TORY TRICKS AND THREATS : ANOTHER DISSOLUTION.
OF all the unscrupulous Tory newspapers, the Standard is the most dexterous. It is curious to observe the skill with which not only the busty slips, but frequently the most correct and guarded statements and arguments of its contemporaries, are perverted, to serve a temporary party purpose, by that journal. Our readers may remember, that we last week pointed out the serious incon- Nenience to all the great interests of the country arising from the feebleness of an Anti.National Ministry. To " practical men" above all others, we argued, the uncertain tenure of the present Ministers must be annoying. We gave numerous instances, only a very few of which are comprieed in this paragraph- " There are a vast number of bill; required Mr the regulation of the internal affairs of the country, aml for the promotion of schemes of local improvement. here a railroad is wanted, and there a wxter cowpony. But would it not be extremely imprudent MI the patties to thew projects to push them with vigour in the present state of the Ministry? Why, Owlet may he a change of Minis- ters next week, and a dissolution of Parliament the week after; when all the preliminary ‘vork and expense must be wpeated."
The Standard absolutely interprets this passage into nn official announcement of the intention of the Whig party to dissolve the Parliament immediately, in case this Tories should be turned out of (ace! Reader, was this your understanding?—Undoubtedly not. On the strength of such a construction, however, the Standard on Monday put forth the following as a leading article.
e We mentioned some days ;t. o, that Lord John Ilusstd1 had been canvassing South Devon, in anticipation of being able t.t dissolve Parliament through his accession to office. Our readers are well aware of the tlegrec if confidence with which the Spectator weekly p:Iper bas been honoured by Ely 'Silt; party. In all that coneetns the Parliameet;try arraogaments of the Opp • :lion, the Spec. &dor has had earlier and more exact ill trntation than any other journal. The following paragraph, front yesterday's tactilwr of the journal in question, may therefore be Lawn for an n0ici.tl announcement that a change of Ministry would be immediately followed by a dis,olution of Parliament. it'r tire the porn • grople complete, to tumid suspicion of o wiqt to miss/cp./snot."
Then follows the paragraph quoted above, but without the slightest intimation that it formed a small part only of an article in- tended to prove the loss and annoyance ennsequent upon the clinging of the Tories to place in defiance the majority of time House of Commons. Admirable candour, almoet worthy of Sir PLAUSIBLE himself!—" we gime the paragraph complete, to avoid suspicion of a wish to misrepresent !"
The fact is, that the Standard was in search of reasons to in- duce Members, in viohitioo of their pledges, to vole with Minis- ters on the Malt-tax question. To held out a dissolution as the certain consequence of the accession of the Whigs to office, which the issue of the Citaxoos motion might involve, was a powerful motive; and so, for want of something more pr .eise, the inci- dental allusion to the possibility of such an oecurrence, in the Spectator parterraph, was laid hold of as an official announcement of their intentions by the Whig party. Thus it is, that while the Liberals point to the prospect of a new election as a warning to Members to do their duty, the Tories threaten them with a disso- lution as a punishment for not betraying their constituents. We say to Members, Do your duty and turn out the condemned Ministers, so shall you be approved when the day of account comes : the Tory organs say, Betray your constituents, break your pledges, and support the Ministers, so shall the day of reckoning be far off.
It will not be supposed that we should be very eager to disclaim the facility imputed to us of acquirit.g early and exact informa- tion as to the probable movements of parties. Undoubtedly we use our best endeavours to get at political as well as other facts, and to reason accurately frotn common premises to conclusions that may be less obvious. From all quarters we strive to learn what it may be useful for the public to know. But we deny that our con- nexion with any section of public men is such as to entitle us to assume, or any one to attribute to us, the authority of an official organ. It is not long since we were charged with uncalled-for hostility to the Whigs ; and it is as unlikely as untrue, that after having shunned all alliance with them when in the full blaze of success, we should seek to be " honoured" with their patronage now that they are once again in the cold regions of Opposition.
As regards the dissolution of Parliament, it has been well observed by the Globe, that the votes of the Tory County Members on the Malt-tax division have put a dissolution by the present Mi- nisters out of the question: " Come what may, they dare not dis- solve." And this dread of the consequences of a dissolution must operate in the minds of the Members, who have tricked their constituents on the subject of the Malt-tax, to the advantage of any Ministers who may succeed the present, and hold up the threat of sending them back to the hustings. This is one reason why the Liberals, should they succeed in displacing the Tories, would not be compelled to dissolve the present Parliament. course to suppoki the King's Government, even although it rPere. once more in the hands of Lord MELBOURNE instead of the Duke and PEEL. They would probably rat back again to the
Whigs. This anticipation, however, may prove to be incorrect. The number of traitors may turn out to be so large as to render it necessary for a new Ministry to strengthen itself by an appeal to the People. Should that be the case, then we and disgrace to
the Waverers, the " Shabbies," the Pledge-brealters I The true Reformers need not fear the result. In the meanwhile, the Re- formers are hound to keep in mind, that accidental events may speedily bring about a new election. The King, fur example, is in his seventieth year. This is a circumstance that must not be lost sight of. A demise of the Crown would insure a genera? election. Let the constituencies, therefore, be on the watch, and full of' activity in all quarters. Let them even now be looking out for trustworthy candidates to replace not only the Tories, but the BURDETT% RICHARDSES, SINCLAIR% BARCLAYS, and STEW-' ARTS, who have deserted us in our utmost need, and not one of whom should be again suffered to misrepresent a Liberal consti- tuency. Let Reform Clubs be organized throughout the coun- try, and the necessary preparations be made to take time field on the first symptom cf an approaching dissolution of Parliament. With these precautions, the Charter of 1832, defective as it is, may yet be made the instrument of establishing good government in the land.
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