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TAIT'S

EDINBURGH MAGAZINE,

FROM JANUARY TO DECEMBER,

1855.

VOL. XXII.

EDINBURGH:

SUTHERLAND & KNOX.-LONDON: PARTRIDGE & CO.

M DCCC LV,

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66 a

THE history of English parties since the enact-
ment of the Reform Bill, is one of the most in-
structive chapters in the political history of any
people. Much that is interesting lies upon the
surface. There is seen at a glance the presence Parties were not dead,-they were only sub-
of new political elements. From the commence- divided. In that subdivision there appeared a
ment of Parliamentary government there had great chance of popular gain. The balance of
existed the distinction, more or less broadly parties was destroyed, and it could only be re-
marked, of conservative politicians from re-stored by accessions of public confidence to this
forming politicians, a distinction generally party or to that. There was no political ques-
equivalent to the defence of prerogative on the tion sufficiently commanding public interest to
one hand and of popular rights on the other. In constitute a new principle of cohesion. The
the struggle for the Reform Bill, kingly prero- Whig doctrine of finality and the popular weari-
gative was exerted on the side of popular rights, ness of Chartism had set aside the suffrage ques-
and the idols of the populace became at once the tion. The ecclesiastical relations of the State
sycophants and the masters of the Court. Pre- permanently interested only a few Churchmen
sently was seen the recovery of Conservatism and some Dissenters. It was, therefore, around
from an unnecessary alarm, and the recoil of some man, or group of men, at the head of one
Democracy from an inevitable disappointment. of the many parliamentary parties, that the in-
The vanquished adherents of corrupted consti- fluences which make a government must collect.
tutional usages quickly discovered that what Russell, Derby, Aberdeen, and Cobden, were the
they most valued had been retained, and much rival nuclei. Russell had the advantage of pres-
of the rest might be retrieved. The victims of tige and of actual possession. Office fell to him,
an exaggerated expectation of improvement on Peel's overthrow, by a most significant neces-
quickly discovered that they had sity. But neither the admiration of his heredi-
gained nothing if not the power of gaining more. tary followers nor the influence of office could
The formation of the great Peel party was the save him from the natural fate of little men un-
result of the one discovery-Chartism, the re- blessed by the possession of a great principle.
sult of the other. The Peel party placed its Languid efforts in the old civil-and-religious-
chiefs in power; Chartism saw its chiefs dis- liberty interest, even aided by the inveterate
appear into prison, thence to emerge into im- fidelity of Radicals, failed to avert an ignominious
potence. But the instructive contrast was not doom. Disraeli, Derby's lieutenant, overthrew him
yet complete. Peel destroyed his party in in 1852, as Peel, Wellington's lieutenant, had
carrying out the objects of a resistless popular overthrown him in 1835 and 1840. A second
movement, and was forced from office because he time Whiggism perished of inanition-a second
had exchanged for the headship of a party the time demonstrated its incapacity of independent
idolatry of a nation. Then was demonstrated existence. But this time Russell made friends
what Democracy had gained by the triumph with Aberdeen, as before he had made friends
that seemed to have shattered Conservatism. with O'Connell, in both cases, aided by the in-
And then, too, was exhibited the fatuity of con- definite fears and hopes of Democracy. A coali-
temporary impressions.
While every one was tion was constituted. Aberdeen and Russell took
shouting "Party is dead!" Peel was being office, with more than the acquiescence of

stung into political death by the fangs of a com
bination of parties internally harmonious as
jar of Egyptian eels, every one wriggling to the
top."

almost as

B

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