THE PARLIAMENTARY CALM.
OF all Sessions of the Reformed Parliament this promises to be the dullest. The Houses potter on over their routine work without even a party fight to enliven the tedium of the debates. The Bankruptcy Bill has passed the Lower Heim, and with the amendments those remorseless critics politics, is silent in presence of events to which all since M. Saint-Marc Girardin, in the last number of the Revue 1848 have been trivialities. There is a torpor on Parliament der Deux Mender, answers eloquently for his countrymen, Which would have delighted Mr. Brotherton, but which the and his remarks are the better deserving of attention because country views, perhaps, with less of pleasure than amaze- they are not dictated by Anglo-phobia. England, he as- ment. sumea, has a perfect right to contend for her own interests.
to the feverish sense of expectation which influences mem- the most superb order. He simply questions whether the hers as it pervades the nation. Any hour may now produce maintenance of Turkish dominion can be the permanent in- a war of which no man can foresee the termination, and the Wrest of Great Britain.
leaders are too -interested in watching events to engage in a Beginning, after the way of French politicians, with the premature discussion on their tendency. Business men are beginning,M. Girardin deniesthat theEastern question can be waiting for the budget, and the rank and file for the cue justly considered Asiatic. Syria, Egypt, and Asia Minor form, which experience tells them is certain to come at last. The he argues, a dependency of Europe. The continent, originally first reason for inaction, however, is the chaotic condition of civilized from thence, once repaid the blessing, and he might the Lower House. Nobody knows to which side he belongs, have added, tried to return it a second time. The devasta- or if he belongs to anybody except himself and his election tion of these regions, therefore, injures Europe as much as attorney. The Liberals offer nothing to be considered, and the devastation of any section of the great European family. the Conservatives are afraid to oppose lest their opposition Their present condition is to the continent "the paralysis of should be accidentally effective. The Opposition, indeed, a limb." We are not concerned to discuss French theories seem, for the hour, to have taken office, and act as runners of history, always directed rather by sentiment than fact ; to clear the way for the State team. Lord Derby holds his we would simply remark that these are the ideas always tongue most arduously. Mr. Disraeli rises to explain that professed by the Emperor of the French, who claims ha- Lord Palmerston is quite in the right, that nobody has any bitually the whole border of the Mediterranean as an integral business to defeat him on colonial expenditure, and that Blue part of the European system. The East then, being Euro- Books must occasionally be castrated. Mr. Whiteside is pean, the European kingdoms are responsible for its condi- busy maintaining a sort of statute of mortmain against tion, and will one day have to reckon heavily for its devasta- mistresses, and seems, unlike Mr. Edwin James, to find a tion. "I imagine sometimes," says M. Girardin, "that Parliamentary career quite compatible with professional sue- nations, like individuals, must have a last judgment, and that cess. For the rest, Sir John Pakington, every now and then, God will demand from the peoples on that day an account administers a tonic to the Admiralty, which they take with of the territories distributed among them. 'What have you the irritated subserviency men generally display to a good done with those immense solitudes ?' will God say to the doctor, while the rank and file, the gentlemen " acred and Americans. 'Lord, we have cleared and fertilised them; consolled to their chins," ruminate on the next harvest, and we have built houses and cities there ; we have founded the chance of war prices for live stock. Never were there a society which has observed but imperfectly thy divine so many rumours, such subtle intrigues, or so heavy a cloud law, but which, however fallible it be, is still better in of dullness and ennui. thine eyes than the generations of savage beasts who The spasmodic energy displayed on Wednesday night made succeeded one another in those deserts." And you,' will the general stagnation more apparent. Mr. Baines, made_ God say to the Europeans, 'what have you done with terred by the muttered anathemas of his own friends, pressed the beautiful lands wherein I placed man in the first days the second reading of his bill for reducing borough suffrage of the world, where dwelt my patriarchs and prophets ?' to six pounds. The House did not want it ; the country, 'Lord, not to derange the equilibrium of Europe, not to which will not attend indignation meetings, and rather smiles embroil ourselves with England, we have suffered thy pro at Lord John Russell's efforts to renew 1831, did not want it ; mised land to become a desert, we have left the towns to be but still the second reading was pressed on. Honourable depopulated, the fields to become desolate, the waters to be Members felt like attached lovers pressed to bring a seven changed to swamps.'" M. Marc Girardin's theology is of the years' engagement to a close. Feelings and circumstances quaintest, and he forgets that the Voice which uttered the had alike changed since their pledges were so freely given, promises uttered also the curse which doomed Palestine to but they must be kept nevertheless, and with wry faces they desolation and Egypt to slavery, that if he accepts one part resolved to keep their seats, and thank God for the Peers, of the record he cannot be permitted to suppress the re They felt actually grateful to Mr. Cave for the adroitness mainder ; but that is not the point. His effort is to transfer which rescued them from an unmanageable dilemma. He the notion of right to the French side, and he is not alto- moved the previous question, and as the previous question gether unsuccessful. It is a frightful evil that the fairest commits nobody, everybody was intensely anxious for the ex_ countries of the world should be changed by misgovernment tension of the franchise, and voted incontinently for some_ into deserts, that Asia Minor should become as the Baby- thing else. Leave was refused by a majority of fifty-two, Ionian. plain, and Syria as Arabia. The only question on and the suffrage was left to Lord John Russell and Mr. that issue is, whether the statement is correct; whether Bright. Pending war and revolution, however, the Thames Turkish dominion really does create the desolation assumed Embankment tax has been imposed, and, members are con- by French politicians. scions of a gloomy satisfaction that if they are disorganized, It is to this point M. Marc Girardin next addresses him- opinion outside is almost as quiescent as themselves, self; and it is observable that except for Cilicia he quotes
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