New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-02-11
RrAcoNSFJELD and THE PEOPLE.

The bve-election at Liverpool indicates That
Lord Beaconsield may have taken more
accurate measure of the English people than
his critics at home or abroad are wiling 10
acknowledge. The disappointment of the Lib
erals is rs keen as il was in the Springer 1877,
when the intelligent constituency OF Stafford
was expected to repudiatc the foreign policy
of the Government, but responded by adding
20 per cent TO the Conservative vote. IN the
recent election the majority for the Govern
ment has not been increased, and more Eng
lsh votes have been lost than IRISH votes
have been gained by injudiclOus promises TO
the Home Rulers, but the significance OF the
overwhelming defeat OF the Liberals cannot
be explained away. The return of the poll
shows that there are as yet no signs Of q pop
Mar revolt against the tendencies and prac-
tees of Lord BcacOnsfelds administration.
During the first session of the present Par
lament the strength of the Government was
impaired by ill-digested domestic legislation.
Since 1874. however, all matters of current
administration relating to home interests have
come to be regarded as of secondary impor-
lance. and the energies of the Ministry have
been mainly employed in shaping the foreign
policy of an Empire. In 1875 the sharcsin the
Suez Canal were purchased and Mr.. Cave was
sent TO Egypt In 1876 the Royal Titles bill
was passed and an obstruction policy adopted
in Europe. In 1877 England was the silent
mariner of the Sicl, Man. In 1873 a British fleet
anchored off COnstantinople and the Anglo
Turkish Convention was negotiated. In 1879
came on the Imperial campaigns in Afghanstan
and Zululand. Thus the weight OF the Govern
ment's foreign policy has been felt III diverse
quarters of the globe. Seldom, indeed. dur
ing this period has the active influence OF the
British Foreign Office been exerted III any nghte-
GUS cause or for any useful end, but the force
NJ the material resources of the Nation has
been brought to bear repeatedly in the Euro"
mean capitals and on the remote borders ot
the Empire Under previous administrations
London was the legislative capital OF small
oroup of islands. Ii is now known abroad as
the political centre of a mighty Empire.
1t NAV be. therefore, that Lord BeacOnslied
has discerned and developed National traits
and tendencies, the force of which no other
Englishman appreciated a Nation which had
planted colonies in every quarter of the world
and established commercial Empire OF the
first magnitude was not unwilling to have it's
/ resources uDu lItdNuitH IoHlCh ~ hhN tH-
frances TO the council chambers Of the CONT
ncnt. II was weary of its reputation as an
| island of shOp-kcepcrs and traders. Lord
BeaconsGeld has not only recognized the re-
sources of a vast Empire, but has rendered
them conspicuous IN the eyes Of Europe, al
most Haunting them in the face of Russia. If
| the mass of the Nation were anxious to have
tEcir power manifested abroad, he has
served their purpose and afforded them
relief from the narrowness of insuaT politics.
He may have exposed them to embauass-
ments in the future, and incurred obligations
which they Will find it impossible to fulfil,
but so far as they have gone, those cmbar-
easements have not arisen-thOse obligations
have not been repudiated. Who will say that
the people are not with the Premier, after
all? Certainly the time has gone by when
the statesman who began life a. romance
writer can be characterized as a mOuntebank
coniuring up dreams of Empire, filing to the
hrim the cup of Eastern entertainments, and
becuiling the Imagination of Nation weary
of the sober studies of political economy
Either a people with Anglo-Saxon instincts
have utterly lost their character for sobriety
or Lord Beaconsfield's art is based on some
thing more permanent than political incante-
tions. The hour of disenchantment has been
deferred too long.