The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-07-12
Elaa OF tho Reform BIN.

EIxa0 or tho he1Orm BILL
The Richmond Times has the fol-
lowing ineligible comments on. the
defeat and downfall of the late Bri-
tish Ministry: -
The downfall, resignation, and the
acceptance of the resignation, of the
Russell Gladstone Ministry, was look
| ed forward to as something which
! could not be avoided, after the news
Which reached us a few days ago. Il
kaF come rather more suddenly than
| was expected, however.
The end of the reform bin has
brought about O ministerial crisis
which has been speedily followed by
a change in the English Cabinet.
''The long debates, fierce contests
| and endless divisions have ended in
the defeat of the bill by which Mr..
Gladstone, few weeks ago, declared
that he would stand or fall. The bill
and Mr.. Gladstone have fallen. A
far more intellectual man than Lord
Palmerston, and the foremost states
man and orator of the nineteenth
| century, Mr.. Gladstone has signally
failed where much inferior men would
have triumphed. His brief career as
Prime Minister has been crowded
with mistakes and blunders, which
his giant intellect was unable to re-
deem. Like the daring pilot of Dry
den, he has steered straight on rock
after rock to show how wonderfully
he could manage vessel
The initial, and, indeed, the cardi-
nal, errors of Mr.. Gladstone, con-
sisted in his introducing reform bill
in less than six months from the
death of Lord Palmerston, and
reform bill which aroused the oppo-
sition of the land influence without
satisfying the masses. 1t was weak,
timid, halfway measure, which would
have been far more worthy of that
old woman, Lord John Russell, than
of a great man like Gladstone.
1t is lamentable to think that the
short-ived administration of Mr..
Gl lone viii only be remembered
as most an absolute failure. It is
mournful to think that the result of
all the protracted debates and bril-
liant displays of the present session is
law for the prevention of the rim
derpest.
Although the late defeat of the Mi
nistry was upon one of the minor
provisions of the reform bill, yet the
defeat was regarded as decisive. Mr..
Gladstone WAS distinctly assured in
debate that he had affronted and
alienated a large body of his nd
herents.
The defeat of the Ministry was
hailed with wild and furious de-
light, which proved that the preiu-
| dices of the House of Commons were
most violently and lntemperately an
rayed against Mr.. Gladstone
1t has doubtless greatly panied the
numerous admirers in this country of
this very able and distinguished
statesman, that he fell threatened by
his supporters, insulted and yelled at
In the moment of his defeat, wreck
ing himself, it is feared hopelessly,
and the bill on which he had set his
heart, and battling the nation in its
earnest desire for bold, manly re-
form bill.
And thus has, in all probability,
broken UP Government which has
been in Office for several years, and
sse 90 AAAOA14SA1C, wv, WAC14 I1lC COu
of Europe is being lit up by the lurid
fires of a war that threatens to bring
about greater changes than Europe
has seen for half a century-to shat
ter thrones, to set brother against
brother and son against son, to open
an earthquake under nearly every
throne, and change the fate of many
q proud and naughty dynasty.
The two possible heads of new
ministry belong to the same family.
and to the same party, while they
represent almost opposite political
tendencies. Lord Derby has, in his
later life, become a Tory, pure and
simple, although he is not in the
habit of offering obstinate resistance
to any necessary concessions which
may be pressed upon him by pliable
associates. A high position, popu-
lar character and great oratorical
f",'u,:y have acquired for Lord Derby
IA honorary pre-emincnce, which
will not be disputed if he claims the
vacant Premiership. He is very old,
now, however, and his failing health
and growing WEAKNESS of political
affairs would devolve the real arrange
ment of q Derby Government on n
young and more ambitious states
| YOon Tho oon,io~ ,,,o,> ,rl,o ,,,,l