OUR ENGLISH LETTER.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 13, Issue 1020, 6 February 1869, Page 3

OUR ENGLISH LETTER.

London, December, 1, 1868. The time that has passed here since the 6th ult. has been one of keen conflict, exciting talk, sharp debate, and a few days of real dusty hard fighting. On the 11th ult. we were without a parliament, and on this first of December we have got together all our faithful and trusty commons. Some hundreds of thousands have been spent, all in "legitimate expenses," the election agents assure us. Many an old member has to bid farewell to St. Stephen's, while many others will make their dehiU there. Now that all is over, it is clear that the liberals go in with a majority of at least 100. Nearly the whole of the party being pledged to support Mr. Gladstone and his policy through thick and thin, it would appear as though Mr. Disraeli's reign was fast approaching to an end. But it must be borne in mind that Mr. Gladstone was possessed of a majority of at least seventyfive when he introduced the Eeform Bill, and yet Mr. Disraeli managed in a few weeks to turn this overpowering party into a "disorderly rabble," and to turn out of office Earl Eussell and Mr. Gladstone. By what series of manoeuvres Mr. Disraeli managed eventually to become Prime Minister you are aware, and how he now throws down the guage of battle all defiantly to the Liberal leaders the papers have fully detailed. It now remains to be seen if Mr. Disraeli, as Premier, will accept the "voice of the nation," and meekly bowing to it provide for tho gradual abolition of the Irish Church, or whether by a shifting and tortuous course he will wear out his opponents, and suddenly by somo "flank movement" turn his enemy into the wrong track, and put him in a state of hopeless confusion. The thing that is most remarkable in the elections that may now be said "to have passed" is — that not one Eeform Leaguer, or "working man," has found his way into Parliament, and that constituencies hitherto strongly Eadical have returned Conservatives, In Westminster, Mr. John Stuart Mill, who was elected with such enthusiasm by the constituency, has ceased to be considered " an honour" to them, and has had to give place to Mr. Smith, the eminent newsvendor. Two causes are sufficient to account for this — the first is his prominence in tho Eyre persecution business ; second, his arrogance in giving Geitifioates to people who he thought ought to represent constituencies, coupled with his ill-advised support of Mr. Bradlaugh, a notorious atheist, in his candidature for Northampton. In tho City of London, Baron Eothschild has been rejected, making room for a Mr. Bell, one of the Conservative candidates, much to the chagrin of the Liberal party, who blame it all on the " minority clause," the fact really being that the Conservatives were well organised, fought well, and availed themselves of the Baron's irregular attendance in the House to make him unpopular, and as they only put forward three candidates, their mode of voting was very simple, while the Liberals, having made up their minds to try and carry four, had each one to select three candidates out of their number. In most of the counties the Conservatives have gained seats, and by that means have reduced the tremendous majority the Liberals jumped off with in the boroughs. We now. all look forward to the 18th of this month, when these gladiators, old and new, will enter the arena, and try their strength and the keenness of their weapons. From what little has transpired, it is part of the programme that a vote of want of confidence will be moved on the reply to the speech from the Throne. To this end all powers of whips, &c, are likely to be exerted, but it is just probable that Mr. Disraeli may, by an adroit paragraph in the speech, disorganise his opponents. If this docs not succeed, and he is defeated, we shall see Mr. Crlnclstone at the head of affairs within a month from this date, and then what shall follow who can tell P The Queen is not expected to open Parliament in person, the state of . her health being far from satisfactory. Her Majesty has lately conferred an honour

nai^aa«>im-i.i...»aia^^w»»»ij»»inf.»ni»»imi^»McaaauiiwimMiiimn MKMW [ upon Mr. Disraeli, by creating Mrs. t Disraeli Viscountess of Boaconsfield, thus l leaving the Premier in his/ Congenial at- . mbsphere— the House of Commons. To him a peerage would vbe absolutely dis- ; tasteful, for he is not fitted for the som- ■ nolency of the Upper House, and having ■ no children, a title possesses no charms. Dr. Tait, the Bishop of London, has 1 been raised to the See of Canterbury, an 1 appointment that has been very generally approved. We are not yet told how the vacancy created by this translation is to be filled up. Abroad, the chief events have consisted in the additions King Death has made to the gaps lately effected in the ranks of celebrities. Eossini, the great composer, is no more, dying at a good old age, and peacefully, at his chosen place of retreat, near Paris. Baron James Eothschild, the last surviving son of old Mayer Eothschild, of Frankfort-on-the-Maine, is dead. His enormous fortune has been variously estimated at from £25,000,000, t0 £80,000,000, and the person who seemed least to enjoy this vast wealth was the possessor of it, who, if accounts may be believed, was too much wrapped up in his business to appreciate any of tne numerous luxuries his riches had spread round him. M. Berryer also is, no more, and with him has departed one of the most prominent men of modern .France. A fiery, impassioned orator, he was also a sound lawyer, and one who was opposed to many things the Emperor has said and done. As usual at this tif|p ,Of year, rumors are current as to tyfe;' -^health* of Napoleon, and as a : rieceStar^ittcideiit- such rumors are officially denied. There can be little doubt, however, that His Majesty has been slightly indisposed and worried. He has before him a rather uncomfortable volcano south of the Pyrenees, and it is known that Senor Olazaga has been at Paris to take Imperial advice upon the question of the Crown. It is rumored that Louis Napoleon rather favors the idea of Isabella's son eventually ascending the throne. In the meantime a long regency would have the effect, perhaps, of consolidating affairs and educating the boy in a proper manner : but, alas ! he is a Bourbon, and possesses a pre-eminent Bourbon mother and grandmother. Will it be possible to make him learn, as also to forget? In Spain there is a little division springing up as to whether the -future Government of the country shall be Monarchical or Eepublican. It is to bo hoped that this difference will disappear, and that the country will be unanimous. December 4, Only three short days since I last wrote you, and the question that really presents itself is how shall one compress into a mere postscript the news. When I wrote you on the Ist, I ventured into a round of speculations with regard to the coming political campaign ; and though I had the good fortune to leave a margin for any untoward event, somewhat in the style of " sporting prophets," I did not quite allow for such a "cross" event as the Eight Hon. B. Disraeli suddenly retiring from office, and throwing the defensive on Mr. Gladstone. Such, however, is the fact, for on the 2nd inst. the Ministry resigned, and yesterday, the 3rd inst., Gladstone was sent for by Her Majesty, and is now engaged in forming a Ministry. This curious alteration of front and position of both parties it is as well to look at from both sides of the arena. From the Liberal, or Gladstonian side ifc presents the view of an administration that, having appealed to the country for its verdict on a point that the old House of Commons had decided against the Ministers, finds itself in a far worse plight than it anticipated, and hence afraid to face a vote of censure (pretty well sure to be carried by a new majority, pledged particularly on one point), has beaten a safe retreat, leaving a clear field for the propagation of Liberal ideas ad infinitwn. From the Conservative point of view it seems a masterly stroke of policy to suddenly change the position of parties, and throw upon Mr. Gladstone the extremely difficult task of declaring from the Throne the exact policy he determines to pursue with regard to the Irish Church, and leaving his opponents the grand opportunity of defeating him in detail, even as they did two years ago. One of Mr. Gladstone's chief difficulties will be to construct a Ministry that shall be fully agreed as to the exact policy to be pursued on the Irish Church question — it being a well known fact that many who would prove most able coadjutors with the right Eon. gentleman have not only an implied, but decidedly expressed opposition to the new Premier's proposed course. Foremost of these difficulties is tho appointment of an occupant of the woolsack : Sir Eoundell Palmer will not sit till the Irish question is over ; Sir W. Page Wood is too strong a churchman to do so ; while it will never do to raise a junior judge or member of the Bar to such a post. If Mr. Gladstone succeeds in forming a Ministry it must "ex necessitate" be a mixture of heterogenous materials requiring vast skill and perseverance to make it into a homogenous whole. Looking at the position from quite an independent view, there is little doubt it presents itself as follows : — The liberal party are possessed of a large majority, and, as a consequence, will be called upon by their opponents to declare at once "their policy, their whole policy, and nothing but their policy." Hence they must produce bills for the purpose of carrying out their views with regard to the Irish Church. These tigwSj once expreaae^.in the form of bilks will be open to ,-f very, kind of attack, aud on every point p^.xujfc'ail their opponents doubtless will as'sail^hem. All, then, that Mr. Gladstone has to do, is to take care not to be defeated in detail, and, with a persistent and well-experienced enemy hovering on his flanks, he will find it no light task. Many who, on the whole, may be regarded as his supporters, may, by skilful manoeuvres, be detached from the main body. Tho real effect of all these political changes will be that Parliament pay not be formally opened for real business till next February, for it is scarcely anticipated that Mr. Gladstone will have his ministry fully conrplete within fourteen days, and will not have had time to prepare and submit to his colleagues the speech from the throne. Besides this, there are several of the ministers who must undergo the ordeal of a re-election. As affairs at present stand, the newly elected members will nieot about tho 18th, got " sworn in," and then adjourn to tho first week in February. A far different, but as deeply interesting to the parties concerned, has been a boat race on the Thames for £400, between Kelley and Sadler. Those two men, as you will doubtless remember, rowed last year, performed a numerous set of " fouls," and let the whole matter drift into the courts of law, where it now remains on appeal. After a great deal of squabbling, the two men wore matched for a further sum of £400, and on Tuesday last met, when Kelley won easily by three lengths. With regard to foreign news, there is little to say except that the longer the Spanish people delay settling the form of government under which they determine to live, the more does tho republican idea flourish and gain ground.