Year: 1867

REFORM


The Cable has brought us news Of another
victory achieved by Lord Derbys government
on the Reform bill now under discussion i'll the
House of Commons. The tenor of the dis
patches received through the same source
few DAYS ago led us TO the conclusion that the
Liberals, driven by the pressure from without
to close up their ranks and to take decided
position relative to this important measure,
were about to have everything their own way,
and that with their divisions healed, they would,
in their united strength compel the Govern
mcnt so TO modify the measure as to make 1t
acceptable, as a large installmcnt OF Justice, to
the great bulk Of the people. All this, how
ever, has been suddenly changed. Mr.. Disrael,
it appears. pretending to accept the amend
mcnts of the true friends OF Reform, and
having thus gained time to SOW the seeds
of disScnsiOn again III the ranks OF the
Liberal party, has proposed compromise, ac-
companed with the alternative of q dissolution
OF the latter the members of the New Cave
whose rccusancy at q critical moment caused
the defeat of Mr.. Gladstonc's amendment
short time ago, stand in mortal dread; and so
the threat has had its intended effect, is caus-





and to help the enemy to victory. But tie
triumph, in this instance, will not prove to be
so great and so decisive as some people may


imagine. The insincerty and double dealing
of the Government with regard to this Reform
question are evidently having the effect of rous-
ing the leaders of the Opposition and the true
friends of Reform, throughout the Kingdom, to
still more earnest and energetic action. The
Cable dispatches which we published on Satur
day inform us that the debate of last week, which
ended in the Tory victory, was an exceedingly
animated one, and that both Mr.. Gladstone and
Mr. Bright exposed the real character of the
Government measure in pitless analysis OF It's
shortcomings, incongruities, and vices, and
reprobatcd it in the strongest language they
could command. The popular demonstrations,
in the shape of mass meetings In different
parts of England, and which are, If possible,
more imposing and enthusiastic than ever, show
what the masses think of the Government and
the bill. In the former they have no faith,
because they believe it destitute of any real
sympathy with the cause of popular freedom
and progress. The people instinctively feel
that party habitually pledged to reactionary
principles, additionally opposed to the increase
of democratic power, additionally Jealous to
degree of the classes below their own order,
cannot possibly be sincere in their professions
of a desire TO secure the extension of popular
privileges. And in the character of the bill
introduced by Mr.. Disraeli the people find
ample justification of their distrust of the
Tories The bill "hods the word of promise
"t0 the ear, and breaks it to the hope With
an ostentation of libcralty in its concessions,
it has been, nevertheless, SO framed that, by
an artfully arranged system of checks and
counterpoises, its liberal provisions should it
become law, will be in q large measure neu-
tralzed by its conservative reservations. The
leaders of the Reform party in Parliament have
tried to amend it, but they have failed in their
efforts; and it now seems certain that the
measure, with all its odious features, will pass
the Commons, and find its way into the House
of Lords. What reception it will meet with in
that intensely Tory body remains to be seen.


Our dispatches by Cable fail to tell us what
Mr.. Disraeli's compromise is; but, from the
way in which his proposal was opposed by
Messrs. Gladstone and Bright, we infer that it
is of nature decidedly inimicaf to the popu
lar cause. 1t is, we suppose, like all com
promises proposed under similar circumstances
principle sacrificed to expediency, right post
poned to interest justice practically ignored in
favor of power But, like all such miserable
expedients, it will, assuredly, bring its retribu-
ton in due time. Some one has said that
politics is the science of compromises" but
there are periods and occasions when nothing
in political action can be more dangerous than
compromise. IL may succeed very well in
ordinary times and ordinary circumstances,
when society is comparatively quiescent, and
when political agitation is mere ruffliDg of
the surface of the waters; but it will never
answer in revolutionary periods, when mems
passions are stirred to their very depths, and
political excitement assumes the character of
the storm And it will not answer, in the case
now under consideration, because the spirit Of
revolution is abroad in England. The people
are resolved upon having their rights They
say so; and we believe they will carry out
their determination. Disraeli, as the accepted
oracle of the British aristocracy, may depre-
cate "a much as be pleases the advance OF