The Sun.
London, England, 1867-03-18 00:00:00

SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIO JOURNALS•

THE " SATURDAY REVIEW" ON THE PROBABLE
CHANGES OF PARTY.--The futuat combinations of
parties are uncertain, and old alliances are virtually
dissolved. Lord Derby has announced his intention
of withhrawing from the head of the party which
he has guided for twenty years, and Mr. Disraeli
hasby
tprye.
nh
ga p
toos a
severelylength rendered earlel
allegiance
himselfia
ne e
of
his
d impossibleoein
followers. Above all, a general concert of Liberal
opinion demands the tardy abdication of Lord Rus-
sell. A statesman who has neither forgotten the
Chandos clause nor learnt that all the rest of the
world has forgotten it is not suited to the manage-
ment of contemporary politics. The party has some-
times placed a hesitating confidence in Mr. Gladstone;
but, in default of any rival candidate, it is generally
wished that the inevitable leader should be supported,
and at the same time restrained by the responsi-
bility which can only belong the highest political
ranks. The precedent of Lord Palmerston is not
strong enough to justify a perpetual preference ,"
Ministers far advanced in life. Lord Russell has
none of the gaiety of spirit or of the superficial sym-
pathies which made his predecessor universally popu-
lar. Lord Palmerston was little disposed to dwell on
his youthful achievements, and Lord Russell cares for
nothing else. his retirement might be gracefully oc-
cupied in imaginary combats with wicked promoters
of Chandos clauses, or with more criminal opponents
of Reform. The House of Commons and the country
have more pressing matters to consider, and they wish
to be guided by a statesman who lives in the present-
There is, however, reason to believe that Mr. Glad-
stone shares the alarm of Lord Russell at Mr.
Disraeli's precipitate legislation. If Mr. Disraeli
loses the confidence of his followers, the Conserva-
tive party will probably split into two sections, re-
spectively led by Lord Stanley and Lord Cranborne.
Two able members of the same party have seldom
been so diametrically opposed in opinions and in
general tendencies. Lord Cranborne, free as he is
from political bigotry, instinctively opposes change,
while Lord Stanley is a consistent utilitarian. The
agitation on 11.2 form has divided parties by trans-
verse lines, because many unprejudiced politicians
believe that the influence of a numerical majority
would be exercised in a retrograde direction. Lord
Stanley perhaps differs little in opinion from
Mr. Lowe, altough he is more cautious in avowing
unpopular doctrines. Both statesmen would be
zealous in reforming secular abuses, and they would
be equally incapable of being misled by extravagant
reverence in dealing with ecclesiastical affairs. The
intelligent minority has hitherto been usually
the source of improvements which might per-
haps be found impracticable under the supremacy
of the multitude. Lord Cranborne has adopted
the opinions and feelings of the thorough-going
and imaginative Conservatives ; and so long as the
higher classes are represented in Parliament by
members of their own body, there will always be a
conscientious party of resistance. It is not often
that an able, versatile, and liberal-minded leader
is found to sympathise as heartily as Lord Gran
-
borne with the commonplace creed of his followers.
On Lord Derby's retirement he will almost cer-
tainly place himself at the head of the more genuine
Conservatives, while Lord Stanley will rather seek
to convert his party to practicable and popular
opinions. After the fall of the present Ministry,
the different sections of Opposition will have time
enough to remodel their organisation before their
return to office.
THE " EXAMINER" ON THE DOUBLE VOTE.—The
fmeorstmreenmiabrekrsableef eaxpeLgireimesnlattsuirne
under the reign of the elder Bourbons in France,
w pluralityereth ofthose
e votingmade
and by the late King of Prussia in his essay at
arranged.
according lt
a Constitution. The latter was the most com-
plicated,
electorsa nto
their wealth and the amount. of their taxa-
tion,dw asinvtoerycactaergeofurilelys,
numerical preponderance over those of the poorer
and gave to the categories of the wealthy a
tax-payers. This was the plain and undisguised
way of effecting what Mr. Disraeli has announced
as his principle. What was the result ? A
succession of Parliaments completely opposed to
all the Ministries and statesmen in whom the
King could or would put trust, and conse-
quently an open breach in, or rather suspen-
sion of, the Constitution by Count Bismarck----:
a forlorn hope from which he only extricated himself
by setting fire to Europe, and triumphing on a
gigantic field of battle. The other instance of plu-
rality of votes was that afforded by the poli.ely
of the elder boroughs. They, being terrified at the
advancing Liberalism of the country, and even. of
the narrower electoral body, imagined that thorny
would borrow certain of its institutions frore
England. Previously the French deputies were
elected by arrondissements, and in the chief towns c
of the arrondissements. Although in France
e
numbers of rural voters far exceeded the urban .nones,s_
still the superior education and influence of these
won upon the ignorance of their rustic neighbours,
e
de-
and the result was that the towns nominatedt
puties with the acquiescence of the what were
• troduce
To remedy this there were in
that is, members
considered to be county members— a
ers—an mao-
elected by the highest class of tax-payers—an Y
h This was to
ciation of the rich electing the Ile
coudntryctors.
had been dis
election by arrondissement. The law
erceived that
cussed and almost voted before it was p vote
take place not instead of, but in addition to, the old
the
but also for
,
the wealthy proprietor class might not only
for their own ;peculiar member
member of the arrondissement, and thus enjoy a
double vote. The unfairness was pointed out, but
be a
to
re-
medied, and the right of the double vote_t
ticerlsut
effect
the Conservatives took care that it should not
the rich proprietors became a law.
.1
f the
Conservatism that not only the minor;
y Foram ce,
was a Chamber with an ultra majorityss.to
Chamber, but the great public o
turned
rustic as well as civic, grew disgusted,
and be-
eriest to be-lord
against a system that threatene which
'est the country, and ended by a Parliament _
pri 111
the IN Lii
entered upon the resistance to Charles .
which led to the alternative of a revolution either
mad for
effected by or against the King.
Throughoutt ren
years of the struggle there was no cry more
that
of
getically or more universally uttered h
no double vote.
e tellre

- - -
PRESENTS AT PARKINS AND IiOTTO'S.--I'llol t-
-
graphic Albums, a choice of 3,000; despatch-boxes,
wri
ing-cases, dressing-cases, travelling-bags, envelope-cases,
blotting-books, ink-stands desks, book-slides, work-boxes,
tea-caddies, hand-bags, and' reticules, card-cases, purse°,
stationery-cabinets, scent-bottles, albums for postage
stamps, crests, (to. ; cigar-cases, card-baskets, pocket-
books, electro-gilt and elc,antly-inounted articles. Bibles
Prayer-books, and Church Services, in every type. Par-
kins and Gotto, 25, Oxford-street The public supplied
at wholesale prices from the largest stock inLomlon.