Year: 1876




lapse in the Extradition Treaty between
England and America and of hope that
some means could be found to arrange
treaty that will enable both countries to
punish rascals who escape from justice.
The other is the allusion to the Servian
question. Public opinion in England has
expressed itself with SO much emphasis as
to the atrocities in Bulgaria and the ina
bility of the Turks to preserve peace
in their Empire that the Queen
responds to it by hoping that peace
will soon be assured and assuring the
members of Parliament that the offices Of the
government will when the time comes, be
used in the interests of humanity. The
withdrawal of the Extadition Treaty is
wholly the fault Of the English government.
A careful reading Of the debates in Parliament
and the correspondence between the two
governments shows that but for the obstinacy
and narrow -mindedness of the English Home
Office there would have been no trouble.
But the interests of the two countries are so
identical that q treaty cannot be postponed.
England does not wish to become the asylum
of American knaves, nor does America care to
become the harbor of refuge for every rascal
who runs away from England. If Lord
the work in the proper spirit there is no
reason why q treaty should not be matured
in fortnight. There is no ques-
ton that cannot be adjusted. We
have no desire to invade the right
of asylum. England clings to this
right as cardinal point in her charter of
freedom. Certainly a treaty can be devised
that will recognize the rights and suscepti-
bilites of both countries AS to the Servian
question, the time is coming when the Turks
must give way to the Christians. Thus far
this war has been complicated by the fact
that on one side we have Russia determined
to occupy Constantinople, and on the other
side England resolved to hold the Levant
as the pathway to her Indian Empire. Eng
land is behind the Turks, Russia behind the
Servians. If the question ends as it now
stands it will be On admission to the world
that England is too strong for Russia The
quarrel adiourns but it is not adjusted, and
we are glad to have Her Majestys word that
she will intervene whenever she can do so in
the interests of peace.


The marked event of the present session
is the retirement of Mr.. Disraeli from the
House of Lords MS the Earl of Beaconsteld.
Mr.. Disraeli has filled so conspicuous a
figure in the history of Europe for the last
thirty years that an event as important as
his admission into the peerage has world
wide significance The story now is that
means his withdrawal from public life. This
is probable. In the House of Commons
Disraeli was o ruler. No man knew the
House so we'll. He was, in the words
of the London Times, the greatest
member of Parliament that ever lived. :"
ing-only one peer among hundreds,
| with noblemen as able as Lord Derby, Lord
Salisbury, Lord Cairns and others among
his own followers to dispute his authority
and more in sympathy with the traditions of
his party. Mr. Disraeli must feel that the
days of his leadership are over. If he can
not govern that party from the House he
cannot from the Lords. No party can live
in a state of healthy activity with an ailing,
feeble man at its head. The tory party needs
new chief and it would not surprise us to
see, when Parliament reassembles, Lord
Derby or Lord Salisbury as Prime Minister.


The withdrawal of Mr.. Disraeli from the
head of the government takes from the
public eye one of its most interesting figures
1t is natural that any statesman should
shrink from the responsibilities involved in
the near future of English politics. The
liberal party is dissatisfied with the leader
ship q the Marquis of Harrington. That
young nQbleman has shown respectable
capacities as chief of the liberals, but there
are twenty men in the House who could do
as we'll and who have more sympathy with
the aims of liberalism. Something more is
wanted than that leader should be the son
of a duke, and the fact that Lord Harting-
ton is the heir to the great house of Devon
shire is the main reason of his elevation.
But burning questions, vital questions, ques-
tions that have q deep meaning for the
English people, are forcing themselves
upon the liberal party. Some man
must be found who represents the true idea
of liberalism, and we are not surprised,
therefore, to hear that new leader will be
chosen in the place of Lord Harrington. 1t
is said that there will be division Of the
party in the event of Lord Harrington in
sisting upon retaining his power. We shall
have two wings in the liberal party, the old
whig section, who will be glad enough to fol-
low the Cavendish lead, and new section
under men like Fawcett, Dixie, Forster or
some more available leader 1t may be,
will be the general break-up of all parties as
at present constituted and the signal for