The Sun.
London, England, 1867-02-28 00:00:00

SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOU'RNALS.

TIMES.—But a few months have elapsed since the
Liberal party was divided and disorganised to a
degree which seemed to exclude all prospect of its
early reconstruction. Not only was it far from
being agreed on the question of Reform, but its
general want of discipline and concert was such as
to provoke many taunts from the adverse camp.
Both the misgivings of friends and the premature
exultation of foes have been signally and rapidly
abated, and this is the more remarkable when viewed
in connection with the conspicuous absence of party
spirit which has hitherto characterised the debates
of this Session. The party is united in a policy, not
of aggression, but of forbearance—of forbearance
towards opponents who are known to be weakened
by disunion. So far as its tactics have been disclosed
by its proceedings in Parliament, or by what oc-
curred at the private meeting on Tuesday, they are
the very reverse of factious. Instead of attempt-
ing to defeat the Government Reform Bill and re-
cover office on a false issue, the Liberals seem pre-
pared to support Lord Derby's Ministry against its
own reluctant, if not mutinous, followers in carry-
ing a measure which may settle the Reform contro-
versy for a generation. There is every reason to
believe that if Mr. Disraeli succeeds in the difficult
task before him, it will be due to the patriotic con-
duct of the Opposition, and that if he fails it will
be due to the infatuation of those whom he nomi-
nally leads. He may be right, or wrong, in asserting
that Mr Bright and Mr. Lowe agree in wishing no
good to his scheme of Reform, but he well knows that
his greatest danger lies in an oppositequarter. While
the great body of Liberals is determined to pro-
mote, at any sacrifice, the
passing of a moderate but
genuine Reform Bill, a certain number of Tories
are equally determined to resist any Reform Bill
but a sham one. We can hardly be wrong in at-
tributing to their officious counsels the pedantic
idea of making any considerable reduction of the
borough franchise dependent on the adoption of a
" plurality of votes." It is from such friends as
these, and not from Mr. Gladstone, that the present
Government has most need to be saved. If we ask
what has wrought so great a change in the position
and spirit of that party, several answers suggest
themselves. We might explain it by the salutary
and proverbial, effects of a temporary banishment
from power, but we prefer to seek a deeper and
more adequate cause. The truth is that a convic-
tion has been slowly maturing itself in most educated
minds that it is no longer wise to go on trifling
with Reform. The House of Commons, and espe-
cially that section of it which professes to be Liberal,
has gradually become conscious that it is to some
extent on its trial before the nation. As Mr. Lowe
truly says, the problem of Reform has of late
assumed a somewhat different aspect, and " efforts
have been recently made to show that the Ilous3
has failed in its duty." Whether these efforts have
been more or less successful, and whether any defi-
nite grievance has been shown which the present
Legislature is unwilling to redress, are points into
which it is needless here to enter. It is enough that
public attention is fixed with increasing vigilance
on the shortcomings of our legislation, and, in par-
ticular, on the neglect of the House of COllll3lOllll to