New-York tribune., 1880-03-09
PARLIAMENT TO BE DISSOLVED.

lief bill has passed both houses OF Parlia-
ment.
-
PARLIAMENT TO BE DISSOLVED.
THE DISSOLUTION FIXED FOR FORTNIGHT HENCE.
LONDON, Monday, March 8, 1880.
The Chancellor Of the Exchequer. in announcing
In the House Of Commons to-day that the Queen
had been advised to dissolve Parliament at Easter.
explained that the Government had been unable
to come to decision earlier because of the neces-
sity of procuring Parliamentary sanction for the
Irish Relief measures. They might now consider
the pressin Irish difficulties ended The new Par
lament, he thought. would probably be in working
order In the course of the first week in May In
answer to an inquiry by Mr. Dillwyn he gave tho
23d of March the date of dissolution.
He promised to introduce the Budget on Thursday
next and said that the bill for the ALLEGATION of the
six vacant seats in the House would be withdrawn.
The Right Hon. VIM. e. Forster (LIberaD ex-
pressed his satisfaction with this announcement
The announcement of the dissolution was received
with cheers
In the House of Lords to-day the Irish Relief bill
was read third time. The bill therefore, has now
passed both Houses of Parliament .
Lord BeacOnsfeld also announced the dissolution
of Parliament at Easter.
GREAT EXCITEMENT.
LONDON, Tuesday. March 0, 1850:
The Standard aays the announcement OF dissolu-
ton should come upon nobody with surprise. The
choice Of time and season will be generally re-
garded rs convenient and iudicious ElectiOneering
agents have already commenced operations.
The Daily Neus welcomes the prospect of dissou-
ton, and says; 1--WE are anxious above all things
TO return to the system of Parliamentary Govern
ment."
The news of the dissolution created great excite
ment IN the provinces.
The Port approves of the dissolution. and says 10
,,I,. Epo md hut al in Ireland
result of the forthcoming elections will be watched
anXIously. r al,
ton Mr.. Parnell was telegraphed 10 return.
The Times says the time chosen for dissolution
is probably the most conyenenI 70 the country ,hat
could have been selected The CANCERS wmch
threaten the Parliamentary Government OF Eng
land are very urgent and it is not clear that they
may not be Increased by the result Of an appeal 70
the constituencies. Ii seems 10 be admitted on all
sides that the Home-Rulers will win some seats.
The Parliament whose dissolution is to be
ordered before Easter, entered upon its seventh
wear last Friday. The wrts Gf election were re-
turnable on March B. 1874 The previous Psrlia-
ment had been dissolved January 20. after
session of five years, one month, siXte2 days. The
longest-liyed ParlIaments since the passage OF Inc
SeptenniaI Act by the Wings in the reign OF George
|. have been those dissolved in 1865 and 1920 aged
respectively six years one month six days, and six
wears one month nine days If the present Par-
lament is dissolved before Easter it will lack
eleven months and at least ten days Its full con-
stitutional term.
The reversal of the positions of the political
parties IN 1874 was n surprise TO Dir. Gladstone.
His attempt to leglslae for Irish University Educa-
tion had created prejudice against Liberalism in
England and Scotland Tie Ministry had, how
ever majority of 90 in the Commons, and was
toerably secure, although the Conservatives had
won tie Gloucester borough and several other by
elections. Mr. Gladstone. to the astonishment
of friend and foe, and even of his associates
in Office took occasion fortnight before the OPEN
ing of the session to announce the immediate disso-
luton of Parliament. The success of the C0nServa-
tives was complete and decisive. Mr.. Dsrae COM
pleted his Cabinet early in March, aud when Paria-
ment convened found himself ntreEch d IN office
with an overwhelming majority behind him
This majority has remained unbroEen, sometimes
rising as high US 125. and seldom falling below
90. During the Blk years OF Parliamentary life
there have been rs many ~ 125 elections to fill
vacancies There have been Gi deaths. 30
designations. u promotions to tne Ilyuse
OF Peers, , promotions to the Beach and
) appointments under the CF0"n Dur
ing the FIRST year the Conservatives gained
several seats. but the party gains and
losses arising from so many renewals have Teen
comparatively few, the Opposition hdY.nE on tho
whole IA slight advantage. Tie contests at Liver
pool and Southwark, which haVH occurred within
hve weeks, have encouraged The Ministry to expect
n triumph all along the line in a general election.
At Liverpool, where more than 10000 ballot
plpers we're given in, the Conservative was re-
turned by majority of 22@l; aud in Southwark
q Liberal seat was lost the Conservative having o
clear majority over two cOmpet ors. These Two
elections have counterbalanccd the Conservative
defeat at Sheffield, and have demonstrated that the
expectations aroused by the magnificent rec ,ltion
accorded TO Mir. Gladstone in the North were not
well founded.
During the first session OF the present Parliament
the strength Of the Government was impaired by
ill-tImed and -igested domestic Legislation. Since
1874 all matters of domestic legislation nave Deen
REGARDED as of secondary importance. The ener-
ees of the Ministry have been eXcried mainly in
shaping tine foreign policy of the Empire. In
1875 ninc-twenteths of the shares in the
suez Canal were purchased for $20,000,0O0,
without the knowledge of Parliament. but thc
transaction was subsequently sanctioned. In 1875
the Royal Titles bill was passed by "A large miJor-
itV, In 1877 the Government was sustained IN lts
Eastern policy and the Opposition lost public
respect by debating minor points and resisting all
efforts to force n vote ON the general lssue. When
Mr. Gladstone forced his colleagues 60 occupy
higher uound, resolutions declaring that tho
Porte had forfeited all claim to tho moral
and material support of the world were defeated by
a vote of 3j4 To 223. In 1878 the Liberals made
hold stand when the vote of credit was proposed
carly i'm the session but in hour Of panic, caused
by a rumor that the Russians were marching on
Constantlnope, the party was split IN
two and "a feeble minority of 124
members was left to measure the resistance TO Lord
Beaconsfeld's policy. In the subsequent debates
over the call for the reserves the transfer of tho
Sepoys to Malta aud the treaty y-maklng preroga-
tive. the ascendancy of the Government was mann
tanned In 1879 the Conservative majority ran
down to 60 in debate on the Znu war. but this
was subsequently, pushed up to rs on financial
question The domestic legislation Of the present
Parliament has been comparatively unimportant.
A CANADIAN ART EXHIBITION.