A REMARKABLE conjuncture of events which cannot but have a strong in-Hueuce upon both European and Asiatic polities, has just taken place. Simaltaneously with the signature of a Treaty of Peace between France and C we bent that the Cabinet of Mr, Gind. tone lins boon defeated, and the resignation of the Premier and his colleagues placed in the hands of Her Majesty. It is, of course, possible that No ex-Ministry may be compelled to resume office, under different leadership. Bat this will only happen if Lord Salisbury refuses to take office which would be repeating the serious blander committed by Lord Derby on the fall of the Aberdeen administration, At that time a splendid opportunity was lost, nid one beating some resemblance to the present. Lord Derby might have carried the Crimean war to fa triumphant close; but ho refused office, because he was in a minority in the House of Commons. Weauticipate that Lord Salisbury will be bolder. His favouritemaximislaudace, Candace, toujours Vaudace. It is trae that if he were to accept the seals he would do so under the gloom of an approaching dissolution, and for six months would be subjected to the adverse influences of Liberal opinion in the provines, which would both hamper his present action and jeopardize his continuance of power after November. But it is equally possible that the Conservatives may consider themselves bound to redoom the pledge given by Lord Sal bury in February, and to accept their responsibilities forthwith; and in this onso it is scarcely open to doubt that. the Queen will accept the resignation of her Liberal advisers and invite the Chiefs of the Opposition to undertake the direction of affairs, Indeed, when we rend the description given in the telegrams by the American mail of the state of public feeling a month ago in London, the only wonder that the change should have been de. layed so long, telegraphing to the New York Times early in May, the London Correspondent of that paper represents the whole city as being "simply speechless with rage" at the Parliamentary disclosures of the preceding night. Lord Randolph Churchill was the hero of the hour, and his indictment against the Government for ite "cowardly surrender" to the intrigues and audacity of Russia found an echo in nearly every journal, The bitterness of popnlat wrath at the Premier, eaid the Correspondent, "defied Gescription," while a Stock Exchange rumour that the Viceroy of India lind thrown up his appointment in disgust seems to have been pretty generally believed. The catastrophe, or deliverance, rather, did not come then; and now that it has come, it ug resulted, diveolly, from the defeat of the Government upon the Budget. The question is, Low will the accession of the Conservative Party to power affect our dispute with Russia? There will not be wanting many, doubtless, who expect that Lord Salisbury may hurry us forthwith into war, 'The violence of ihe Tories' language while in Opposition, the almas! sensational character of their views regarding public opinion in India, their impassioned appeals to the Premier to remember the past perfidy of Russia, combine to afford some pretext for this opinion; while Russia, it may be said, will not be backward to take advantage of the liberation of France from her embarrassments in Eastern Asia to bespeak her assistance elsewhere. Now if, from (he very first, Russia had fully made up her mind to go to war unless she could extort a "cowardly surren-dor" from England, it is difficult to combat the views that we hi Russian employes, here in C well known, were only a few weeks ago offering heavy odds against the outbreak of war on the simple ground that Mr. Gladstone was at the head of the: British Government, and that he would make almost any concession that might be dictated by la sooner than permit a rapture. is small but most significant fact indicates,—what must now be plain to the whole world—that, in dealing with Mr. Gladstone, Russia knew her man; knew that she might go far, very far; and had made up ber mind to take the fullest advantage of his weak points, But now she has no longer Mr. Gladstone to deal with, but meu who are rightly or wrongly regarded as the lends and representatives of the national spirit in England; and a change of policy on her part becomes a necessity of the case, Unless Russia has absolutely and definitively made up her mind to engage in war with England, she will forthwith adopt a more conciliatory attitude, and Unenccession ofa War or Tory Cabinet in Westminster will make for a peaceful solution of the dispute. 'T'he Cabinets of Berlin and Vienna will also work in a more friendly spirit with the new Evglish Ministry thou they a been uble to do with Mr. Gladstone.
The distrust of him felt in Europe and Asin prevented foreign Governments acting cordially with him. On the whole there is no reason to anticipate that the Tories would take office determined to go to war. Firmnese, and the avoidance of a mere makeshift opportunism would have saved England from all the political and war troubles she has lately undergone. We may hope for that from Lord Salisbury. And at the same time the Queen of England and Emperor and Empress of Russia fare urgent ndvoontes for peace, and unless the aggressive Party in Russia is too strong even for the Emperor, the et of St. Petersburg may seo to be for their interests to adopt in earnest the conciliatory spirit of which we huve lately heard so much.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.