The New York herald., 1878-11-15
ENGLISH ELECTORAL FACTS

dls. Gi4ADSTOSES AAIl~sI CONTRIBUTIONS ~
POLITICAL LITERATURE.
Mr.. Gladstone is heard through the pages of the
November number of the Niaefsenh Century on the
subject Of Electoral Facts 1T seems that electoral
counts are disputed as vigorously in Great Britain as
they are in this country. Tho Parliament chosen i'll
1868 tho important issue of the disestablishment
Of the Church of Ireland exhibited an unexaInpled
phenomenon. At Tho commencement of 1874 the
turn Of the wheel had become decisive that tho
Ministry supported. in lieu OF compact MINOR
iy of 1I2 by majority very far from compact, ana
rapidly diminishing of 6S members. I'm this novel
instance. the public did not at once measure with
precision the significance Of what had occurred.
II not gain OF present strength
by the oppositiou. 1t was probable in
dication, exhibited in the trustworthy forp
OF arithmetical calculation indeoi orr simple rc OF
three sum. to what pretty sure in the absence
of any facts which might produce counter change.
happen the general election This probable indi
cation became IL, duo time accomplished fact, and
the conservative party returned to the House OF Com
mons, in majority nominaly OF forty-eight. but
really OF much greater strength For tie first time
the mind of the nation tested BY the constituency
had decisively altered during the Of single
Parliament and the bye elections. rs we now sec in
retrospect, had previously supplied sufficient means
Of prognosticatng the alteration 1t is evident that
under such circumstances. bye elections had SO to
speak, received promotion in rank. They he'd
qurcd new significance and had gathered, not only
an increase OF interest but kind OF interest
This numerical account of the disaster inflicted at
the general election, serious it H. does not exhibit
the whole measnye Of tfe calamity suffered by the
liberal party The liberal majority reckoncd to have
been returned from Ireland was at once found to be
iliusory In truth out Of the los Irish members the
10 a GoZn ThQ Iro1
immediately following tho Church act and the Land
act had been chosen us appropriate for formal
severance Of the Irish national party from the general
body OF British liberals. Their number was no less
than y-eight, actual majority or the Irish rep
rcsentation. They assumed the name OF 'hoWe
rulers and established separate parliamentary
organization. On some questions Of liberal opinion
cooperation still continue But, AZ regards the
party the weight OF the home rulers has clearly told
more in favor OF the Ministry than of the opposition
and the liberal party would have been stronger not
weaker. had the entire body been systematically
absent
Speaking generally, says Mr.. Gladstone at
the present moment remote beyond all expectation
and beyond ali experience. from what we should now
probably have been under liberal adInini traton IN
condition. both domestic and foreign i'll the stale
of orr legislation our expenditure our taAstion ana
sire for the signs Of change, continues Mr. Glad
stoney except the few whose duty il will be- when
the time arrives, to our behalf these re-
sponsibes Of Office which have been 50 heavily sg-
gravaed by the pblcy Of the present Ministry, and,
Il is but fair to add. perhaps by tho policy
OF tie present Parliament which has checked them iif
nothing and has ordinarily urged them onward every
mischief OF their career 1t would be difficult to ex-
aggerate the gravity Of the issues legal CONSTITUTIONAL
financial and international, which viii be decided by
the vote OF the constituency at the next general eec-
ton. None Of such magnitude have been involved in
any election since the first Reform act 1t IS most
material that before the tine comes they should be
thoroughly exhibited, sif.ed and understood. l do
not now enter upon them. because the object Of this
paper is to expose facts In an atmosphere uncouded
BY those passions which might be raised by the dis
c,isson Of matters OF political opinion will only
say that which may be plainly from the language
held either side alike, that never within living
memory has the separation Of parties been wide:
never has the stamp Of ireconcilable tendencies and
opinions been clearly impressed on their public
action: Who is to be responsible for dealing E wita
doubt This is self-governing country,
and tho, people, now, somewhat widely en-
cipcs and by what party. they will be governed
They have also to be responsible for their decision
TX they like the method in which their affairs have
been and are now conducted, they have only to pro-
long the ministerial existence soon to be placed ut
theirconmand by granting It . new Lease whether
they thankful for the past and hopeful or the
future, whether they are the exact opposites OF
these the matter rests with them. 1t rests with them
in the and with every voter in detail England,
as at Trafalgar expects not merely men in tho lump
but every man, to do his duty Even those who may
diske the verdict ought once to acknowledge
it when given a. authoritative, and dennitive. But
they must not thrust the consequences OF that ver
dict upon others for good for evil, it is theirs
THE LIBERAL PARTY.
Mr. Gladstones idea OF the liberal party is worth
knowing lit is sometimes slrrinsed, he writes,
able the majority of cases. in its per-
sonal composition has, nevertheless. when conf
pared WIN an@ rsits and nnaisnn arc
TO certain extent untixed. and who are therefore
more open to the itfui influences OF personal arbi-
ton. And it Ii matter not OF s,irmsc, but OF cer-
tainty, that the aggregate energy of the body has
been very seriously diminished by what the Scotch
call the dvsive courses Of sectional opinion. With
out doubt this loss OF collective working
nsror aast sops be n par SCI 70
,,ttb ,tfx i.b nf M
generous love of improving changes, could not be
maintained. Aud far the price may be contcntedly
paid, for real benefit But the sects which
nestle within the party cannot be treated quite so
tcndery. Their characteristic is liability, far from
and isolated questions, which from any cause have
special hold upon their CONSCIENTIOUS attachment,
kind of doa to for the sake of which the whole mass
OF the general public interests are TO be sarrihced
Tenacity OF prediction is made to stand instead
Of paramount weight in the object itself lt'
Under these scciarian local influences it
happens, more frequently than the liberals
at largo that the occurrence OF parlia-
neary vacancies and likewise ut general elections,
the party instead of settling its subalie-n dhreiccs
within itself 10y judicous organization, advisedly
itself into two or more sections ana contends
against the political adversary il with one hand free
and the other bound The consequence Is that ma
iory is broken up into two or three inoritics ana
liberal constituencies because they can only secure
agreement with liberal candidate on nino points out
of ten. make the seat TO tory, who on all the
ten Is against them. No more Ingenious recipe could
be found in sclfgo verning country for solving the
problem apparently hopeless how TO devise .
method under which. where the majority prevails by
law, the minority shall bc in fac; supreme
In conclusion, Mr. Gladstone says:-.' 'Exaggcraion
of statement, always unwarrantallc, would. in my
Judgment be especially injurious TO the liberal party
at the present tnc in proportion the iss upon
which ii Is engaged especially grave. II has yet to
learn much in the primary schools, In the three RS,
OF mere sclfdiscplne And these lessons 1t has to
mbibe, digest and assinate in the indipost heat OF
the struggle with its opponents. For my own part.
think the inaii duty IS to bring oil facts which bear
upon the into the light of day be they what they
may; that. when they referred to the inal and
responsible judgment Of the constituency, the people
OF the country may not blindfold 10 issue in
which much of their future welfare is involved.