THE POLITICAL SITUATION IN ENGLAND.

Waikato Times, Volume V, Issue 303, 21 April 1874, Page 2

THE POLITICAL SITUATION IN ENGLAND.

Thk Spectator, of the 7th February, in the following paragrapps, brieflly, and at the same time exhaustively, sums up the main features of the political situation in Great Dritam, togethet with the causes which have brought about the great Conservative reaction. The Liberal' party Jus been smitten hip and thigh from Dan to Beersheba. The result yesterday afternoon, after the return for the city and for Westminster had become known, but before the result of the other metropolitan e'ections of Thursday was declared, was that the Liberal* had gained 26 seats and' the Conservatives 65, shewing a net gam for the Conservatives of 39 seats, making 73 on a division. As the Liberal majority was about 64 at the time of the dissolution-, this more than obliterates it, leaving a majority of some 14 votes for the Convervatives. There are still more than 220 elections to bo made known, and amongst them we shall have many losses,, so that vre may be quite sure the Conservatives will have at least a working majority of 40 — more probably 50— when the- fight is over. There can be no question but that this is a mighty victory. Yot it is one gained without a policy, nay, in the boast of having no policy, and therefore without either the inconveniences or the still greater advantages of a framework of principle. The new Government must belong to the order of Inverteb?ata, or at most to the A&cidians. where the first germ only of a backbone is to be discerned. The causes of this exnordinary reaction are many, but they are not very far to seek. The country, in the first place, is weary of the Gladstone Government, not because of anything it has done, so much as from an indefinite desire for change, which the dissolution has enabled it to gratify to the full. Then the Ballot has released a vast quantity of non-political impulse, which,, vithout the security of secrecy, would have been aihamed to avow itself. Then one class has been so irritated by the Education Act as to abstain from voting, or oven to oppose, while the only ' harraiied ' interest (that of tb o publicans), has displayed an unexpected and teemendoui strength. The fnilurci of the Government in foreign policy, the delayed termination of the Ashantee war, and tho Alabama arbitration greatly annoyed the political daises whose feelings soon filter down. And, finally, there has been * great denl of true ' reaction,' — that U of desire to- check the pace at which the Government desire to proceed, to rest and bo thankful, and let tilings alone for a time, and •cc how they will go under new hands. Nobody wants- any measure repealed, but a great many people want to prevent anything else being attempted, end tlicy have voted Tory. Wo /oust add to all these causes one other, the almost entire failure of Mr Gladstone's expedient for regaining popularity. The people did not. understand and did not lire a Budget being submitted to a plebiieitum, and- persistently affirmed that Mr Gladstone meant to take taxes off the rich and put thorn on the poor. Owing to the excessive and injudicious speed with which the elections were forced on there wai no time to correct thi«, no time to perfect organisations, no time for the appearance of now men. The Tory party, being undivided and having no- cry but the- Constitution, icareely felt this; but the Liboialit, who were in a chronic state not bo much of quarrel, ns of controversy among themselves, felt it bitterly, and were beaten in many places from »beer inability to unite in lime on the right candidates. This was especially the case in the medium boroughs, where moreover, the caprice of men just relieved from the pressure of social, proprietary, or other influences made itself mosfc keenly felt.