Resignation of the Gladstone Ministry.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 131, 11 June 1885, Page 2

Resignation of the Gladstone Ministry.

Mr Qladstojib has gono to Balmoral to tondor the resignation of his Ministry to Hor Mojesty. Having stakod thooxistonco of his Cablnot upon tho dotails of tho Budget, ho was bound to adopt thntcourso. We do not anticipate, howovor, that tho Conservatives will accept tho responsibility of forming a now Govornmont. To oxtornal critics tho palpablo want of loaders is an obstaclo, but that consideration would hardly suggost itsolf to tho mind of tho Marquis of Salisbury. Ho has self conli denco enough to undertake tho govornmont of England upon his own shoulder* A more potent reason against tho formation of a Conservative Cabinet at prosontis tho want of a majority iv Parliament. Tho Gladstone Government havo, it is true, boon dofoatod,and till tho constitutional eonsoquences of tho rejection of a Ministerial moasuro attach to tho voto by which thoy wore overthrown. But tho combination of advoreo elements and conflicting opinions against thorn doos not constitute a majority out of which a now Ministry ablo to con duot tho businoss of tho country can bo constructed. Tho situation is vory similar to that which arose in 1573, whon Mr Gladstono was dofontod by the Conservatives in union with tho Roman Catholics upon tho Irish Univorsity Bill. Mr Gladstono tondorcd his resignation, and it was nccoptod by Hor Majosty, and Mr Disraoli was sent for. Ho doclinod, howover, to undortako tho formation of a now Govornmont, and tho Quoon colled upon Mr Gladstono to again aecopt tho duty, an offico which ho entorod upon in obedience to tho Koyal command with vory great reluctance. At tho closo of tho sossion he romodollod his Cabinet, among other changes gotting rid of Mr Robort Lowe, who.had mado a mess of tho Exchequer, and undertaking that arduous Eortfolio in addition to his duties as First ord of the Treasury. Ho then appealed to the country boforo I'arliamont again met for business. Wo fully anticipate that tho course of ovonts on tho present occasion will follow this preeedont. Tho . ombarrassmonts attending a ro-construotion aro, however, much greater now than in 1873. Fow peoplo give duo consideration to tho extraordinary task which Mr Gladstono has performed In holding tho extreme wings of Liberalism togethorwith amicable reprosen- . tation in the Cabinet. That the hoir of tho' Duko of Devonshire, representing the old Whigs, should have been persuaded to harmonise with Mr Chamberlin, is the outcome of a management or subjugation of natural instincts, not less extraordinary than we have sometimes soen exhibited in those singular animal collections of "happy families" which aro tho delight of country fairs. In re-constructing, is tne Radical element to be reduced or strengthened? Are the Whigs to givo place to more advanced Liberals, and what about the Irish party? These aro knotty questions. Mr Gladstone might perhaps forestall his meditated retirement by leaving tho Marquis of Hartington to reconstruct:, and he could attempt the recall of Mr Forstor,. and possibly Mr Goschen, unless the latter gentleman has irrevocably gone ovor to the camp of tho Philistines j but either of theso procoodingß might make the Radicals fly oil at a tangent; and fortified by the Home Rulers, the Cabinet would bo in a worse fix than ever. If ro-construeted at all, the present balance will probably be maintained until the dissolution, although Lord Rosoborry may be substituted for Lord Derby, and a few other changes may bo made.

When the Gladstone Government met the new Parliament in 1880, the House of Com mons was composed of 353 Liberals, 237 Conservatives, and G2 Home Rulers. Considerable changes have been made through bi-elections, and thero have been notable defections j but the latest divisions prove that there was, until within the last few

days, a substantial Littoral majority in tho House, which randors ib difficult to dofino tho onusos that precipitated tho defeat of tho Ministry. A Press Association despatch to-day, however, throws light upon tho subject. ItappeorsthatG2 Liberal members abstained from voting ; and wo infer from tho furthor announcement that the Radicals are jubilant at tho result, that the disaffected section was largely composed of "the members below tho guugway." It is also stated that tho Ministry aro boliovod in England to havo courted defeat in order to prevent a disruption of the Cabinot. If this is so—nnd recent rumours of sorioug dissensions over tho renewal of tho Irish Coercion Act, render it nioro than probuble -- tho idea that tho want of a strong foreign policy has boon tho causo of tho Ministerial down fall is effectually disposed of. Tho Radicals havo, lor a long timo past, boon dis atietlod with tho Government for moddling [at nil with Egyptian and other oxternal affairs. The rogrofc of tho Tory organs ut tho result of the motion, and tho national astonishment is also accounted for. This nows affords another roason for disbolioviug that tho Conservative loadors will accept Hor Majesty's commission at this juncture, and already tho Grand Old Man is announced as tho loadorof tho Liberals in tho approaching olectlon campaign, ho having subordinated his desire foi- rotiromont in tho interests of his party, whon throatonod with disruption.