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New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7660, 10 June 1886, Page 4

The defeat of Mr. Gladstone's Government has been followed by a Cabinet meeting for discussing the political situation, and, as will be seen from the cables, the belief prevails that a resolution has been taken to ask ller Majesty to grant a dissolution. This, of course, may be true, but it will be better to refrain from accepting the statement until it is oiiicially announced. For ourselvoe wo do not believe that Mr. Gladstone, save for the purpose.of giving one or another party a decided preponderance in the House, would think of appealing to t>lo country under present circumstances. Wβ are ready, in common with all who admire his great abilities, to give him credit for having a desire, on constitutional grounds to see such a result brought about; but that he should elect to ask a dissolution, in the hope of thereby increasing the number of his supporters, would show a misinterpretation on his part of public feeting, which would be the opposite of flattering to his discernment. The Press of the United Kingdom, taken as a whole, shows that the public antagonism to his Irish policy has been in excees of its representation in the House of Commons. No better proof of this could be found than the fact stated in this morning's cables, that the provincial Press is unfavourable to his attempting an appeal to the country. One of the remarkable features of last election was that the country constituencies, which formerly were the stronghold of the Conservatives, returned Liberal members in the majority of instances. But tho Irish policy was not then before the electorates, and if the provincial Press, which is the beat exponent of the country constituencies, gives its counsel against a dissolution, this denotes that the Irish policy of Mr. Gladstone has produced a revulsion of feeling in these constituencies so great that an appeal to them at present would in many instances be simply to court defeat. And, if such be the state of public feeling in the country districts, it would be still more adverse in the city electorates. Theee for the most part, contrary to their wont, returned Conservative members at last election; and, though this.was to some extent due to the Irish vote being by instruction cast against the Liberal candidates, the loss of this, in the event of a dissolution, would be more than made up to the Conservatives by the widespread

alienation from the Liberal party which the Irish policy has created among the city populations. Nor would a new election result in 80 Home Rule representatives being again returned for Ireland. In the North of Ireland especially people have now got their eyes opened to what Home Rule means, to an extent that did not before exist. They are aware now that it signifies the subjection of the North to the South, that, as interpreted by Mr. Parnell, it points to ultimate separation ; and, with the light Mr. Gladstone's policy has cast upon the fancied glories of Home Rule, they are prepared to act a different part to what they did at last election. Judging from the excitement which the debate on the Home Rule Bill awakened in Ulster, and still more from the great enthusiasm which the rejection of that Bill is said to have created, it may be taken for granted that few if any Home Rule candidates would at the present time be returned from that quarter. And so would it happen in other parts of the United Kingdom where formerly Liberal candidates obtained a preference. A very small proportion of those members who voted for the Home Rule Bill would have much chance of being again returned; and, evengif in their stead Liberal members should be elected, it would yet be on condition of their opposing a policy which far and near has aroused a feeling of distrust in the public mind. All this Mr. Gladstone himself, unless blinded by a passion for power, must be to a certain extent aware of. And, if he should resolve, nevertheless, to appeal to the country, it must be with some other expectation than that of having in the new Parliament a House more subservient to his will and prepared to aid him in inflicting upon the United Kingdom, and more especially upon Ireland, the evils involved in that measure which has just been rendered famous by its rejection.