AN EQUIVOCAL COMPLIMENT.
THE Dii inferiores of the Whig party are chuckling complacently over the stroke which they allege their leader keeps in reserve. If the worst come to the worst, the Whigs are to be allowed by the Queen to dissolve Parliament upon some popular question, with a view to make their phalanx in opposition as strong and compact as possible. The Tories are protesting against such a scheme, as profligate and scandalous. According to them, for a Minister new in office to dissolve Parliament with a view to strengthen his hands, is perfectly selon les regles ; but for a Minister going out to dissolve Parliament with a view to weaken his successors, is unconstitutional. The question is too delicate to be decided off-hand. But at first sight it looks like a very equivocal compliment paid by the Whig Ministers to their supporters in the House of Commons, when they say that, having as Ministers a body of voters equal in number to that which adheres to Sir ROBERT PEEL, they think a dissolution necessary to enable them to muster a decent show in Opposition. How many of their supporters in the present Parliament do they think would have the honesty to go into opposition with them ?
Previous page
