TOPICS OF THE DAY.
TORIES AND WHIGS—PLAN AND NO PLAN.
INFORMATION from all quarters assures us, that the view which we took last week of the new policy of the Tories, has met with
general assent. Several readers, however, doubt whether if that policy should accomplish its first object—a dissolution of the Whig-Radical union—it would be further pursued. Perhaps
not : it may be that if Sir ROBERT PEEL were again in office, ha
would conform once more to the opinions of the great majority. But this question is hardly worth discussion at present. Though
there should be little chance of a pure Tory Government, we have a pure Tory Opposition. In the pure Toryism of the Opposition consists their plan for returning to power by the way of disuniting the Whigs and the Radicals. Conformity was invented for no
other purpose than that of preventing a Whig-Radical union. The present aim of the Tories is to break up that Whig-Radical union which Conformity failed to prevent. For preventing that union, Conformity seemed to be the best policy : for dissolving it, the best policy is pure Toryism. Sec how well the new plan works. The earnest Reformers, in and out of Parliament, have supported the Whigs on no other ground than a belief, that the Whigs, having that support, would be able to carry all sorts of measures of Reform. The pure Toryism of the Opposi- tion makes it plain that the Whigs cannot effect a single measure of Reform. Thus, the only motive of the Radicals for supporting the Whigs, has been taken away. The Tories, by their new policy of no surrender, say in effect to the Radicals—" See what a set of incapables you have chosen for leaders ! What can they do for you ? They dare not so much as talk about Reforming the Lords; and it is the unalterable will of the Lords that not a single Whig proposal of Reform shall become a measure. Are you content with mere proposals? The Whigs, when you joined them, made you believe that they were prepared for the present state of things. They were not prepared : they are utterly con- founded by our present tactics ; they effectually duped you, you credulous, foolish Radicals. Now, what will they do?—nothing. There you have it in one word—nothing. And what will you do? Will you continue to follow these do-nothing leaders?" Already has the new Tory plan worked so well, that such an address to the earnest Reformers would come naturally from Lord LYsimmeeT. Nay, many an earnest Reformer has so addressed himself during the last few weeks. The Radicals are beginning to look behind them—to think of retreating from that false posi- tion into which they have been led by supposing that the Whigs were prepared for what has happened. There is every prospect that by next session, or perhaps sooner, the Whig-Radical union will be dissolved. What wavering Conformity failed to accom- plish, unflinching Toryism will almost surely bring about. The Tory plan has worked and is working well for its object. Plans deliberately formed, with a careful adaptation of means to ends, in general work well.
Now let us turn to the Whigs : what was, what is their plan ? Their plan teas to make so many proposals of Reform as would suffice for gaining Radical support. And the plan was good for the time during which it could operate. But a plan which does not extend beyond proposals, is essentially of the most limited nature. As soon as the proposals are made and rejected, the plan is at an end. What is the plan of the Whigs, now that their proposal policy has been exhausted ? They seem to have no plan, at all. The new Tory policy appears to have taken them by surprise. What they would like may be presumed; but what do they intend to do? They would like to keep office at all events, and may intend to do so as long as possible. But, without Radical sapport, the "as long as possible" must be very short. The Whigs, as mere Whigs, have a small minority in both Houses! They exist as a party by no other means than their union with the Radicals. We have seen that the Tories are bent on dissolving the Whig-Radical union. Have the Whigs any plan for main- taining it ? Let us always bear in mind that the Whig-Radical union rests wholly on Radical faith in the power of the Whigs to carry, as well as to propose, measures of Reform. The proper question then is, Have the Whigs a plan for converting their Reform proposals into measures? In other words, have they any plan counter to that of the Tories,—any scheme, or project, or the shadow of one, for obtaining a majority in the House of Lords? We need not stop to ask whether they have this or that plan; for they have none at all. There is some talk indeed of their contem- plating a recess of only three, instead of six months; but this, by it- self, would be a mere trick, to make the Radicals believe, during the next three months, that the Whigs are not quite without a plan of action. Whether the recess be as long as usual, or shorter, do the Whigs contemplate taking any step whatever, whereby to conquer Tory opposition in the Lords to all measures of Reform ? They have no plan; for if they had one, they would of course say so, with a view to maintaining that Whig-Radical union by which alone any plan for managing the Lords could be accomplished. If they bad a plan for dealing with the great question of Peerage Re- form, in which all other Reform questions have merged, even now would be the time for securing the success of such a plan by strengthening the Whig-Radical union. If the Whigs intended to press hard upon the Lords by and by, they would now encou- rage the Reformers by an avowed union with same of the Radical Ieaders,—a sort of union which cannot take place so long as every member of the Government is required to vote against the Ballot and Triennial Parliaments. In short, if the Whigs had formed any plan at all for overcoming the new pure-Tory Opposition—for saving themselves from the fall which otherwise inevitably awaits them—we should have ample evidence of the fact, in their lan- guage and conduct. Their language and conduct prove them to be without any plan—without any object save that of retaining office as long as may be. It will not be for long. Without some decided move on their part, the Whig-Radical union will soon be dissolved. There they sit, avowedly beaten and helpless, without sense or spirit to meet the difficulty which all but themselves have foreseen. The surest way to ruin, whether in politics or pri- vate life, is by trusting to the chapter of accidents. This is the only plan of the Whigs. Their present situation is deplorable. Mr. HUDSON may hold himself in readiness for another, but much shorter journey.
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