The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-03-17
Foreign News.

The Times has the following IN relation
to the change in the English Cabinet; the
however, is contradicted by the London
Globe and the Pail Mall Gazette:
It would be idle to disguise the fact, that
the course of the Government since the
meeting of Parliament, has been such as
to excite the gravest anxiety among the
friends of liberal Administration. People
have gone about assuring one another
that everything was going well, but they
did SO in tones which Ill corresponded with
the words of encouragement they uttered.
The Administration has not been called
upon to do much, its trial has been but
short, and yet what it has done has ex-
hibited spirit of vacillation and uncer-
tainty which argued ill for it's future. 1t
has seemed as if anything like unity Of
principle was absent from its deliberations;
what ono man has proposed another has
rejected, and no one has been able to guess
what would happen tomorrow, because it
was impossible to say what spirit would
then be predominant. We cannot be sur
prised, then, to hear it rumored that,
under such circumstances, Lord Russell
has asked her Majesty to relieve him from
duties which have proved too irksome for
him, and has begged permission to resign
once more tho Office of First Minister Of
the Crown. We are not in position to
affirm positively the truth of this rumor.
stantiated is fact in itself, and we shall
proceed to discuss it and others which have
obtained equal authority as if they were
we'll founded.
1t is the usual and proper sequel to the
resignation of minister to summon the
leader of the opposition to form a Cabinet.
Such course is most forcibly recommend
ed, because resignation ordinarily fol-
lows defeat, and is the consequence of a
transfer Of confidence from the Govern
ment to its opponents. The administra-
ton Of Lord Russell, however, has not sue
House of Commons. If it has fallen, its
faults, or, at least, its imperfections, have
been its own. Lord Russell IS, therefore,
been justified if he has believe that some
other combination of the liberal party
might be formed capable of carrying on
the government Of the country. There
are, moreover, grave obstacles to the crea-
tion Of q conservative ministry. It is un-
derstood that many Of those, who are re-
garded as the leaders Of the party in the
House of Lords, and who formed the Cabi-
net in the last conservative ministry, are
unwilling to undertake once more the cares
of Office. Lord Derby himself is believed
to be strongly disinclined to encounter
again the arduous task of fighting against
majority in the CSmm9ps, h,.iudsed,
| under any circumstances, he could be pre-
vailed upon to return to the Treasury.
| We have mentioned are not unfounded, re-
commended her Majesty to send for the
| Duke Of Somerset. 1t is, of course. pre-
mature to say what might be the result of
an attempt on the part of the Duke of So
merset to form a ministry. He has many
qualities fitting him for the highest Office,
but there are others, and those, perhaps,
| more important, in which he is believed to
be wanting. There can be no doubt about
his energy and resolution; and his friends
claim for him singular administrative
ability, which cannot, however, be said to
have been exhibited during an apprentice
ship of seven years at the Admiralty.
II a strong liberal Government, either
under Lord Russell OF some capable sue
cessor, can be maintained, we should, of
course, greatly prefer it; but, if this is
rendered impossible by internal difficult
ties, we may call attention to another ad-
vantage which would accrue from q tory
interregnum. The country is at present
embarrassed by what We may venture to
call, by metaphor borrowed from the
naval service, ''Yellow Admirals.' Men
who have come to the fore by mere Sc
niority and the course of promotion, who
inspire no confidence, and have neither
knowledge nor genius to justify their po-.
sition. 1t would be invidious to mention
them individually, but it is only necessary
to recall the names of ministers, past and
present, to be aware that there are some
| from whose claims both the great parties
would gladly be relieved. They exist, and
it is hard to displace them; but if they
were once relegated to obscurity, no one
would think of recalling them to position
We desire above all things a good, sound,
strong liberal Government. There are
| plenty OF things for it to do. There is
Ireland to be settled, colonial policy to
be determined, a foreign policy still in pro-
gress Of transition, the permanent ques-
ton Of reform to be laid at rest; but if
these things cannot be accomplished at
once, we are content to wait for q season
that they may be accomplished at last
more effectua1ly. No one of these can be
settled without united Cabinet, possess
ing definite policy, following the insp
ration Of a single leader; and although the
promise Of such a result may at present
be dim and uncertain, we think we discern
! termination might bring it to light
The Dublin correspondent OF the Lon
| don Post writes Of the condition.:
The police, both in country and city, are
perseveringly pursuing their task of hunt
ing down suspected persons, and reple-
nishing the jails, which, if the present
state OF things lasts much longer, will have
to be greatly increased in number or size.
Every post brings the news Of fresh hauls
Of the Government sweep-net, bringing in,
entangled in its meshes, rebellous fish OF
all sizes, from district head-centres,"
with well-lined pockets, down to the hum
| ble "private" in the Fenian army, who has
been duped of his last shilling to aid
cause of which he knows no more than
what his deceivers tell him. Day by day
| the work goes on-the search for arms by
| day, succeeded by the nocturnal arrests
without any prospect Of cessation.
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