The Sun. — 1860-01-02 (London, England)

MORROW.-Morning, Bh. 22m.—Afternoon, Bh. 51m.  The new Ministry, not very easily formed, very soon threw over Reform for the session, and made  it indeed a very short one, Parliament .having been prorogued on the 13th of August. They whispered something about an autumnal session, but scorned to fear the political malaria at that season of the year. The money was voted as fast as possible. We were made to pay for Sir JOHN PAKINGTON'S extra taste in shipbuilding by a nearly doubled income tax for the year, collected during the one half of it; and little of interest was done, except the unseating of a sufficient number of Whigs to reduce the Whig majority to a tie. It is, however, but fair to add that the Tory Parliamentary agents managed far better than their opponents, and got all the worst Whig cases heard first, that the petitions against Tories have nearly all yet to be tried, and that there seems to have been nothing to elso)se between Whigs and Tories in those boroughs which have enjoyed the privilege of confessing their sins before a Royal Commission. Since the session there has been a pretty general lull in politics, and the Ministry has, in Continental matters, walked in the footsteps of their predecessors, with probably, however, a warmer zeal for Italian independence. Their antagonists have proclaimed, at Liverpool, that they do not mean to try Government again by a chance majority; but, we admonish them, and the Whigs too, that no party will have more than a chance majority till one party makes up its mind to render itself the national party, by giving the nation the Ballot.  Politically, we must mark the past year as one of faction fights: The year before witnessed many battles of the kind, but closed with the Tories in office, because the independent Liberals refused to be dragged through the mud, merely to reinstate Lord PALMERSTON as dietator. Last spring they were puzzled. The mistakes of the Government Bill annoyed them, and reasonably; yet they could get no offers much better from the Liberals, while they lost the certainty of carrying their measure through the Lords. Hence the indifference at the elections, hence the equal balance of parties in the House, and hence the general indifference now. Why should men put themselves to trouble about either party when the offers of each are so nearly alike. Let one party but come forward with proposals for what the people really desire, and the time of indifference, and of weak Governments, will be at an end.  Commercially, the year has been a favourable one. Unusual disasters occurred amongst our firstclass steamers, but trade, as eviddenced by the Board of Trade Returns, has grown considerably and steadily. The staple manufactures of the country have been well sustained ; indeed, the rather more than usual prevalence of strikes has been probably caused by the briskness of trade. Wages, except in some agricultural districts, have been rising. The Masons' Strike has been a terrible lesson to thousands, and has painfully shoWn how unwisely the working classes can enslave themselves to each other, under the pleasing idea of controlling their employers.  India has become quiet, and even financially gives indications that Lord STANLEY'S hopes were not ill-founded. Our other colonies, generally, have been prosperous. Australia especially so, at the same time, as she has been perfecting her civil and religious liberties. Canada has opened by far the vastest railway bridge in the world, but has also disclosed some painfnl political corruption. With her neighbour, the United States, we seemed likely to have a little quarrel, which is being smoothed down. But the States themselves have perpetrated perhaps their greatest political crime in the legal murder of a noble Liberator of their bondsmen. On the whole, as her Majesty would be made to say, we may congratulate ourselves on our amicable relations with all Foreign Powers, and the pleasant assurances we continue to receive from them all, but also on having this year completed such a fleet, and enrolled such a number of rifle corps that, while we mean no offence to any Power, we are in a position to fear none from any ; that our trade is increasing and our revenue with it, and one day or other—this year or ten years hence—her Majesty's Ministers and her Majesty's Opposition will give us something which they will call a Reform Bill. We hope we may be able honestly to call it one too —and with such a good past, good present, and good hope for the future, we can wish all our readers A