Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1874-02-02
THE BRITISH PARLIAMENT.

Of a person sick Of an ineurahle but lin.
! gering malady is asurprise. For months
+ past Mr.. Gladstone's opponents have
been wont 10 speak Of the House OF
Commons as moribund, and in one ease
at least they have given as reason for
not eontesting an election that Ii was
not worth while, since a general election
was so near. The constitutional length
Of parliament IS seven years. Only
three, however, Of the twenty parliaments
since the Union. in 1900 have lasted
through seven annual sessions, and only
two others haze held six sessions each.
The average duration of the twenty par
liaments of the United Kingdom. begin
ming with that which assembled in Sep
tember. 1896, and not including the
time between parliaments. has been a
little more than three years. Eve months 4:
while the duration Of the late parliament
was FIVE years. one and a half months.
The history Of the now defunet par
lament was one of great achievement,
but it appeared that it was exhausted
by its exertions. 1t was elected in 1868
under the auspices Of Mr.. Disraeli, after
the previous house had thrown of his
control by adopting Mr. Gladstone's res
olution in favor Of the disestablishment
Of the Irish church. Instead Of return
ing majority of conservatives the peo-
I pie elected house that was liberal bv
the immense majority Of one hundred
and twenty. Mr.. Gladstone came in as
/ premier by universal consent His sue
cess the first year, during the session of
/ 1869, was triumphant. and when the
Irish church bill had become an act, he
received still further accession in the
little knot Of liberals who. with Sir
RoundelI Palmer, now Lord Chancellor
+ Selborne, were opposed to him On that
question At the second session in 1870,
the second great measure was enacted
the law relating TO Irish land tenure
and, hardly less important, the element
airy education act. On these questions
came the first apparent loss Of power on
the part Of the government. On one
clause of the land bill Mr.. Disraeli mus
tered within se7entY-six votes Of Z ma
Iority for an amendment proposed by
him In 1871 the army reorganization
and the abolition Of university tests we're
the great questions, and now it became
more evident that the ministry was los
ing It's strength On division On the
question Of army purchase the govern
ment had but tEenty-seven majority,
and the use Of the royal prerogative IN
abolishing the purchase of commissions
caused the cabinet to become highly IN
popular in army circles The opposition
was 50 great to some other measures that
they were withdrawn, and a terrible
blow was given to the government BY
the unpopular match tax proposed and
abandoned by Mr.. Lowe In 1872 the
act establishing vote by ballot was the
only great measure, and though it was
passed By good majorities the govern
ment was thEarted in some Of the de-
tails Of the bill. The sandal concern.
ing the appointment Of Sir Robert Coll.
Ter to the bench was made the occasion
OF proposition to pass a vote Of cen
sure, which failed By only t#enty-sever
votes Last year the act establishing :
supreme court Of judicature was the on
= y successful great measure, and tina
vas unopposed except in details, while
. On the Irish university bill the govern
ment experienced a crushing defeat
) which caused it to resign Mr.. Disrael
would not take Office under the eircum
. stances, and Mr. Gladstone resumed hi
position All through the five years, th,
strength Of the liberals had been dwiud
ling not only BY disafection in the hous
but by conservative victories at the polls
During the year 1873, We count seven
teen contested elections, Of which th,
liberals carried but three. though mos
Of the Constituencies elected liberals fv
years ago
! Such has been the history Of the lat
: parliament 1t has been the universe
: belief that It would not outlast the ses
: sion Of the present year. 1t is probable
however, that the mast recent election
: that for Str1ud-for a member in tn
: place Of the late Mr. W1nterbotham, on
Of the under secretaries, which resuIte.
: IN the return Of q conservative, eonvinc
ed Mr. Gladstone that the appeal to tn
D country could not longer be deIave,
: without disastrous consequences. Tn
: conservatives declaim against the disso
I luton Is party trick. but they know
2 they have brought the general election
about by their own action. and the
: might have known what the result O
2 their course would have been. As 70
| the ehances,-the radicals are greatl
I disafected. and there have been IL
: doubted symptoms Of = conservative re
/ action for more than a year. It is tru
E that the programme Of decreased taxa
. ton held out BY 1Ir. Gladstone Is yer
entIcing but the uarty can iu=fIv eTair