The Sun.
London, England, 1856-04-01 00:00:00

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not yet reacked.nand. wiyare, therefore, in that dangerseN
one state inewtneh party. is_too weak te comma.nd the
cellectiveorof Government and wisdom and patrio-
tism are no, r 3 dg enough.to make public spirit its own
reward, and to induce mento agree to sink minor differ-
ences, that they nriy by their union compass the greatest
practicable amount of public good. At this moment,
perhaps, a greater nuraber :at the members of both
houses are agreed on the support of the interests repre-
sented by Mr. Disraeli than on any other single
interest ; and that gentleman pretty confidently looks
to an early return to office. But jealousy of theparvenu
and the Israelite operates strongly against him. Pak-
. ington, Walpole, and the old Herries and Wellington
school 07 Tories are disgusted with the merely destruc-
tive, satirical, and censorious attitude he invariably as-
Burnes' and except to that slashing style of personality
which forgets the sober business of the house, simply to
abuse and ridicule individuals. Report whispers that
the Earl of Derby is not so well affected towards him
as formerly, and that Sir E. B. Lytton contests with
him his place. In finance he is not regarded a 3 safe by,
capitalists ; but it is quite possible that, were a Tory
Ministry once formed, a powerful combination might
give it strength. Should it belie its principles and take
to the policy of reform and progress, we do not deuht
its chances of continuance a-e considerable ; but nneeee
the Lord Stanley element in it grow stronger and stronger,
it wwild only endure by sufferance, and would be hurled
from office by Radical measures carried bra combination
of all the elements of the Opposition. The spirit of the
age is so decidedly progressive and reconstructive in its
tendency that no party, whetever be its name, can main-
tain itself in place without yielding homage to the prevail.
inn tendency of pubic opinion. It is, therefore, only by
Tories ceasing to be Tories that they can begin to be
permanently in office. What Sir R. Peel did for Con-
servatism, Lord J. Russell has effected for Whiggery—
he has effectually ruined it ; we wish we oould say fronts
simf motives. We see no probability of his being alst,
kit er up and around him the fragments he scatter est
tonly. His lieutenants have entered another Fie r-
✓ ,;he has destroyed his Dissenter antecedents by ?Die
c uct on the Church-rate question ; many of his 'tra-
ditional supporters have died off or been superseded
at the hustings ; we see no prospect that he can cysr lead
again ; and without Lord J. Russell there can, be no
Whig party. But a new combination of inched duals is
eaptemplated, which looks with Bauch confide ace to a
tease of power. Messrs. Gladstone, Cardwell, Herbert,
Graham, and other Peelites, have already virtually co-
alesced with the party represented by Messrs. Cobden,
Bright, Gibson, J. B. Smith, and the Mancheister school.
Their political spirit has long been nearly identical ;
the details in which they differ become gradually
fewer. They have the favour of Prince, Albert, the
ear of the Court, and are fully agreed upon the policy
of peace and retrenchment. In the Legislature they
are entirely isolated ; in the country they are de-
tested and despised. They are, notwithstanding
in our opinion, the ablest men in Parliament ; and, the
question of foreign politics excepted, they are the most
enlightened, intelligent, and least corrupt politicians
who can at present be combined in the co-operation of
patty. They are fully aware of the bad odour in which
they stand ; but they depend upon the Court to call
then, to office, and upon the boldness, thoroughness and
radicalism of their programme, to carry public popula-
rity by storm. It is the hope of Lord John Fussell to
come into power upon a Reform Bill ; but the Peek
Manchester party trump that card by adding the Ballot eta
their bill of rare, and by improvements in the system of
finance, banking and taxation, they do not doubt they
will secure the support of the commercial classes.
Examining the prospects of faction on the theory of
exhaustion, we come last of all to the collection of indi-
viduals at present drawn together under the leadership
of Lord Palmerston. It is easy to call it a mere transi-
tion Government ; but what for the last 12 years has
any other been ? It is easy to allege that it has no de-
tsrinieate policy ; but what was the policy of Derby !
The preponderance of principle in the present Ca-
binet is greatly liberal ; it has been exemplarily
diligent and vigorous in its administration ; it has
proposed good and useful, even bold measures of
practical reform, which have only been too liberal
and radical for the present temper of the Legis•
lature ; and where it has failed, it has not been by
its opposition to intelligent progress, but by being liberal
beyond its strength. As yet we are not satisfied that
the country could change the Administration for the
better ; but that Administration must very plainly see,
that against the majorities which so frequently thwart
its measures it cannot hope to make head without a
thorough change in the machinery which determines tb e
issues of political power. With the rein.roduction of
peace, Lord Palmerston must put forth hie own scheme
• Pail amentary Reform. The earnest spin t and strorg
cony ctions of the people must be more. irrpreq.ol upon
the hosting'', and better marked at the pod'. The mete
Par iementary loungers, pledged to ne principles, hav-
ing no convictions, professing only what will get them
✓ turned, and only to serve the purpose of returning
them, must be swept away by a fresh organic recon-
struction of the constitution ; and decided cpinions sell
principles, without which party cohesion will be impost
Bible, must be secured by infusing the earnestness of the
masses into the representative system through a wider
extension of the franchise, and a more direct account-
ability of members to their constituents. Unless Lord
Palmerston is prepared to do this his days of office are
numbered ; should he satisfy the country on this point,
we see no reason to doubt that his tenure of power will
contieue on a better title than that of any who at pre..
sent aspire to his position.