New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-03-22
THE GLADSTONE MINISTRY.
IT'S POSITION AND HOW 1T ESCAPED "A
VOTE OF CENSURE.

Ministries like men, arrive sooner or later At o
period Of decrepitude. aud that il what has hap
pened to the once powerful ministry of Mr.. Glad
stone. II was the most powerful ministry of modern
times. 1t Is now of the weakest. 1t had a ma
iority in the House of Commons $50 rong; on Fri
day it esca ped destruction by fourteen votes. In
its manhood it entered cheerfully upon the most
pIOdigiOus tasks, and accomplished them. in its
premature old age IL seems incapable of forming a
decision or announcing policy. IL was once united
and irresistible. To-day it assembage OF dis
cordapt opinions. For years it was supported by a
party which differed many points, but never IN
allegiance TO its leaders. Now the party split into
as many sections the Cabinet. and those who are
faithful to Mr. Gladstone put record their irreeOn
cllable hostility to his views the question which
is vital to the reputation and existence OF the Gov
eminent.
These contrasts are brought wildly TO MUD by the
debate and division on the Egyptian question, end
ing as they did on Friday in what to
being catastrophe for the Cabinet. 1t is the
fashion to say that ministerial catastrophe is in
evitabe, with the lapse of tIme and perhaps it il
but that is a very incomplete account of the matter.
Mr.. Gladstone is pilot who has weathered many q
storm. He would long since have weathered this
Egyptian business had he known or cared what
course to steer, and kept his hand OIL the helm.
There have been divisions and discussions in the
Cabinet before now open well secret, and end
ing in the resignation of some Of its abest members
But the Cabinet never seemed much weaker, and
the Government did tfalter The difference to-
day is that the malcontents remain and parafyze
action. The greatest difference of all is. that the
Prime Minister in all of these earlier troubles
Prime Minister He enforced discipline. and nforced
his own purpose. He did not surrender the Irish
Land Act because the Duke Of Argyll disapproved
of il. and forsook the Ministry. He did not recall
the feet from Alexandria becaus' Mr. Bright had
horror of commandments. But ever since that MEM
orable day in July. Mr.. Gladstone has abandoned
himself to the course of events and to the caprces
of his colleagues Nay, he has been his own worst
coll ague.
On all other matters his authority has remained
unbroken because he chose to assert 1T. On the
Egyptian questions-and they have been innumer-
abe-he has shrunk from taking decisions. Ilebas
refused 10 look ahead refused to things they
are refused TO accept the responsibilities that fell
upon him. He has beaded the revolt against his
own Government. HIS main idea about Egypt isto
get out Of it. His chief aim it might almost be said
was to forget and TO make other people forget, the
existence Of Egypt. His chief hope was in the
chapter of accidents. But events went their own
course and not Mr.. Gladstons's- Each evasion OF
The Mahdl took as little note of what was passing on
the banks of the Thames az Mr. Gladstone took of
what was passing on the banks of the Nile; did
II occur TO the Arab leader to raise the siege of
Rhartoura because Mr.. Gladstone and Lord Sails
bury had come to terms about an English Reform
Bill said last autumn in commenting on Mr..
Gadstone's speeches in Midlothian that ne had OBJ
viousy resolved to fix the attention Of his country
meu on the single question of extending the
franchise. lie was successful, so far as the three
Kingdoms were concerned. His mistake was in be-
heving or hoping that events in Egypt would wait
upon his pleasure and that Gordon could not be in
imminent danger provided the agricultural labOrer
was admit ed to % share in the parliamentary gov
ernment of Great Britain.
As for the par iamentary contest of last week. il
must be said that the Ministry had everything III
It's favor except the facts The Tory attack was
half -hearted and half-witted. Tho feebieness of
leadership OF which The Tory party has 50 long CON-
planned was never before so conspicuous. The
terms of Sir Stafford Northcote's resolution have
been too sharply criticised by his followers. TWAS
not happy aud certainly not vigorous In dictIon.
but il would have answered the purpose If 1t had
been supported by speech worthy of the occasion
Sir stailord's best friepds have not succeeded in
protesting to admire his speech. What the House
gathered from 1t was that he nett Their expected
strongly desired to turn the Government out Never
had an opposition a better ag"inst Ministry.
Never were so good cards 80 badly played The
Tory benches not rich IN orators, 1t Is true bus
il vas not oratory that was most wanted PLAN,
strong statement of plain. strong case would have
been enough. There was nobody TO make It. I'M
less Mr. Gibson may be said to have made it. Dir.
Gibson rs au exc lent forensic speaker The Rouse
listens to him with pleasure but never forgets that
lie is q lawyer and there is no speaker 10 whom the
House gives 40 little of itscont'ence as lawyer
For the country the deficiency was supplied by
the admirable speech of Lord Salisbury in the
the House of Lords. speech which remains man.
swered and unanswerable In the Commons. all
the weight OF hostile criticism on this Liberal Min
istry came from the Liberal benches. Mr. John
Morley stated the Radical ease with cogeney end
effect, but the Radical ease is summed up in the
word scuttle"-for slana Is now supTeme-and the
House of Commons ca red little for criticism directed
20 securing the immediate and ignominious resreat
Of British troops before barbarJus and unbeaten
enemy. Mr. Goschen spoke, rs he always does.
clearly and ably. and spoke the true convictions of
two-thirds of the House when he pronounced tho
past policy OF the Government indefonsble AMI its
future policy incomplete, without the statement Of
some more definite purpose than that of destroying
the mower of the Mahdi at Khartoum. Mr.. Gibson
condensed this policy into an epIgram when he de-
scr,bed the Ministry as meaning to go to Khartoum
TO please the Wings and to como away to please
the Radicals. It had been supposed that Mr..
Goschen, now as before would content himself with
criticism and ultimately vote for his old friends IL
was a veri:abe sensation when nc closed his speech
by declaration of his purpose to support Mr.. Stat
fords motion of censure unless the Ministry should
tell the House what they meant to do after they
had crushed the AahdL
Mr.. Gladstone had already spoken. Like Sir
staffords, though for different reasons, his speech
had been disappointing one. and Mr. Goschen had
summed il up. too truthfully, in saying Mr. Glad
stone had been content to confess himself the slave
Of circumstancea II became necessary that some