The New York herald., 1868-06-16
The Political Situation in England.

i The POIlttC0I situation Englanus
The Parliamentary situation in England is
| one of the most peculiar on record. TO us in
this country, who had been asked to believe
in all the virtues of the English SYSTEM the
situation is mysterious and perplexing All
our previous notions as to the virtue of the
strangely complex machine which consisted of
her Majesty's Minister'S with their following,
and her Majesty's opposition, have been curl
Ously knocked on the head; and we now begin
to see (the British people themselves begin to
see) that a political deadlock such as that
through which we have recently passed is
quite as possible in London as at Washington.
Had Lord Macaulay lived to see the state Of
things which now exists not only would he
have modified his opinion of the excellence Of
the British constitution, but his love of justice
and truth would have induced him to rewrite
some of the best parts of his history. For the
instruction Of mankind in general, and of
the British people in particular, Mr..
Disraeli, by series of the most daring expert
ments, has exhibited the British constitution
in aspects in which, some months ago, enthu
believed it was possible to see it.
Successive kilograms have informed us from
day to day that Mr.. Disraeli has at last made
up his mind to call upon the Queen to dissolve
Parliament and to ask the people to decide
whether wings or tories, liberals or conserva-
tives shall be entrusted with the government
of the British empire. This is what Mr..
Disraei ought to have done-and what, per-
haps, no other possible English Premier under
the influence Of conscientious scruples would
in the premises have refused to do-on the
occasion of his first defeat on the Irish Church
question. In following this course he would
have been doing what Derby, Russell,
Palmerston, Peel, Melbourne, Grey, Pitt and
others had done before him, and what most
honorable men would have concluded it was
right to do in the circumstances. Mr.. Disraeli,
however, is man of genius, and that, perhaps,
sufficiently explains why he has acted differ
emily from all who have gone before him. On
the occasion of the first defeat Mr. Disraeli
neither resigned nor appealed to the country.
This, however, but for what has followed,
might have been satisfactorily explained. If
the Ministry at some subsequent stage of the
same measure had been backed up by the
House, the Prime Minister might have been
extolled for his pluck and perseverance. On
some such result, perhaps, Mr.. Disraeli calcu-
lated. His calculations, as all the world now
sees and as he himself is fully convinced, have
been sadly at fault. Defeat has followed de-
feat not on one, but on many questions, with
rapidity and weight which have been abso-
lutey crushing. Nothing but genius could
have survived such q series of misfortunes.
Mr.. Disrael however, does survive; and in
spite of Queen, Lords and Commons, in spite
even Of the people, a son of Israel remains the
virtual chief of the British empire It has
not for some generations been believed in Eng
land that any minister could defy the public
sentiment of the country; 1t has Of late years
been popular sentiment that the will of the
House Of Commons was supreme in the realm;
but Mr. Disraeli has shown that both the belief
and the sentiment are false. Without the con-
sent Of the people and in opposition to tue
will Of the House Of Commons he maintains
his post as chief adviser of the Crown.
II is possible, however, to strain a privilege
too far and to misnterpret the patience of an
enduring people. There is point of pressure
at which the spring will break. If it is Mr..
Disraelis intention to advise her Majesty to
dissolve Parliament before the Reform bills
for Scotland and Ireland have been passed, we
take 1t that he is already beginning to fear
whether the last point Of patient endurance
has not been reached. II is the conviction Of
many who at one time believed in Mr.. Disraeli
that by his persistent tenure of office he has
hopelessly compromised both himself and his
party.
We have already in these columns explained
why dissolution Of Parliament and conse-
quently general election are not desired now
either by the Ministry or by the opposition. II
q general election were taking place now or
any time before the new constituencies were
created in Scotland and in Ireland il would
take place in most exceptionable circum-
stances. A Reform bill has been passed for
England. In England, therefore, the repre-
sentatives would be chosen either by the old or
by the new constituency. If by the old, the
newly created electors would naturally feel