New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-02-20
THE BRITISH PARLIAMENT.
OPENING PROCEEDINGS.


tr,o,, ruv uynuI Ar CORRESPONDENT TIE TRIBUTE.
LONDON, Feb. 6.-The Queens speech is always an
event bnt that of yesterday comes as near as POSI-
BILE TO being an exception TO the rule It's main inter-
est lies in the fact that it contains so little OK inter-
est or at any rate of universal interest," Moro thu
half of it Is occupied with sterile references 10 ior-
oQn or colonial tOpics-topics which did not greatly
eyc;te neople when they were fresh, and which are
now stale. The Brussels Conference Serranos toV-
ernment che difficulties between China and JAPAN
the Gold Coast, FIJI, Natal-what mortal can pre-
tend TO have his hopes or his fears. his cohVlctOnS
or his passions much stirred by these. NoDouy
IKE warmed.over dishes. 1t may DO said that tno
whole session of Parliament is likely enough to pass
without single debate on any one OF tie Questions
which occupy so large portion of what Is usually
the official nrooramme for the session. One almost
wonders that Mr.. Disraei did not think III 10 nave
recourse once moro to the Straits Of Maacca, when
did him such service during the election ProDaoIy
this accumulation of remarks on widely scatterod
portions of the globe is meant "a OIL tna'
spirited foreign policy, with the want OIL whion
Mr. Gladstones Government was so often-aDu nol
always unjusty-reproached
When we como to home affairs the moderation OF
the speech is not less marked There are to be no
moro burning questions il Mr. Dsrae can help IL.
Finances are satisfactory. trade has been larry
GOOD the harvest excelont. the revenue sufficient
The measures which Mr.. Disraei hopes to pass or
at least consider before next August are tho old
ones for the easier transfer Of land and for reorgan
ling the judcature. Both these might have passed
last year had not Mr. Dsrael preferred to start an
ecclesiastical cry for the greater confusion OF NJ
Gladstone. Nearly every new proposal Is OF social
| character. Mr. Dsraeli wants to give tho working
classes better dwellings TO improve sanitary lcgls-
Ia mud he
Friendly Societies arc TO egislated for, or about
Crimes of violence are TO be dealt with, and it is
comfort to sec that there is chance OF reforming
| q part of the law which. from its indifference
to the security Of life and person as compared
with property, Is in state that can only
be called scandllous. There is to be Public Prose-
cutor also; O much-needed functionary. Trade Of
lenses have not been forgotten end Mr.. Plimsolrs
untiring efforts in behalf of scanen have brought
| forth fruit in tho shape Of promised Merchant
Shipping act. Tho only paragraph with anything
like an omnous sound in it is that which fore
shadows a new law on agricultural tenances. If
Mr. pisraeli can oOrtrivc scheme which shall give
the least help or satisfaction to teants without pro-
yoking revolt among the county members he will
be lucky indeed Perhaps tho best intimaton in
the steech Is that Of purpose to repeal some OF the
coercion acts which Ireland has lately had to
endure.
All this il dry enough, and the intended merit OF
II is in being dry No harassin2 legislation - the
Tory motto. On the other hand the Conservative
| workin oman Is TO find encouragement. Ihero IS
reason to suppose that Mr. Dsrae regards him WIN
particular affection q bantllng OF his own. mo
speech seems to suit the country very well. Heroic
remedies are out of fashion. Democracy has GER
tain ascendant but is tempered by return OF al
ministratiye management into the hands of clique.
la 10
Hartingtoas appearance in the character OF Liberal
leader Circumstances had given it rather moro
than the usual interest Of first nights. Everything
combined to make the position difficult one for
him. It is bare justice to him to say that he ac-
Quilted himself unexpectedly well. He had been
expected to do i'll, that moderate success Is not
surprising good speaker Lord Harrington GER
tainly is not and probably never Will become. His
own estimate of hls abilities ia modest one. and he
expressed it last night in way to gain some SYM
patty from tho House. lie appealed to members to
extend to him their forbeatance and consideration
He was well aware he said, that he could not hope
or pretend to play tho part of Lord PalmerstOn
or Mr.. Dsrael or Mr.. Gladstone, or to ex-
crcse the influence which they had exer-
cised over tho debates of the House.
But it for tho convenience of the House
end the dispatch of public business that there
bbould be some individual responsible for the con-
duct Of public business on that slde and to that
end his services should be freely given. The House
took this in good part. / not sure but they re-
carded it az gracious c0ndescenson en- the part OF
so great parsonage the future Duke OF Devon-
shire The speech which Lord Harrington then set
himself to deliver was unpretending comment on
the address which it became his business to crIti
cise 1t IL plainly the speech Of man somewhat
coDversant with affairs. and conscentiOusly endeay-
o,ing to do his duty with respect to them.
Perhaps it was nervousness which caused the
omission of the tribute to his old chief which Lord
Harrington would naturally have given. 1t struck
everybody as very odd that no notice should have
been taken of SIr. Gladstone's retirement by any,
body. He has been the most conspicuous figure IN
the House since the death of Lord Palmerston. He
has led it for five years it was never led before
He lays down his scepter. and neither his successor
nor his greatest opponent remembers to utter
word of regret for his resignation. There Is some
thing positively sad a show OF indifference, and
Mr. Gladstone is sensitive enough to be stung by IT,
however unintentional the neglect may have been
There are cases in which the plea of forgetfulness
so far from being an apology, makes the oilense
worse.
Mr. Dsrae did not forget 10 be very patronizingly
civil TO Lord Harrington. 1t q matter OF salts
faction to him and to bis friends he sad that tho
chief business of their opponents was to DO con-
Quoted by one who in the course OF many years In
the House, had obtained equally their respect and
their regard. Politeness required 80 much at his
hands; but as for regard, l never heard that the
Marqus of Harrington applied himself to arousing
an aifectonate enthusiasm the part OF anybody
toward himself Hes not sympathetic. have no
doubt that both he and Mr. Disraeli consider the
present arrangement an excellent one. 1t was long
believed that the scheme of Providence for the gov
n. II ln,1y 10 tbo