New-York tribune., 1874-03-09
THE NEW BRITISH MINISTRY
HOW IT rs CONSTITUTED.

FOREIGN OFFICE
tyRon THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF TIE TRIBUNEi
LONDON Feb. 2l.--The new Cabinet contains
three sipnay able men beside its chief to wit, LORD
salisbury, Lord Cairns. and Lord Derby. The rest
ara by comparison, second and third-rate men, ana
not more than two of them have much reputation
a. departmental administrators Yet one greaV
complaint of the Gladstone administration was i'S
communicative weakness Critics said the Ministry
knew how to legislate, but not how to govern, anu
ofMr. Gladstone himself the same remark has been
30. not iustlv Of him as Finance Minister though
perbaps Justly as Prime Minister But Mr.. Dlsraeh
;s ;supderstood TO have had his own way, and placed
his men pretty much as he liked His leadership OF
the marty. whatever question may have been made
about il in the DAYS of its adversely there is none
NOW Ia dispute in the hour when all the world sees
and admits that its present success is due TO ms
sagaeity and guidance If bis Ministry lack strength
IN mart the fault is not his There is want OF strong
men in the Tory party, OF men intellectually suohS'
that is for Of men strong in character there never
was lack in either party, nor viii be so long as
Englishmen are Englishmen.
Tho vounC brains 60 mostly into Liberalism and
Radicalism where they can work with a certain
freedom II is to be noted that, except Mr. Gross
no Young man gets first-class place In the new
Government and no other new man enters the Cabi-
r..
the rest of the aspiring youths mot ftyQ who
have been talked of for Cabinet posts are left out
side They could hardly expect 10 get admission or
complain of their seclusOn when veterans like SIR
John Pakington are left out, with three Dukes of
the last Tory Cabinet TO keep him company. There
issomething Is positively awful in the neglect of the
Dukes and il gives new idea of Disraehs
sudacity-a quality nobody ever thought him want
ing into see the cavalier wayin which he dismisses
aurust preteisions The only Duke in his Cabinet
is the Duke of Richmond, heavy, careful, rather
bigoted man. who is understood to have wanted the
War Ofice and does not get It, but Is put oil win
the diguifed nothingneSs of Lord President OF the
Council. If Mr.. Disraeli wantedito give the world
convincing proof that he is a supreme master IN the
party his Cabinet is the proof both by what it con-
tains and what it excludes. Its architecture Is
Doric in solidity and severe simplicity With al
most one exception. the mere ornamental members
are cut AWAY aud the structure relies both for effect
and usefulness upon the plain fitness of those which
are left for the work to be done. Even the numbers
are reduced, and instead Of Cabinet OF fifteen or
even sixteen and seventeen, as Mr.. Gladstone at one
time had Mr.. Disrael admits but twelve, himself
included II is one advantage of English admiuis
trative and governmental forms that they are elias
tic and tins elasticity may be set Oft against the
sometimes savish submission to precedents which is
defect not much III the political as in the mental
constitution of Eughshmen. Mr. Disraeli is unusu-
ally free from this; indeed he has more than once
shown his contempt for such restrictions and, if
they fettered him, burst them. 1t requires ordi
nary rnness Of mind to resist the clamor for Cabi
net Office from all the men who think themselves
entitled to it. Nor is it merely camor. Influences
are brought to bear of a kind unknown in American
politics and claims pressed by means which III a
country do not and cannot exist
Sore beset in politics. as aristocracy of late years
has been, its hold upon the merely administering
part Of government is almost strong as ever. No
Liberal Prime Minister ever yet dared disregard the
demands Of the Russels, Cavendishes and Others Of
the great Wing families nor would he have thought
himself strong OF even safe, without their support
independence Of them was never carried so far as
Mr.. Disrael now carries it let that be put down TO
his credit. The DJke OF Richmond has been cham
pion Of the eXtnguished system of Purchase in the
army To have put him into the War Office would
have been TO excite a ferment of fresh hope among
discoutented and mercenary officers, which no Chief
of the State could wish to do. The Duke of MARI
borough has made himself hated by the agricultural
laborers more than any othcrone English nobleman,
and Mr. Disrael who does not mean to ALLEVIATE the
uppOrt OF any class numerically strong cOOlly
leaves the Duke Of Marlborough out of his Cabinet
altogether. He will conoliate him, no doubt, in
minor appointments, and some of the family may be
looked for high mp in the Royal Household Appoint
ments Of this latter class are coveted hardly less
than political appointments social considerations
coming here again to the front. In diff
ferent way, but with not less evidence of
clear view and resolute purpose, Mr.. Disraeh
has settled one other Office of high Importance
the Home Office. That is one of the five great Sec
retaryships Of State, and other one of them has
NJ
lister has to offend so many people Of consequence
none being brought into contact so directly with
magistrates. county functiOnaries and the whole
army Of people who carry on the affairs of English
life. Mr. Gathorne Hardy was Mr.. Disraeli's last
Home Secretary was reckOned able, and was as pop
ular as any man in that Office expect 10 be. But
NJ Claiborne Hardy has lately taken sides very
openly with the Employers and against the En-
ployed He would have 10 decide in the last resort
on many questions arising ont of their conflicts. l
need only mention the Master and Servant act, and
the fact that with the Home Secretary rests, though
not in theory, the psrdOning power. The working
classes would regard Mr.. Hardy as an enemy, and
MI Disraeli showed in his first speech after the
Conservative victory was assured that he eagerly
wished to make friends with the working classes
His praise of the two wOrkinzmen chosen to Parla-
ment Mr. Macdonald and Mr.. Burt, was adroit and
the purpose of it obvious Probably it succeeded as
far as any such thing can succeed. Mr. Hardy's
appearance at the Home Office would simply
neutralize the good effect produced, and Mr. Hardy
is accordingly sent to the equally prominent post of
War Secretary where his influence on all this class
Of questions will not be felt or felt only because he
shares in Cabinet deliberations. II is said that
another reason exists for putting him thereto
check extravagant expenditure. Mr.. Hardy is
strongwilled man of business, and If economy is to