THE PRESS.
STATE OF PARTIES IN PARLIAMENT.
STANDARD•••.All Illustrious Personage, somewhat surprised at the number of withdrawn measures that signalized the conclusion of the session, put to the Duke of Wellington this natural but very perplexing question—" What is your strength in the Houses of Parliament? Have you really a majority with which you can carry on the, business of the country ?" The answer, at first evasive, was, by urgent interrogation, brought nearly to this. There are in Parliament four parties, each independent of and unconnected with the other—the Ministerial, the Undeclared, the Opposition Protestant, and the Political Economists, in. eluding the thirty-six Huskissonians, and the rump of the Whigs. The Ministerial census of this party we understand to . have been nearly as follows :—Ministerialists irrevocably committed, 140; Undeclared and doubtful, 200; Opposition Protestants, 150; Political Economists, about )20. Leaving the Opposition Protestants considerably the strongest of all the parties prepared to act together. The same Proportion was understood to hold in the House of Lords. The Personage to whom this was addressed asserted at once that no ministry could hold an independent cout,e if so situated,—that great as the number of the Undeclared might seem, it was impossible to doubt that upon any question of general policy they would fall in.with Ole other parties in their several proportions ; and that, as a necessary resulf bf such a state of parties, the Minister, if he could not reconcile himself to the Protestant opposition, must retire ; as he, the speaker, would never conseiit to any further connexion with the old enemies of his Government, embodied in the ranks of the Economists. The Duke of Wellington, if we are rightly informed, suggested a dissolution of Parliament. We have not heard whether the suggestion that his Grace had anything to expect from an appeal to the people provoked a smile ; but as the suggestion was of course merely
evasive, his Grace's merciful querist did not push his interrogatories further. We are of opinion, however, that a dissolution of Parliament is by no means im probable; and we entreat the Protestants of the empire not to lose a moment in preparing for it. The people must be prepared for the most desperate efforts on the part of the Administration-. The Duke of Wellington has exchanged a noble
Spotless name with the love and gratitude of his fellow-subjects, for power, with their distrust, if not resentment. The exchange is, alas ! irrevocable ; for even though he foregoes the purchase. never, never can he regain the inestimable price. The portals of selfish ambition afford no backward path.
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