New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-03-21
THE RE-ENTRY or GLADSTONE.

One of the most extraordinary political
crises of recent years came to an end, yester-
day, by the formal re6ntry of Mr. Gladstone
and his colleagues into office. 1t is fashion
able for Englishmen to express certain good
natured contempt for the political ideas and
practices of the French. They are especially
sarcastic in reference to the little struggles
and compromises which take place under the
present Republican form of government be-
tween the Assembly and the Chief of the Ex
ecutive Power. But it really seems as if both
Parliament and Premier in this recent per-
formance have followed the example of
their neighbors across the Channel, where the
Administration party is continually voting
against the Administration, and the Govern
ment is constantly gaining its point by re-
signing The majority refused to follow Mr..
Gladstone, in mass, in a course of reform
which seemed to him necessary and which
seemed to some Of them precipitate and rash.
The opposition voted solid, and enough of
the majority went with them to defeat the
Government. The matter in question had
beeh distinctly declared a Government meas
ure, and it was known beforehand that the
Ministry would stand or fall with it. The Op-
position, in voting unanimously against
it, in bringing up every available voter
from the country and the Continent,
distinctly proposed to overthrow the
Cabinet. Those Of the majority who voted
with the opposition upon that occasion did 30
well understanding that their votes, if there
were enough of them, would destroy the
Gladstone Ministry; and of course, if they
gave the matter any thought at all, they
must have concluded that the defeat of the
Government would be less calamity than the
passage of the Irish University bill. Being thus
defeated, Mr.. Gladstone and his colleagues
instantly resigned. He could do nothing else
according to English parliamentary traditions
On one or two occasions he had submitted to
defeat on trifing matters not involving the po-
sition or general policy of the Government
and his GOODNESS under these incidents had
disagreeably impressed some of the sticklers
for legislative etiquette. The paper which
gives utterance to the satiric voice of all En-
gland drew him as d stalwart schoOl-bOy
slouching away from hispunishment. Mr.. Punch
says civilian, am sorry to hear you have
"been flogged again." "Who cares 7 it does MT
"hurt,n responds the hardened culprit. No
matter what may be said now, after the fact,
the truth is that Mr.. Gladstone could not have
retained office after the defeat of the 12th of
March without suffering severely in popular
esteem and parliamentary influence.
He pursued the only course open to him in
giving up the Government, and recommending
the Queen to send for the leader of the op-
position TO intrust hun with the formation of
of a new Cabinet. No one Could dispute this
title with Mr.. Disraeli. He was, therefore,
sent for. According to the strict letter of par
liamentary tradition be had very little liberty
of choice. The opposition, headed By him,
had turned the Liberal Gladstone Cabinet
out of power. 1t was incumbent upon him
either to assume the reins of Government and
try to keep together the majority he had acct
dentally rallied. or to dissolve the House of
Commons and trust to new elections
for more stable support; or, if
he declined to reap the fruit of his own vic
tory, to suggest some statesman of his party
who would assume the responsibility. But he
did nothing of the kind He peremptorily de-
clined to take charge of the Government. He
recognized the accidental character Of the ad-
verse vote which had unseated Mr.. Gladstone,
and, with a reserve and discretion which are
rare among politicians, he refused TO expose
himself TO almost certain defeat, in the
effort to reap the advantages of this
fortutOus conquest His explanation of
his action, given in Parliament yesterday, was
as frank and unconventional as the action
was. IL resembles the utterances Of some
cynical enfant terrible like the Marquis of
or the late Marquis de Boissy, rather
than the calm and cautious speech of vet
eran statesman. lie says sQuarely that "the