national will to
prevail. It has shewn that on the question of the day
compromise is impossible. The policy of the bill was sub-
mitted to the country in November, and the vote in its
favour then given by the constituencies of each of the
Three Kingdoms, and by the majority of the electors of
each of the Three Kingdoms, was in effect to ratify the
scheme of the measure. The nation is not so slack of
purpose as might be imagined from the example of the
Peers. It has approved the bill as it left the House of
Commons, and as it has left the House of Commons the
bill must practically be passed.

The Mardi rd thinks that Lord Derby's answer to the
deputation which waited upon bin' on Monday ought to
be gravely considered by every Conservative and Church-
man in the realm. His lordship has undertaken to lead
his party in the greatest struggle in which they have been
engaged since 1532. He is entitled to demand in return
the entire, unflinching, unhesitating support of every
member of tbatparty. The House of Lords has under-
taken to assert on this occasion the rights of the Protestant
people of the empire ; it has a right to' expect that the
people will support the House of Lords. "Upon that'sup.
port the result of the conflict must depend. There is no
choice left. Some of us might have wished that a diffe-
rent course had been adopted, and that the battle had
been fought on, different ground and with different tactics.
But, after all, the consequences would have been
much the same, so far as the necessity of fighting is
concerned. However violently Mr. Gladstone may resent
the rejection of the bill he would have resented its amend-
ment quite as violently. He would have listened to no
compromise ; he would have made no concession. It is
the proof he has already given of this—the peremptory
and contemptuous refusal of every suggestion offered, of
every amendment moved by the Opposition in the Lower
House—that has determined the course of the Peers.
Formally, the responsibility of the collision is theirs,
practically it lies with Mr. Gladstone. The Cabinet were
determined to treat the amendment of the bill as tanta-
mount to its rejection. The Lords have taken them at
their word, and have considered it wiser to reject the bill
distinctly, than to reject it virtually, after having seemed
to accept its principle. They exercise a constitutional
privilege which it is impossible to question, and the exer-
cise of which gives no one any right of complaint ; and
they call upon their country to support them in the fulfil-
ment of a public duty.
What does Mr. Disraeli say ? inquires the Daily News.
The action of the Conservative party in either House of
Parliament cannot, we imagine, be taken without some
regard to the opinions of the late Prime Minister. Does
he advise the policy which has been at least provisionally
adopted, or has he been overruled, or she ply ignored? Ire
makes no sign. The cordial and sustained cheering with
which the Liberal party in the House of Commons on
Monday expressed the. fidelity of their adhesion to
Mr. Gladstone roused no defiant response from the
other side of the House. It was met by blank looks and
dead silence. The Conservative minority in the House
of Commons, who are in closer contact with the consti-
tuencies and can better interpret the symptoms of public
opinion, do not share the sanguine hopes of the Conserva-
tive majority in the Lords. They know very well that
the judgment of the nation was given at the polling-
booths, and is not expressed in meetings of the beaten
party. An active and noisy minority remains a minority.
Mr. Disraeli is still the leader of the Conservative party,
if be has not been set aside for the more con-
genial chieftainship of Mr. Gathorne Hardy ; and
ha is responsible for the conduct of that party
in both Houses of Parliament. Lard Cairns is
his lieutenant and not Lord Derby's, whatever
may be the personal influence of that nobleman. If Mr.
Disraeli is anything he is a tactician. If he has one
eminent political virtue, it is not, perhaps, consistency of
principle, cr scrupulous regard to means, but fidelity to his
party asecciates. Ile must know that in urging or per-
mitting the territorial aristocracy of England to engage
in a conflict with the representative Chamber and with
the constituencies, he is leading them to the brink of a
precipice, or suffering them to wander thither without
raising a warning voice. The House of Lords, in assent-
ing to the principle of life peerages, has proclaimed its
insufficiency as a second Chamber. Yet it finds in the
very moment of this confession the occasion for straining
these powers to the uttermost. Why does not Mr.
Disraeli interpose?

The Post, in discussing the distinctive features of our
great races, says that Ascot in point of character as in time
now holds an intermediate position between the Derby
meeting and that at Goodwood. The repose of the Heath
is gone 'for ever. The railways, the spirit of the times,
and the freaks of fashion have done their work. People
who hardly know the difference between a handicap and a
welter race consider it the right thing to go to Ascot, and
it is nearly as hard to see or to move on the Lawn as on
the Downs. Even the off-days, which used to console
those who really enjoy racing, are apparently doomed to a
similar fate. In a racing point of view, however, the
Ascot meeting is interesting. The Derby and the Oaks
have pretty clearly indicated the best horses the year.
But the running in these races is not unfrequently upset
by the bill at Ascot. Then there is the meeting of the
best Derby and Oaks performers to look forward to; and
the winner of the Grand rrix in France sometimes joins
in the contest. Besides, at Ascot, the best horses of the
year have to meet the celebrated runners of previous years
at weight for age, and the question of superiority becomes
intensely interesting. Then, again, the youthful aspirants
to fame in the ensuing year's Derby and Oaks very fre-
quently make their debut at this meeting. Ascot has
therefore not only in a general point of view, but in some
special points, an importance peculiar to itself. On the
whole, this year the sport promises to be up to the
average of an Ascot meeting, and it is to be hoped that
there will be no greater drawbacks during it than the
inevitable crowds.

The Star declares that Mr. Gosehen's plan, as now
modified, legalises compounding, but corrects its abuses.
Its object is to introduce a regulated uniform system"
throughout the country, and there is a prospect of its
successfully accomplishing that purpose. It is, perhaps,
best for Parliament to pass lightly over some reminis-
cences, and to say with Mr. Bright, that in 1867 the action
of parties was greatly embarrassed, and somehow the com-
pound householder became the victim of parliamentary
troubles. But no good reason can be given for banning the coin-
pounding system. The motives which led to its prohibition
become •more and more contemptible as time elapses, and
the conduct of the Derb3-•Disraeli Ministry in the matter
becomes more docistvely condemned by experience. As to
• the remedy proposed, it has already received the sanction
of those 'most interested, and it bids fair to receive the
sanction of l'arlio moot. It is a general Lill ; it is a bill
which secures h)cal freedoin ; i,, preLervos all that was
good in compounding; ; it readers impwsil,le all that was
bad in compounding; and while leaving parishes at liberty
to adopt or reject_ the conveniences of the old imall tene-
ments system, it absolutely guards against.the possibility
of any householder losing either the parliamentary or the
municipal franchise in consequenceof rating arrangements.

haymaking has been commenced in the south-
western districts. Apparently the crop will be a heavy

It is said that the articles which have Leen
lat-Ay appearing in the 772,7e3 on French politics are from
the pen Nradol.

• -
THE IRISH BILL.--rnl;=,
to the of the Lords on. the saject .of the Irish
CLarcii 1,a3 created considerable excitement and snr-
prile in An rt.yilsition, signed
Ly upwards of I,7,Tia already been ..pre-
suited to the Mayor, who has prompt:y called a town's
meeting, to he held in the Town Hall, on Monday even-
ing tiext, the 11th instant.

_ A LADY MISSIONARY.— A somewhat novel pro-
posal has come before the Primitive Methodist Conference,
holding its sittings at Grimsby. The Missionary Com-
mittee reported that a lady had offered herself to go to
Africa as a missionary in any capacity in which a lady
could scr...e. We are not informed r,hether the offer was
"ac:epted, a:s.d are therefore left to infer that the lady's
claims to attentica in the cap4aity suggested ceull not IA
deg woulitb,9ut i SUcl a4;10.4 _Confiders i>