20 AUGUST 1853, Page 1

Of extraordinary length, the session which, has just closed has

been characterized by the large amount of work done, by the in- frequency of bootless debates, by the personal animation which it derived from the last struggles of party, and by the tranquillity into which it fell in the later months. The session found party in a state of disruption, and leaves it in a state of absolute sus- pension. The new Parliament met the new Cabinet of Lord Derby and his Quarter-Sessions colleagues, prepared to give to that erude revival of an ancient domination, with new names and new "ideas," a fair trial. With a lurking suspicion that possibly the Country-gentleman interest had won the majority, the first debates were watched to detect signs of such a fact. It proved, however, that although the majority was prepared to give a fair trial to the new Cabinet administratively, it was resolved to pre- vent any tampering with that policy to which "the Country par- ty" had professed itself to be essentially opposed ; and accord- ingly, that amendment was moved on the Address which many Liberals thought to be an indiscreet and premature trial of strength. In vain Lord Derby urged that the subject of Free-trade should be postponed until the country should see how Mr. Disraeli's financial scheme' by which the Ministry should stand or fall, would reconcile town and country ; in vain Mr. Disraeli en- treated the Commons to be content with the ambiguous phrase in the Address : Parliament emphatically pronounced its adhesion to Free-trade, and the quondam Protectionist Ministers acquiesced. Then came Mr. DisraeTs celebrated Budget—with a little Income- tax boon for the farmers, a little Tea boon for the whole tea-drink- ing population—an illusory agricultural gift of half the Malt- tax—but no "protection," no charge of local burdens on the Con- solidated Fund. The consequence was—hideous disappointment among his friends, inextinguishable amusement among his enemies, route among his colleagues ; and Lord Aberdeen "sent for." Already the late Tory Democratic Ministry seemed to the fading memory like a Parliamentary dream, an historical joke, when the Coalition Cabinet was hailed by the expiring Tories as a sadder joke. It would never do, they prophesied ; and Derby and Dis- raeli stood ready to be "sent for " again.., The ghost of the Ben- thick policy was revived to rally the IrishlBrigade to the standard of Disraeli. And when Ministers showed their superiority to party, in resolving to make "justice to Ireland" solid by accom- panying it with justice on Ireland, and calling upon her to she the Income-tax burden, increased to England, the two Ministries did stand in perfect contrast ; and the Bentinck ghost, the familiar of Disraeli, was fairly .challenged. Out came the Irish Brigade on the 8117311110118 of " an individual "—at least some of it ; out came the 'strong Lucas and the strong Duffy ; out came the accusation that certain of the Irish Members, who had been courteously in- vited to represent Ireland in the United Government, had sold themselves for place—ignominiously and unblushingly bought by Ministers. But behold the force of truth : the Duffy

scandal died out in a titter ; the Income-tax was extended to Ire- land ; the spirit of the Irish appointments was not disguised by malignity, even in Ireland, for more than a week ; and Ireland, prosperous and tranquil beyond precedent, is gladly awaiting the arrival of her Sovereign, attended by those very Ministers who were denounced as traitors.

The Derby-Disraeli Cabinet rose, a nine days' wonder, and sub- sided ; the Disraeli Opposition rose like a phcenix, and has died in an odour not of Arabian fragrance. Augustus Stafford had been

trying to reconcile the Admiralty and the House of Commons under the eye of Disraeli ; "W. B." of the War Office had been trying to reconcile Derby town to Lord Derby ; Committees of inquiry sat; the late Cabinet appeared as witnesses in their own cause; the disclosures threw light on the very character of the men ; the Oppo- sition became known as well as the Cabinet, and it began to sink. By degrees it appeared that the leader of the late Ministry could not appreciate the leader of the Opposition in the Commons ; all Mr. Disraeli's dramatic tact could not keep up the semblance of "a great party"; it dwindled in divisions—it vacillated—it conflicted with itself—it lost its identity—it was forgotten. Soon it appeared that the measures which Ministers prtposed with a settled purpose—all of them acts accomplishing or cdntinn- ing the long-matured convictions in the great majority of the pub- lic, and so far differing from party " reforms "—were able to pur- sue their even way, scarcely impeded by a powerless Opposition. The further weeding of the Tariff, the continued remission of great imposts oppressive to industry, nay, the enhancement of the In- come-tax to facilitate improved adjustment of taxes—mea- sures to improve the Shipping-laws, to continue Law-reforms, to amend the Customs department, to remove Colonial grievances or fulfil Colonial promises—were found to command an immediate acquiescence. If party struggled for a time, it was only to 811COUD11) at last, and sink into helpless docility. The measure which stood apart—the India Bill—seemed to af- ford an opportunity for an Opposition el a new kind ; end the heir of Derby became for the nonce the companion in arms of John Bright, and leader of the combined forces of Indian Reformers and Anti-Ministerialists. The combined forced fluttered upon the long-drawn march of the great measure ; and Sir John Palungton, the most respectable of the late Ministry, like St. George, attabk- ing the dragon in tail, thought that he had out off the sting of the Company's virtual Salt monopoly. But the Company, parish pro- tégé of the Ministry that continued it and starved it, may cry "Thank God, there is a House of Lords !"—the Lords restored the salt, and the Opposition is left without a victory. Settled purpose and generally good intentions had strengthened the Minis- try even for wrong—it can sanction a Salt monopoly, or let an Education Board in Ireland drive out its most distinguished mem- bers.

The vicissitudes of personal position have been rather remark- able; they have brought out some new men, and shown old friends in new positions. The new " right holiourables " on the Treasury- bench last summer were in a novel position ; but, save some un- expected administrative sense in Sir John Pakington, and some perhaps undue roasting of Lord Malmesbnry about his cook and his Parisian liaisons, nothing new was achieved by the brief oc- cupants of office. Disraeli had his opportunity—and it passed. The united Ministry brought forth new men, and well-known men in different posts,—a Newcastle, to acquire repute in the Colonies ; a Gladstone, to be acting leader of the Commons ; a Palmerston to show, in an office foreign to his antecedents, his exhaustless versa- tility; a Molesworth, ever ready to illustrate an unwonted quality of the present Ministry, preparedness to render business answers on business questionings ; a Robert Lowe, to astonish people by the rapid shoot of his meteor career, from Oxford, through the Sydney Council and the brilliant columns of the newspaper, to the Imperial Ministry; an Under Secretary Fitzroy, chivalrously defending women by statute and sternly controlling cabs ; a pungent and ready-tongued Osborne, lapsing into discreet silence and official industry. The lull of faction has afforded comparatively little opportunity for drawing forth new orationists ; but, on the other hand, it promises to foster the growth of a really .in- dependent party in the House. The Radicals "and nothing more" are functi officio—out of date ; Hume, a Parliamentary l; pensioner honoured for.his length of service. The " Free-traders are merged in the vast indistinguishable majority, and Cobden's sun is paled by the adverse character of the season for his avatar as the apostle of Peace : his opportunity too has come, of" erump- ling up Russia like a piece of paper "; but he has not divulged the secret. John Bright, with one foot on Peace and one on Indian Re- form, has upon the whole gained strength' by his sturdy direct mode of attack. His colleague, Milner Gibson, has succeeded in nailing his own flag—the principle of local representation—to the Ministerial mast ; and Pabnerston's pledge to carry it is transcribed on the "translucent wave." A promising knot of young Mem- bers, bending their attention to the actual circumstances of the time and striving to restore some greater zeal for public interests, is feeling its way to Parliamentary position, fitly represented by Mr. Blacked : and the newest Member to appear, with a maiden speech on the last working-day of the session throwing fresh light and spirit into the vexed Eastern. question, is Mr. Bayard. Without party strength, the session closes without party triumphs ; and the Ministry is left to the repose of the recess under the heavy responsibilities of a public confidence seldom equalled in our day, and of solemn promises for next session.