New-York tribune., 1880-03-09
mr. ppITIlH PlELI1WEYT

Lord Beaconsfeld appeals 10 the country ''
last A Fortnight ago the leader OF the H""se
of Commons gave notice OF resolution l"'n
,tatine, the dispatch Of bu-in ss, and The oh'i-
ous inference WAS the intention OF thc GOV
rrnmcnt TO order q general election ""ii"E-
the Spring. The dissolution, however ""o
bepu predicted 50 many tunes lhat 'lo d"
uouncemcnt was received with lncroduh'y.
Rut y general election has been ordered ana
the present Par lament viii close ITS iaooiS
this month. The traditional objection to an
Auiumu election is urged by Sir stafford
Norfhcote IN explanation Of the nbruptneSS oi
tlis appeal TO the constituencies bnt thefc Is
something back Of ,bo Governments concern
for the preiudiccs and convenience of the farm
crs. TIE elections at Liverpool ard ootth""A
have indicated that there I- no popular revolt
against the policy OF the Ministry. ihc Oon-
seryatiyes have been cOnVnced-and thh'
convection may be wei grounied-ihat 'h'
country is with them, otter all. Acc"iuIhS@'
after IN Intellectual attempt TO cotdngie i"e
Libcrols in an alliance with the Home Rulers
and in this way 10 commit them to an unp"-
triolic policy. the iii solution Is ordered ior
Easter. So early q date Is chosen III oF'ei
that the Opposition may not have time to re-
cover from their surprise.
The time of dissolution is not inoppoitne'
4 perod of commercial depression ana sag
nation Is drawing to n cio>c, and the ioudeat
crumhlcrs are constrained 10 admit thnt nel'
ter times must come sOOp One foreign cam
plicn has been brought to an end, and the
other is safe enough for the present, although
the ratification Of Afghanistan is too COM
plex problem to be worked ont in time TO
affect the Judgment of the constituencies. In
the Balkan Peninsula the Treaty OF Berlin
has not been broken through, and us the Sui
tan has not gone down before ihe MOD ID
Constantinople. the Turkish Empire still
holds together The nrmamcnts Of tie
European Powers. which are stcadi'y
increasing. have not tailed TO excite uneasl-
ness in England, and to strengthen the inn
presson that for the present at least, GoF-
ernment which makes a flourish OF lighting
and is not afraid TO faunt it's resources IN the
face of the Continent is safer, on the whole,
ttan one which l. predlsposed to mastery IN
activity. II may be premature to anticipate
the verdict of the country, hut we ARE inclined
TO expect that the next House of Commons
will be as strongly Conservative az the pres
eut. The balance OF parties may not be ma
tcrially altered.
The present Parliament assembled on March
r. 1874. 1t it remains i'll session until Easter
it's political term Will be six years and twenty
two days. 1t will be the longest lived since
the Parliament dissolved by Lord Palmerston
in 1865, which had remained in session Six
veors one month aud six days. The first
Parliament under George ". bad a longer
term by three days, bur With these two ex-
ceptions the term of the present House of Com
mons is unprecedented No Parliament has ever
proved more subseryient to the interests of
the Ministry. The Conservative majority has
seldom run below so and often been as high
as 100. 1t has registered the decisions of the
Government and manifested little iudcpen-
dence. Events have been moving fast mo-
mentous responsibilities have been incurred
by the Ministry, and the acQuicscence .oi the
Commons has been matter Of course; and,
now that the end has come the probability il
that the succeeding House will be even more
plant than the present one.