Three more elections which have taken place this week have
brought rather a less measure of defeat to the Whigs than they have recently been used to.
Monmouthshire, where Mr. ILtNBURY TRACY, a Whig, was to have walked over the course, has fallen uncontested into the hands of the Tory, Mr. MORGAN.
Lord LtsrowEL, however, has managed the electors of St. Alban's better than Mr. WILSON managed those of Canterbury : so well, indeed, that he has even fulfilled the mission upon which he was "sent down" from Court, and snatched the borough from " the GRIAISTONS:' East Surrey was in like manner to have been taken from the Tories : but Mr. ALCOCK, the Whig, was beaten there by nearly two to one, and Captain ALSAGER is succeeded by Mr. ANTROBUS.
The result is, that the Whigs have had their exclusion from one county confirmed, and they have lost another county, but they have gained for the time a notoriously venal borough. The balance therefore is still against them.
These continued successes, however, do not seem to inspire the Tory party with all the confidence that might have been expected. The Times, on Wednesday, even mentioned the possibility of an early general election in a tone of peevish discontent- " We should do wrong if we were to omit mentioning a report, which, as they say, is now in everybody's mouth,' that A intend ntend an almost im- mediate dissolution of Parliament. We, of course, know nothing of their in- tentions, and can only speak to the currency of the rumour. Looking, how- ever, at the present advisers of the Crown as surrounded on every side, and pressed at home also, with difficulties and dangers, we should not wonder if they endeavoured to relieve themselves, for a while, by. the bustle and agitation of a general election, though the issue cannot fail of involving them, and per- haps the country too, in greater confusion. They had better go out quietly, and leave others to diffuse light and order over the chaotic confusion and darkness in which both public and domestic affairs are now involved.
" But Ministers, unfortunately, are not often either inclined by nature, or capable by discernment, to choose the better part. They may, therefore, per- haps dissolve! It is said they are anxious, and think it but right, to give their friends a fair trial throughout the United Kingdom."
Well, is not that exactly what the renovated Conservative host have been praying for, this year or two— a general engagement in the electoral field ? The " story in everybody's mouth," we suppose, is this. Finding it impossible to rub on much longer, the Whig Ministers have determined to undermine the seats to which their opponents are about to succeed. They have accordingly made up their minds to resign ; but before they go out, the Queen is gra- ciously to accord them a dissolution. They count upon no ma- jority—not even a working majority of two ; but all their influence, personal, party, official, and Royal, will be combined to secure so large a minority that the Tory Ministry will be placed even in a worse position than they are in themselves. The dissolution accorded to the present tenants of the offices will be refused to their successors. The large minority will therefore be unmolested while it worries the Tories out of a short enjoyment of place ; and the Whigs return to power with their bad name purged away in opposition, and a new budget of wonderful intentions. The " story " derives plausibility from the promising appearance of the scheme. It is grand; it possesses an unusual boldness—an absence of that dread of risks which damns most of the Whig en- terprises ; and it makes the most of their presumed life-interest in the Royal influence. In Opposition, the so-called Liberal party would exhibit vigorous cohesion ; a prospect which is not offered for the Tories when in office. The latter, as much hampered as the Whigs with the " balance of parties," less rich just now in popular counterfeits, and harassed by impracticable fanaticism among themselves, if more endowed with courage, would be even more helpless to act than the Whigs whom they now taunt. Office and a general election might be welcome enough to the party ; but they must take both with the Whig mark upon them. This is our understanding of " the story in everybody's mouth." We believe it has some foundation. So, after al it would seem, the country is to be in no great danger front " letting in the
* " A Further Appeal to the Government and People of Great Britain against the proposed Niger Expedition—A Letter addressed to Lord John Russell." Published by Salmi and ELDER. A steamer belonging to Mr. JAMIESON has recently been employed in the endeavour to find, among the many mouths of the Niger, a better entrance to the main stream than that hitherto used ; but without success. She ultimately entered by the usual channel ; and even there she was delayed for six weeks before she could pass; and her trip up the river was performed at the cus- tomary expense of several deaths among those on board. Mr. JAMIESON very pertinently inquires, whether the spending of public money in founding a colony on the banks of such a river, for the purpose of paving the way for a joint-stock trading company, upon whose success the Niger scheme avowedly depends, is
not sr absurd as it is unjust to the private trader and dishonest to the public P Tories." Whatever betides, we shall manage to exist somehow. The prospects of Toryism are in truth not very bright ; and in- vestments in seats for next Parliament will be a hazardous specu- lation.
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