, 1876-02-05
US.
From tie Spcetator.)

The Premiership Of Mr.. Disraeli is a
blessing in dull times second only to the
existence OF France. He does give US a
sensation now and then, Last month he
bought the Suez-CanaI shares, and this
month be has selected Lord Lvtton, a
man of forty-one, known chiefly to the
public as a writer of rather f~anciful poet
ry, to be Viceroy of India. 1t was an
nOuDced on "Wednesday hat Lord North
brook had requested to be relieved in the
spring, nominally because Of iIl-health, real
ly because OF lIL-Lealth and WEAKNESS of an
office which retains its old dignity but
not its old independence. Lord North
brook has governed fairly well during his
four years tenure of power, but his old
difficulty in rising above the pain8taking
adminlstrator has adhered to him, and he
leaves no mark upon the Empire. lie
has had little luck, however, has Iaboured
very hard, did defeat the famine in Behar,
and will not be grudged the carldom it is
intended to bestoW upon him. Of his
successor there is little TO be said, exccpt
that r..DisraeIi understands men, and
rarely selects the feeble, except for seats
in his Cabinet. Lord Lytton's reputation
in his own department is good he must
have some originality of mind to write his
verses, and he may be one of those men
whose powers are increased by great res
possibility. Our doubt would be whether
he is hard enough. A certain kind Of
tortltude, an ability to bear enjoying criti-
clsm, and troublesome opposition, and
eXasperating interference from home, and
yet go on patjentIy, is essential to a sue
cessful Viccroy. The ~ploughman temper
ament, not the poetic, is the one that
succeeds in that post, though a trace
OF genius IS very welcome too,
-7eee=
Parties in France are amusing them
selves with calculations as to the results
OF the Senatorial elections, and as the
time approaches the Conservative maiori-
ty grows less. The Government at first
calculated on a majority of 80 or 40, but
on Thursday Dan. o., according to the
Times correspondent, this was reduced to
10. Even this is based on the calculation
that all Conservatives will be united. but
IN dIltcult Departments the Left intend to
ally themselves with the L~ecitimists. or
even the Monarchists generally, if only
lhey may save some seats !; aud In a report
drawn up by NJ Gambctta for M. T6iers.
and based on exact information, they cal
euIate on 225 elected seats, giving them.
with Their life members, $50 seats to 100.
AS every body ia France is always with
the Government till it is necessary TO act
against 1t, this is probably under the
truth, and we should not be surprised to
hear Conservatives denouncing "that re-
evolutionary institution" a Second House.
winch, 1t must be remembered, can ston
any attempt of the President to dissolve
the Chamber as being too Radical.
Marshal Canrobert having withdrawn
from all candidature for the Senate. in
order not to seem to wish to embarrass the
Government of Marshal MacMahon, the
French Minister has thought it due to him
to state that his return for the Departmental
the Lot would be agreeable to the Gov
eminent. The Moaiteur states that " the
Government deem it their duty to take
up as a candidate the illustrious Marshal,
who has SO Loyalty served France, and
who is naturally marked out for the
Senate" This official c~andidature of an
eminent ROnanartist and of an on-ipop+