New-York tribune., 1885-02-28
MR. GLADSTONE sustained.

Mr. GladstOne's government has narrowly
escaped overthrow. After debate lasting SIX
evenings the vote of censure in the House OF
Commons was defeated by q vote OF 3O2 to 2SS
"A majority of fourteen in favor of the Gov
ernment The Irish members voted against
the Ministers, rs it was expected they would do.
The debate has been conducted with courage
and intelligence by the Conservatives. In
neither house have the leaders of the Opposi-
ton sought to shirk the responsibility OF franz
ing an alternative policy. Sir Stafford North
cotes motion of censure committed his party
to defpite line of action in Egypt and in the
Soudan. Lord Salisbury in like manner openly
advocated an English protectOrate OF Egypt
and the permanent occupation of important
posts in the SOudan. Radical votes might
have been won by less decisive tactics and
by more dexterously -phrascd motto n
but the Conservatives preferred to mako their
appeal directly to the Whig malcontents, and,
with the adventitiOus aid OF Irish members, TO
attempt to overthrow the Government upon
clearly defined issue. In the Commons they
have been out-debated, as usual although they
have had powerful ally in Mr.. Goschen but
the weight Of argument has been on their side.
When Sir Stafford NOrthcOte declared that
it was impossible to retain confidence III
Government which did not know
its own mind and could not decide
upon definite policy without losing the sup
port of ono or the other faction, he summed up
the whole case Mr.. Gladstone pleaded guilty
to the indictment by answering the speech
without defining the Governments policy /;
and every speaker who followed him on that
side initiated his discretion. The desperate
effort was made to be warlike enough to satisfy
the aggressive Wings and pacific enough to
keep the Radicals under discipline. Ministry
forced to 90 through the mazes of an involved
egg dance while fighting for its life has not
presented an impressive spectacle.
Lord Salisbury in his exceedingly acrld speech
described the Governments conduct as an alter
nation between periods of slumber and periods
of rush. Phrase making has taken the place of
oratory to large extent in Parliamentary de-
bates and this was the most pretentiOus and
successful attempt on the Opposition side to
substitute single words for detailed arguments.
1t described the SOudan failures accurately
enough, and gave Lord Salisbury the opportu-
nifty of adding in his most acrimonious tone
that the rush, however vehement, was in-
variably too unprepared and too uninteligent
to repair the damages done during the
periods Of slumber The English people out =
side Parliament have not the same affection
for neat phrases for which Frenchmen
are conspicuous. They must have reflected
when they read these well-turned sentences
that with Lord Salisbury as Prime Minister
they would not have much leisure for slumber; !;
that there would be prolonged period Of
vehement rush and that the responsibilities
of Empire, and inevitably the dangers as well,
would be multiplied in every quarter. This is
consideration that has had great force In
determining the fate of the Government
and the motion of ccnsure has arisen,
moreover, at an inopportune time when
both parties were anxious to pass
the compromise Redistribution bill and to
settle the details of the new electorate. An
appeal to the country under such circumstances
would have involved verdict from the old
rather than the new constituencies. An ili-