ANOTIIER DISSOLUTION THREATENED: NECESSITY OF PREPARATION.
THE rumoured intention of the Tories to hazard a second disso- lution, if they should find themselves in a minority in the new
Parliament, was mentioned in this journal three weeks ago. The threat has been renewed this week ; or rather, what was formerly whispered, with knowing looks, in clubs and coteries, has been publicly announced in the columns of the Standard ; though that
trusted organ of the Tories now seems half afraid of having dis- closed too much, and is anxious to have it believed that the sug- gestion was not prompted from any official quarter. Perhaps not; and perhaps the threat was thrown out (not very decently, how- -ever) as an election ruse, to influence the conduct both of con- stituents and candidates. Be this as it may, it is not to be doubted that many Tories are prepared for deeds as desperate as that of dissolving the new Parliament, in the STUART fashion. Sir ROBERT PEEL may quail, and slink out; but the Duke has -other subalterns, who would probably have no objection to assume what despots call an "imposing attitude," and throw the gauntlet -of defiance once more at the feet of the Nation. The Nation should be prepared to take it up, and fight the Oligarchy " to the cutrance." The result of such a contest cannot be doubtful; for, to use the words that MIRABEAU thundered in the ears of the affrighted French nobility, the " privileged orders shall perish, but the people are eternal."
Our especial reason for calling attention to the not impossible -attempt of the Tories to bully the Nation by dissolving the Par- liament now in process of election, is to remind the leaders of the Reforming constituencies, of the great advantage which would accrue from preserving the machinery constructed to carry on the _present elections, instead of having to begin afresh, to organize new committees, and take the other necessary steps for bringing voters to the poll. It is possible that we may be taken by sur- .prise some fine morning in March by a proclamation for a new Parliament ; and then, what an advantage it would be, to have a number of standing committees, ready at an hour's notice to take the field and muster the Reformers/or action ! We would there- -fore earnestly recommend that the committees lately and now em- ployed in carrying on the elections for the Liberals, should not be ins.ken up without empowering some of their body to act on such an emergency as we have mentioned.
Supposing that another dissolution should not be risked, and that the Tories, finding themselves in a minority, should follow the course the Constitution points out and retire, still it were egre- gious folly to suppose that so powerful and unprincipled a party mould be content to remain in Opposition, and would not seize every opportunity to reinstate themselves in office. The surest way to keep them down, would be to attend closely to the regis- tration next year. For the purpose of insuring a more complete registration of Reform votes than has ever yet been effected, committees should now be formed for reminding the electors of the necessity of y liw payment of' their rates and taxes, and
er watching over the edings of Overseers and Revising Barris- ters. Now is the time when these arrangements can be most conveniently made; for the Reformers are all acting together, itearty in the cause; and in many places, we rejoice to say, in-
spired with the success of their recent efforts to act, when the ne- cessity again arises, in concert and with confidence.
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