New-York tribune., 1868-12-19
THE NEW MINISTRY.
,.o0v ora OWN CORRESPONDENT ]

Houae he had hiIDSeu cnahe"S0u' 10 "''hV"V Pi0N'
asut. Now, in England when you say tnere lS no
preeedent for act you damn that act ordinarily
a. ths most horrible censure. The most decisive
,~srE Of Mr.. Dsraeli's genius is that he has per
,naded the English people to let him do unprece-
a.ntod things without much shreking over them
Foually without authority s the publication OF ms
ircular addressed to nobody in particular but pre-
,enting that public opinion which even IN England
has become almost despOtic, his reasons Tor the
reeimation. This statement was sent 10 ail tne
newspapers, and appears in all simultaneously, ex-
citing much the same sort Of amaZement as did MI.
EncOlns letter IN reply 20 leading article IN 1hE
TRIBUNE The ObviOns advantage in resignlng De-
fore Parliament met-that the outgoing ministers
avoided committing themselves to ds-
tinct poljcy-fs to some slight extent neutral
lied by this declaration. Mr.. Disraeli puts
himself on record as intending TO offer to Mr.
. Gladstone's Irish Church policy an Incorporating
resistance" However, that is not saying much. SO
long as it is Mr. Gladstones policy, and the Torres
being in opposition have nothing to gain by surren-
der they will be sure 10 oppose it vigorously The
same mar be said in respect to any other disnctyey
Liberal measure which the new Ministry may bring
forward. 1t is certain that the circular, combined
with the manner of Mr. DisraelPs resignation, and
hs advice TO the Queen to send for hr. Gladstone
produced favorable impression on the public lie
has gone out with all the oclat which could accom-
psny beaten man. and with great deal more than
any beaten man bat Mr. Disrseli could have secured
The one secret of his policy is surprise His Premier
ship has been Succession Of surprises, and it ends
IN inferior in effect to none that won't before 1t
does not belong to me to write the epitaph Of his
Administration and perhaps it is unwise to hazard
prediction that he will never return to power. He
came into Office March of this year, and resigned it
on the Cd Of December-a short tenure for = man
whose life has been one long ambition, and who
shrunk from no sacrifice TO attain his poor nine
months OF power.
Those who thought Mr. Dsraeh would try TO hold
On TO Office by desperate expedents do not see IN his
present tactics any particular magnanimity. Con-
vinoed that he could do nothing with hostile ma
jority of ia against him in Parliament, he has Ie
sgned at the exact moment he judged most iDconye-
nient for his opponent Or admit that this is harsh
Judgment and let us say he wants TO check the flow
Of criticism on his shifiy habits and perpetual in
higue. That also he has gained by an act OF appar-
snt frankness which is at the time his soundest
political stratagem. II he likes sensations he was
fully gratfed, for London was completely ineredu-
lous on Wednesday morning that resignation was
contemplated. Only one paper, The Telegraph had
any hint of it, Yet Mr. Disraeli had actually quilted
Office the day before, placing his resignation on Tues
day afternoon IN the hands of Her Majesty and the
Queens Secretary. Gen. Grey, had been sent early
on Wednesday with dispatch to Mri Glad
stone commanding his presence at Windsor.
1t was like an attack on a fortress when
the garrison was all out in scouting parties Mr.
Gladstone properly absent from London-it
s matter of inconvcnient etiquette believe, that
be should be away on such occasion, but he need
not have been quite SO far as Howarden Castle, in
Cbester-nearly 200 miles. Mr.. Bright was in Roch-
dale. Mr.. rorster was at his home in Burley, near
Leeds in Yorkshire, having unconsciously left his
house in London the very day Mr. Gladstone was
summoned The Duke of Argyll was in Scotland,
and most of the leading Liberals were scattered
about the country They were hurried back by tele-
graph to consult with Mr.. Gladstone. who. in the
course of Friday had called abOut him Earl Gran
vile, Lord Clarendon, Mr.. Childers Mr. CardWeu
and the Whip of the party Mr.. Glyn, who at such
times is an indispensable character Mr.. Bright ar
rived in town on Friday This Saturday morning
the Ministerial arrangements are still incomplete
some Of the future Cabinet having come up only late
last night 1t is expected the slate will be filed up
before Monday.
While Mr. Gladstone is the real power, such cour-
tesies as due to the sham power are STILL aud will
long be. seduously observed. And you may as well
mark that although the authority Of the Queen in
Ministerial crisis is next to nothing the convenience
OF such functionary is considerable. II Mr.. Dsrae
had TO present his resignation to the House itself he
must have waited till the House met. 1t would be
awkward, also if the House had thereupon to pro-
ceed to the choice of one of its members-opering
endless opportunities for intrigue and wire-puling
Whereas now. we have all the forms Of good breed
ing imported into politics. The Crown serves as a
Kind of buffer TO prevent the actual collision OF two
opposing forces, and the very serious business of
transferring the power Of this Empire from one set
OF rulers to another is accomplished without shock.
The real decision was made in the boroughs and
counties The transfer is. nevertheless, important.
and on the whole don't think the machinery works
badly It's not the working but the expense of
working; and useful as the Queen is in such erner-
rencies, am far from thinking she is worth all she
costs.
II is still the theory of the British Consiitu-
ton that the Crown is the source of power,
and can make and unmake Ministries. Ac-
pordingly Mr.. Disraeli-whO was really the
residuary legatee Of Lord Dcrby-when he be-
came Prime Minister received the commands OF lieT
Majesty to form q Ministry. and formed it. The
country having voted by huge majority that after
irving IL does not want and will not have Mr. Dis
yaeli for Prime Minister. Mr. Disraeli resigns his
office into the hands of the Queen who nominaly
bestowed it. At the same time. he informs Her
Majesty that he is unable to carry on the Govern
nent with which she graciously intrusted him, and
recommends her to send for Mr. Gladstone, az per-
con who can probably constitute another Ministry.
Mr. Disraeli ght have suggested any other name
snd the Queen would equally have been bound TO ac-
sept his advice and send for the person pointed ont
hy the retiring Minister. II was expected that Mr..
Dimaeli would have advised that Lord Russell or
Lord Granville should be sent for not with any Wow
II rotard Mr. GadstOne's accession. bot because both