New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-08-21

ont He would have been the terror OF the Govern
mept had be been sent into exile, and is accordingly
shunted into the Home Office to be the terror OF
everybody else. There is not Cabinet Minister
who is brought officially into contact with such
number of people of every rank and position as the
Home Secretary. There is not man in the Cabinet
OF out of it-not even Mr.. AyrtOn-whose capacity
for making himself disagreeable to people with
whom he is brought officially into contact approaches
that of Mr. Lowe. But the instinct OF sefpreserva-
ton is strong even in Prime Ministers, and as MI.
Gladstone had to choose between discomfort anu
peril 70 his Government and discomfort and peril to
others. he naturally chose the Others. County mag
istrates will have hard time of it-tha is one clear
gain.
Mr.. Gladstone himself becomes Chancellor of the
Exchequer, an Office which he has twice before
filed. and for which he is undoubtedly more capa-
bic than any man living The City-that is, the
business men-will breathe freer. They never had
an atom of confidence in Mr.. Lowe, nor knew what
day might bring forth under his financial leader
ship Mr. Gladstone they trust as they trust the
Bank of England, and the Bank itself trusts him,
and stocks are worth rather more to-day than yes
terday, or would be but for the hardening OF the
money market But as Mr. Gladstone remains
Prime Minister and Leader of the House OF Com
mons il is presumed he does not mean to Keep the
Exchequer permanently. His health nearly broke
down under the burden of this session without the
Exchequer. 1t might be said the Exchequer would
give him less trouble in his own hands than In MI
loves, but that is too epigrammatc view 10 De
true. The administration Of the finances OF England
is a serious affair." There precedents for Prime
Minister being his own Chancellor. The latest in
stances, however are Mr.. Canning, in 1877, and Slr
Robert Peel in 1885, and the labors of the office
o1X,i cd Mr.
stones position is discussed, moreover, as if he held
only two Offices whereas in fact he holds three.
His duties of Prime Minister one thing his du-
ties as Leader of the House of Commons another,
and the Exchequer third Any one of them would
be enough for most men. The probabilities are,
therefore, that Mr.. Gladstone has taken the Tx
chequer till somebody else can be put into 1t with
out adding to the jealousies and hear-burnings OF
which there are plenty already. 1t Is supposed the
somebody else may be Mr.. Childers, who is good
fnancieI well looked upon in the City, and whose
entire withdrawal from the Cabinet has occasioned
surprise. There is another Minister, the youngest
in the Cabinet, Mr. Stansfeld, who had previously
distinguished himself as Financial Secretary to the
Treasury, and who would make capital
Chancellor of the Exchequer. if a substitute could
be found for bis present difficult and laborious
Office.
described As throwing tubs to the whale. Lord
Ripon and Mr.. ChildeTs are sacrificed. Mr. Bruce
and Mr. Lowe are elected from offices in which they
have become unpopular, and put into others where
il is thought they will do less mischief The one
distinct accession to the Ministry remains to be men
toned Mr. Bright returns to office. He quilted
the Presidency of the Board of Trade two years ago
ON account of ill-healtb. The Ministry was then
strong enough to support his retirement without any
anparent injury He returns to it as Chancellor of
the Duchy of Lancaster when it is weak that 1t is
doubtful whether even Mr.. Bright can invigorate
it; so discredited that it is an act of rare gener
osity on his part to associate himself again
with its decaying fortunes. Nor is 1t certain
that in the peculiar circumstances IN which
Mr. Gladstones Government now ind them
selves, Mr.. Brights is the precise sort OF
Endorsement they want. If his health permits him
TO speak in the House. their gain in debating power
win be very great-provided always this Minis
FRY should appear again in st. Stephens for any
other purpose than to announce its resignation.
The rumors of dissolution and general election in
December have gained fresh currency since these
changes winch some people believe to have been de-
yised expressly to enable the Government to go to
the country with a stronger 'front.' In that case,
what part is Mr. Bright to play, or what section OF
the disaffected is he relied on to cOnciliate Mis-
management and maladministration have alienated
the general confidence once so lavishy bestowed.
Mr. Bright never had, pretended to have any
considerable talent in administering department,
and the department which he now takes is sine
cure. The two bodies who have brought defeat on
the Ministry in many boroughs and counties are
the Nonconformists and the Licensed VIctuallers.
Mr. Bright is a Nonconformist but not leader of
the party and he was a member of the Government
which framed and still abides by the 18th clause of
the Education act the greatest of NOnconfor1nist
grievances He has since denouncedit but in return
ing to the Ministry he binds himself to support it till
they abandon it, and they have not abandoned 1t
vet His influence will be against it in the Cabinet,
but his recall gives the Nonconformsts assurance
that their demand for its repeal, which was denied
this last session, is to be granted in the next Still
less can Mr. Brigbts name be supposed TO have been
hung out as flag to the Licensed Victuaers.
The real gain to the Government from Mr.. Brghts
accession lies in the general faith the country has in
his good sense character sound political judgment,
and conservative instincts. That first, and next,
his ability to supply what Mr.. Gladstone wants-a
| knowledge of men and of public opinion. Mr..
Bright knows what the country will stand and what
it will not Had he been in the Ministry should
have escaped what are called the scandals of the
session. and it is probable that that unhappy Irish
University bill might have been srangled before it
was born. Few men understand England so well.
Possibly Mr. Gladstone thinks Mr. Bright's force is
still with the Radicals and appealed TO him in that
view No matter. He will not get what he hoped,
but he will get something worth, just at
this moment as much. The NOnconformists
have proved that they are dangerous
people to trie with, and that in any reconstruction
Of the Liberal party their claims must be allowed.
But the most urgent need of the Government at this
moment is to revive the confidence of that non
political and non-partisan section of the public
III tha fair AZ