POLITICS OF THE NEWSPAPERS.
[From the Globe, Ike, 18.]
If the next session shall not be one of prartical measures to alleviate a state of things exceedingly similar to that whose pressure produced the Iktbrin Bill, that great organic scheme of amendment in our Parliamentary institutions will comae pretty generally to be considered, as it is called already by some parties, afrilues, * i 44 44 If we cannot get progressive improvements under the present system of government, Democracy will lose its terrors, and hold out hopes, whicit we be- here indeed to be illusory, but which will be preferred to despair, In short, We shall hare a Revolution—that is the second stage of Reform, when the classes
who effected it find that it does not yield the expected benefits. In such cir- cumstances, public-spirit either decays—and that is national decline, or leagues itself with the blind force of " the masses "—and that is social convulsion. Or filially, the classes whom Reform has invested with increased power, rouse themselves vigorously to the exercise of that power, and demand firmly the practical and reasonable result of their partially barren triumph.
The threatening demonstrations of the Den'iocrat Chartists" will not be without secondary good effects, if they animate the calmer and more happily circumstanced, as well as better-informed classes, to more energetic efforts in the cause common to themselves and the workpeople. They may be sure the latter do not fret and menace without suffering. Indeed, their uneasiness will not tail to communicate itself upwards. And we shall either see a large part of the middle classes next Rafficiilizcil ; or—what, we trust, is more likely, and we are confident, would be more useful—we shall see those classes strongly in- sisting on measures of practical and material relief for the whole industrious and commercial community.
[From the Morning Pont, Dee. 18.] Cannot our contemporaries imagine such a thing as a ll'hig .:1dministration leaning upon the Conservative party for support against tlw pressure of Radi- calism and Romanism, and this without any thing like coalition Cannot they suppose such an occurrence as the defence of the Queen's Government by the Conservative party ; when the Government is assailed by revolutionary vio- lence, and this without any thing like coalition ? Cannot they deem it possible that in the present juncture °torahs, the Ministers may find' it expe- dient for carrying mt the business of the • try, rather to seek fir the counte- nance of a strong and steadtbst party, than to make sacrifices to a weak and turbulent party ; and this without any official coalition? But there is no necessity for looking mtrely to hypothesis in this matter. Suppose the tone of the Administration to be for the first three months of the coming session what it was for the first three days of the last session, why should it be doubted that the Conservatives may vote with the 'Ministers for the support of Conservative principles, and yet neither form, nor wish to form, any thing like an official coalition ? 'Were Ministers, or say rather the head of the Government, to follow tip with firmness the policy which seemed to be indicated by the leader of the House of Commons at the opening of the present Parliament, we should find the Ballot question negatived by the Government, and those Ministers dismissed who did not vote against it. In the question of repeal of the Corn-laws the conduct of the Government would be ditto, ditto. Shortening of the duration of Parlia- ments ditto, ditto. Alteration of the franchise established by the Reform Act, ditto, ditto. Upon these points the bulk of the Conservatives would support the Government against the Radicals. Some would stay away front laziness, glad enough of an excuse nut to attend the House ; and, justifying themselves by a partly real and partly affected pique, they would say—" Let the Whigs and their friends the Radicals settle the matter tetween them ; we won't inter- fere." But the number that would act thus would not be large, as soon as it was understood that Government did look to the general support of Conserva- tives, and not to that of Radicals.
Then, however, would come the Church questions ; and even these we can readily suppose the Government, under present circumstances, might manage so as to avoid the active hostility of the Conservatives. The question of the Irish Church the Governument has a right to consider as legislatively settled. The Administration may, and we expect that it will, resist directly and posi- tively any attempt to reopen that question. If Lord Ilowick have a mind to repeat his offensive, and, considering his position, dishonotuable views of that question, let hint look to his place ; or if he be permitted to remain in the Cabinet after a repetition of the offence, let Lord Melbourne look to his place. The Conservatives will show that they can punish as well as uphold. As to the scheme for appropriating the funds to be raised by new arrange- ments of Church property to the liquidation and abolition of Church-rates, the Government may, and we expect that it will, refrain from again bringing it forward. It will be for the credit of the Government if that miserable abortion of the little mind of Mr. Spring Rice he suffered to drop into oblivion, and the Church Commission be called upon to carry out its arrangements with a view to the increase of efficient parochial administration. We have noticed the more agitating of Parliamentary questions upon which the views and the strength of parties are likely to be brought prominently for- ward ; and we do not see that upon any of them there is a political impossi- bility that the present Government should so deport itself as to obtain Conser- vative support. That it can be able, however, to calculate upon this, there must no doubt be an understanding that the Radicals and the Established Church disturbers in Ireland, in England, and in Scotland, shall receive no Parlia- mentary or official countenance from Government. It is not necessary that such understanding should grow out of any compact or negotiation, but pro- ceed merely front the Parliamentary conduct and language of the leading Ministers. On looking over what we have written, we perceive we have omitted the question of municipal corporations for Ireland. About that question there need not be much difficulty, if Ministers will bring their minds to the same view of it which they took at one period of the last session. If they can do so, and we do not see why they may not, the hostility of Mr. O'Connell will be of little consequence. Indeed, upon that hostility we suppose the Ministers to calculate throughout.
Referring to the state of affairs at Court—in the interior of the country, and with reference to foreign relations, it seems to be the view of almost every
rational person that it is not sere for the Government to attempt to go on with- out the aid and countenance of the Conservative party. There are reasons for holding the opinion that a personally Conservative Government would as yet tired difficulties in its way not prudently to be encountered, and at all events the leading Conservatives, satished with their present position, do not appear inclined—unless driven to such a course—to attempt obtaining the Government for themselves. As to a coalition, that always makes a suspicious, and generally a bad Government. We certainly wish for no such thing, nor ea poet it.
[This article has been quoted, and talked of, and reasoned upon, at a great rate, as if it had opened a new political revelation. But in what
respect new ? The Post only proposes that the policy of the last session should be acted over again in the next. And is it not the course of our Government, by "Conservative Ascendancy," foretold in the Spectator long before the new Parliament met.
"a Government of Tory principles and practice, whatever its pro- Cessions might be ; a Government, of whatever men composed, decidedly con- servative of the resent franchise—of the present plan of open voting under bribers- and intimidation—of the present admirable state, in short, of the repre- sentative system—and filially, both of the Peerage as it is and of the Church as it is—in one word, a truly Conservative Government, though it should be
composed either of Tories exclusively, or of Tories and 'Whigs in coalition, or of Whigs only."—Spectator, No. 476; 12th August 1837.
We recollect when our Tory contemporary did not at all relish the idea of a Conservative ascendancy without place; but, grown wiser by experience, he now sees that patience in Opposition is the only safe policy for his party.]
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