The Sun.
London, England, 1859-05-17 00:00:00

position.

During the interval which has elapsed, moreover,
since the installation of Lord DERBY and his col-
leagues in office as the chiefs of her MAJESTY'S
Government, they have upon two or three distinct
occasions been told to prepare at once for instant

destruction—like the merchant in the Arabian tale
who unwittingly knocked out the eye of the son of
the geni with a date stone, and the instant after-
wards was alarmed by that terrible avenging Ap-
parition !

Once—in 1858—it was Lord PALMERSTON who
held aloft the dreadful scimetar, and bade Minis-
ters prepare at once for the inexorable blow of fate.
Once—in 1859—it was Lord JonN RUSSELL who
after the fashion of the Miltonian spectre of Death,
" the phantom of a kingly crown had on " (the
shadowy diadem of the Premiership), and who, in
that guise, " shook a deadly dart" in the face of the
foe, defiantly and (at least, as it was of course in-

tended) appallingly !
Upon each of these occasions the Derbyites were
forewarned to make way, at once, for their betters.
Mr. CARDWELL'S motion, in the former of the two
instances, was to have done the deed effectually.
Lord JOHN'S Resolutions were, in the other, to have
summarily "polished off" the existing Government.
Upon both occasions, however, the result was just
exactly anything but what was intended; and, in-
deed, for that matter, what was distinctly predi-
cated. The Cabinet that had been perpetually
talked of as at the last gasp, showed, upon every
opportunity, the most extraordinary tenacity
sto life. The exultant prediction in each
instance was followed by the most ignominiously
absurd anti- climax. The tremendous motion

aimed against the Cabinet by the right hon-
ourable member for Oxford a motion equi-
valent to a shot from one of Sir WILLIAM
ARMSTRONG'S rifled cannon, warranted to drive
clean through nine inches of solid oak planking at
such and such a distance—click ! phiz ! ! smoke ! ! !
missed fire altogether !! ! ! Never was there such
an extremely ridiculus nzus after such preternatu-
rally parturient montes. At the close of that
memorable discussion the country was simply upon
the broad grin ! The whole transaction, in truth,
was utterly preposterous. Yet until the result

itself had been actually witnessed—until the deadly
weapon had positively, unmistakeably, and most
ludicrously missed fire at the very moment of its

intended discharge—if we were to believe the

Whig party then sitting expectantly on the
benches of the Opposition, the Whole thing
was already accomplished. To-morrow, Lord
DERBY would have to deliver in his own
resignation and that of his colleagues—to-morrow,
my lord the Leader of the Opposition would be
sent for, as a matter of course, by the SOVEREIGN
—to-morrow, power, place, and perquisites would
be redistributed among the dear old Whigs, cling-
ing together always so affectionately, the GREYS,
the ELLIOTS, the RUSSELLS, the GRANVILLES—
the glories of Woburn, and Bowood, and Dunrobin.
Nothing of the sort took place when the time came.
Those who were smacking their lips with such a
relish had to wipe them and remain hungry, There
was no resignation at all—not even on the side of
the Opposition.

The result has been still more of an anti-climax,
if possible, in regard to the second prophesied day
of doom of the Derbyites. Lord (Tomes Resolutions
triumphed to the very echo—yet what a triumph
it is, after all, to be sure ! Why, another such victory
would certainly be more fatal than a defeat. There
has been an appeal to the country in consequence
of the division upon Lord JOHN'S Resolutions. And
the consequence of that appeal, according to the
showing of the Times, the organ of the Opposition,
has been the return of just upon 300 Derbyites to
the New House of Commons ! Is there anything
approaching, do you think (on the opposite side of
the House), to 300 Russellites—or to 300 Brightites
—or to 300 Palmerstonians ? Not a bit of it. Nor any-
thing approaching to such a phalanx as that ranged
together in most formidable array at the back of the
right hon. leader of the so-called Government of a
minority ? So it has been called hitherto. But
can it be so called still ? Let us think for a mo.
ment. During the existence of the late Parlia-
ment, upon the occasion of one of the largest
" Houses" upon record, and upon the occasion, too,
of one of the most exceptional combinations ever
heard of—the clear majority gained over Ministers
amounted to exactly thirty-nine-39 in a
house of 626. And now in the New House
the clear gains of the Cabinet in towns and coup•
ties—still taking as our authority the Times, the
leading organ of the Opposition—the clear gains
of the Government are, says the Times, 23 in all.
Twenty-three doubled upon a divison—shows not 39
against but FORTY-SIX on the side of the Govern-
ment. So much for the brilliant success of Lord
Joures speciouS and factious Resolutions.

The Princess Frederic William may be expected
to arrive in this country immediately, on a visit to her
Majesty and the Prince Consort. The Victoria and Albert,
royal yacht, under the command of Captain the Hon. J.
Denman, sails to-day for Antwerp for the purpose of bring-
ing her Royal Highness over to England.
Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cambridge
visited her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent yesterday,
at Clarence House, St. James's.

Their Excellencies the Count and Countess de
Persigny are staying at Wallace's Hotel, Hyde-park-
corner, pending the repairs which are proceeding at Albert-
gate House.

The Earl and Countess Stanhope will return to
town to-morrow from Chevening Park, Kent, where they
have been passing the Easter holidays.

The Earl and Countess of Euston are expected at
heir residence in Grovesnor-place in a few days, from
Paris.

The Earl and Countess Somers have arrived in
town for the season. The noble earl has taken a residence
at Prince's-gate for a term of years.
The Earl and Countess of Fife have sustained a
severe loss by the almost sudden demise of their youngest
daughter, who died, after a very short illness, on Sunday,
from bronchitis.

Viscount and Viscountess Campden are on a visit
to Lord Stafford at Costessy Hall, Norwich.
Lord Crofton has arrived at Wallace's Hotel, St.
George's-place, Hyde-park-comer, from Mote Park,
Athlone, Ireland.