Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-04-05
THE ENGLISH ELECTIONS.

Though but one-third of the returns
from the English elections are in, there
seems no doubt that the Conservative party
has sustained defeat, and that the Lib
erals will be called upon to organize the
next Government. Whether the Liberal
victory will be so complete as to give them
a working majority is, however, not yet
apparent. Should they be dependent on
the Home Rulers for their working
strength, as is now apprehended may be the
case, the position of the new Government
will be most embarrassing, and it may find
it impossible to conduct public business
under such state of affairs. Until the
actual Liberal strength is known, there
fore, 1t is premature to speculate upon the
programme of the party, but it is already
evident that the question of the leader
ship is likely to produce serious trouble.
There can be no doubt that by right of
genius and force of character and reputa-
tion Mr. Gladstoneis entitled to thisposition.
But it is well known fact that Mr. Glad
stone is one of the most unfit men fora party
leader who have ever occupied SO CON-
handing a position. He has no talent
for party management. He cannot hold
his followers together. He is not concilia.
tory, or suave, or polite in any way. So
long as the work of partisan detail is taken
off his hands, and he is left free to deal
with great questions, and TO mold the gen.
eral policy of his party, he can lead but
another kind of leadershipis absolutely re.
quired for the House of Commons, and
practical English politicians have long seen
that Mr.. Gladstone is not the man for this
position. As to Lord Harrington, who is
spoken of as possibly the coming working
leader of the House, he is not a great man.
nor is he one capable of following Mr..
Gladstone with much fidelity. Wherever
the latter is he will unquestionably be
first, and the future policy of the Liberal
party will certainly be dictated by him so
long as he remains in public life but it
must be doubted very seriously whether he
is OF the temper requisite to carry his gov
eminent successfully through a session in
which his majority may be endangered at
any time by the perverseness of the Home
Rulers, and his self-control threatened
by the taunts of the Tories on the
opposition benches. The feeling of
alarm and disappointment experienced
on the continent at the news of the
Liberal victory. and the satisfaction at st.
Petersburg over the same event, show how
1t is regarded outside of England. The
foreign powers evidently distrust the con-
tlnental policy of Mr.. Gladstone. They
think him capable of forming an alliance
with Russia; of proposing the partition of
the remains of the Ottoman Empire; of
encouraging Radicalism and Democracy
OF giving fresh impetus to the doctrines
and tendencies which threaten every dy-
nasty in Europe Nor can it be said that
these fears are altogether without founda-
ton, for Mr.. Gladstone's foreign policy has
been for many years of very singular and
not of very rational or statesmanlike
character. But his purposes will be de-
veloped soon enough, and it will then
probably be seen whether the English
people are really already tired of the prin-
ciple of Imperialism, and whether they
are ready to accept foreign policy which
would certainly lessen the prestige of the
country abroad, and might precipitate
the very disasters it was intended to avert.