The Whigs have entirely disappeared, and with them all their distinctive principles, some of which have been successfully asserted and others of which have become obsolete. They have been superseded by a novel confederacy, in which scarcely a Whig remains. The great Liberal party, as Mr Gladstone's majority of 1868 was called, had no more in common with the Whigs of 1831 than Mr Lowe has in character and sympathies with Lord John Russell. It was a temporary conglomeration of diverse sects, brought together by Mr Gladstone's eloquence and authority for a temporary purpose, and afterwards disbanded by "irreconcilable" enmity. Such a combination has no enduring bond of union, no historic continuity, and no real efficiency for the purpose of conducting Government. It was powerful for the work of demolition; but in any constructive policy like that of National Education, it was obliged, in the height of its majority and power, to fall back upon Conservative principles and Conservative support. From the very law and principles of its existence, such a confederacy can have no legitimate claims on the permanent confidence of the country. It is bound together neither by principle nor by tradition. It relies for support on numerous leagues, associations, unions, and agitations, all of which have separate aims and separate class or trade interests. Its whole character and pretensions were foreign to everything which we have been accustomed to respect in political life. There was no pretence of unity of sentiment amongst its leaders on the most vital principles of policy. There was a total failure to maintain the usual dignity and decorum of her Majesty's Ministers. The survivors and descendants of those proud and exclusive Whigs who presided over the Revolution of 1832 must have looked on with dismay at the proceedings of those extraordinary men who had supplanted them in power. From first to last Mr Bright observed no reticence. The Board of Trade never had a more inefficient president. But as Minister of the Crown he threatened the House of Lords as glibly as if he were only member for Birmingham: in direct contradiction to Mr Gladstone, he declared that justice to England involved the same principles of legislation as justice to Ireland; and he denounced the Education Act of his own colleagues as the worst measure passed since 1832. Mr Lowe's public utterances were divided between applauding himself and explaining the unpopularity of the Ministry. Of all the public men of the day, he is the only one who has suffered serious personal violence at a contested election, and is openly taunted with being afraid to show up before a popular constituency. Whether from inherent faults or from habits contracted during his former life, he certainly is the only Minister of Queen Victoria who has habitually rendered himself obnoxious in office, in the House, with deputations, and on the hustings. He is the only Minister who has been removed from office on account of constant personal quarrels, who was not on speaking terms with his own subordinates, and whose manners and bearing are constantly rebuked as an importation from Australia. Mr Gladstone himself belongs to a totally different school from his two principal colleagues. He has personally maintained the dignity of his office, and added new lustre to it by his eloquence and fame. But no genius or reputation could redeem the discredit or prevent the downfall which such colleagues and such followers bring upon a statesman. Far more than "harassing legislation," the conduct and utterances of Ministers, the language and proceedings of their supporters, and the lamentable indecision of Mr Gladstone, have been a standing menace to the people of England. It was actually a relief to the whole country when Mr Disraeli, as Premier elect, declared in favour of the 25th clause. Though a matter intrinsically insignificant, the course of turbulent politicians with regard to it had converted it into a dangerous battlefield, and Mr Gladstone was posi tively reluctant to express an opinion, and could only hope that the renovated legislature would accommodate its difficulties. Nothing can illustrate more clearly the total inadequacy of such an organisation as the Liberal party for the government of the country. And no hope for its continued supremacy will remain when the intelligence of the country, awakened at last to the real character of this worn-out Liberalism, recognises that that narrow and beaten track along which it is reluctantly dragged by the Jacobins of the day leads to no ultimate goal which can possibly recommend itself to the friends of progress. ASHANTEE. EXTRACTS FROM THE JOURNAL OF A NAVAL OFFICER ADDRESSED 26th Dec. 1873.-Naval Brigade starts on its march for Prahsu on 27th inst. at 4 A.M. We go up about 200 strong. The General has written to the Commodore saying that "the honour of first crossing the river has been given to the navy, because of the way it had assisted him in clear ing the enemy out of the country on this side of the river, and of being desirous of showing his high appreciation of their zealous spirit, and that those who have so gallantly borne the burden and heat of the day should have the honour of being the first to cross into Ashantee." Since I last wrote, we have had a course up to Dix Cove, Axim, and Ampanes (King Blay's town), to try and get men to act as labourers. After much hard work and hard swearing, the official who came up with me and myself managed to ship off nearly 400, 51 of whom were women. You cannot possibly imagine the howling row these people made. They were half starved, and clamouring for rice and biscuit. I had hardly started on my way down here in the ship, when a very heavy tornado passed over us, and the rain rather took the change out of them. Yesterday morning, however, they were again ravenous, and kicked up such a row-yelling, fighting, and so on, that I rigged a powerful pump, and with a length of hose and a branch pipe, very soon brought the mob into order; but the pump was kept rigged, and a man with the branch pipe in his hand stuck out from his side like the truncheon or baton usually shown in statues of Julius Cæsar, completely shut them up, poor beggars. I need hardly say that the ladies were not subjected to such a damper to their skins,-although the bouquet d'Afrique! Phew Let me have plenty of letters from all of you. A post goes up every day, although the business will be nearly over, and we shall be coming down again by the time an answer comes to this. It is only a matter of some weeks; officers and men fare alike, or nearly so. I have had a small portable bedstead made to keep me off the ground. Officers only allowed 50 lb. weight of baggage-about half the quantity soldier officers are allowed-another subject for a growl. I'll now give you the line of march, and you see it will take eight days to get up to the Prah Cape Coast Castle to Inquabim, 63 miles; Inquabim to Acroful, 6; thence to YanCoomassie (Fantee), 101; thence to Mansu, 11; thence to Sutah, 101; thence to Yancoomassie (Assin), 124; thence to Barraco, 101; thence to Prahsu, 7-total, 76 miles. I believe the very early morning is the time for being on the move, and we lie by all day this side of the river. We hear the Ashantees are quite demoralised, and will not attempt to make a stand. The troops are still at sea, cruising. believe they do not land until the 1st or 2d January, much to their disgust. The 7th is the day named for crossing the river. I All hands are very keen and eager to be off. It would amuse you to see the shifts we are put to in keeping our traps under 50 lb. weight. Kroomen carry these things for us. I need hardly say that we are all getting very hard work indeed. Sundays generally turn out to be the heaviest working days in the week, and to-day is not much like a Christmas-day. It is simply wretched to see what miserable wretches we are fighting for. From your Special Correspondent, Naval Brigade, Sutah, 31st December 1873. Many happy New-Years to all of you! but none of us are going to sit up to see this new one in. We landed at C. C. Castle at 3.30 A. M. of 27th December, every ship cheering in the dark their own parties as they left in tow of steam pinnaces. We are 17 officers, 208 blue-jackets, 50 marines, and about 200 Kroomen-bearers. Away we went, and marched to the first place, Inquabim, halting for ten minutes every hour. The men carried 70 rounds of ammunition each, one day's rations, full water - bottle, rifle, cutlass, and were pretty well loaded. The road is very goodundulating and pretty, with steep short hills. Just after getting to Inquabim the General arrived on his way to the front in a buggy drawn by niggers, and an equal number of niggers to ease him down over the hills. The appearance of the turn-out was peculiar. He got out and shook hands; did not wish to inspect the men; but as he was leaving, we all turned out, fell in, and gave him three rattling, hearty, good cheers. Encampment—small huts built of bamboo, and roofed with plantain leaves. We reached Inquabim at 7.30 A.M. Remained there until next morning. Sun very hot. 28th Dec., Sunday.- Until noon, we forgot it was Sunday; so you see what Vandals this bush work is making of us. Started at 5 A.M., having had cocoa and quinine, and reached our second encampment at 8 A.M. Acroful 63 miles. Better huts than the last. A very heavy tornado, which regularly washed us out. The telegraph was in working order as far as this, and they are getting on as fast as possible with it. Slow and hard work for them to clear away the overhanging bush. Here we had fresh beef and bread ! Our candles are very scarce, so we must go to bed early. Monday, 29th.-Off again at 5 A.M. I don't at all like this turning out every morning at 4 A.M., getting the nig- "Where do we wash, or is there ner-bearers into order, and marching a stream?" None here, so we had off in the dark and thick fog. Every to do our best. I despatched my morning the fog is very dense, and Krooman down to a little stream I the dews at night are most heavy. had noticed on our way, with an Mosquitoes bit hard last night-liz- empty beef-cask on his head, and ards ran over us. Old felt he brought me back a most glorious one crawling over his legs, so gave tub of cold water. Heard tigera kick and sent the thing over to cats in the forest all night. I my legs; I gave a kick and the heard and felt mosquitoes and ants lizard has not been heard of since. all night. The ants are no joke; Had soup before starting to-day. they are nearly an inch long, and The forest gets thicker and the trees give a very sharp bite, but it does larger. More swamp crossed. The no harm afterwards. As we go whole road was overhung by enor- along, the different companies from mous bamboos. I never saw them the ships strike up songs in turn, growing to such a size. We passed and then the Kroomen strike up one enormous cotton tree; it was their monotonous chant, and then indeed something to look at. These the blue-jackets mimic them, and trees grow straight up without a then the "welkin rings" with branch, frequently to a height of shrieks of laughter, and always on 200 feet and more, and then up marching into an encampment we they go again to 350 or 400 feet. strike up "Tramp, tramp," or "John They are most magnificent giants of Brown," or something else. One the forest primeval. At the lower company had a concertina, but yespart of their trunks are natural but- terday, as I didn't hear it, I asked tresses, which sometimes go up a for it, and the owner came up lookheight of 40 or 50 feet, and take ing very sheepish, and said, “ Oh, most fantastic shapes as they disap- beg pardon, sir, but that there blesspear into the earth. The road still ed instrument has been and gone continues very good-10 feet wide and busted." January 1, 1874: on the average, I think. As day Yancoomassie.—We had to wait for breaks, all nature wakes up. You daylight this morning, as the road hear the birds, but I defy you to from Sutah is so very bad, over see them in the dense forest. Ar- swamps and what they call “Corrived at Dunqua at 7.35 A.M., 6 duroy Roads," branches of trees, miles on our way. with large logs of timber above, mand. He provided and my- and nothing is more trying than self with a most acceptable breakfast. walking on this, with mud over the Old Dunqua was destroyed by the ankles. Last night hyenas and tigerAshantees long ago, but is now re- cats howling. But it is astonishing built. It was about four miles what a small amount of life is visible from this that Ferting had his fight in the day time, except insects. with the Ashantees, and where We halted at a village about six poor Wilmot was killed. Started miles from Sutah-bivouacked and again at 3.45 P.M. Close and breakfasted. Our fellows get their sultry, and although only 4 miles fires lighted now very quickly, after the men suffered much before we the halt is sounded and arms piled. reached the next halting place, Yan- I never saw such dismal swamps Coomassie (Fantee), at 4.30 P.M. as those we crossed to-day. Such The best huts we have been in yet. stinking mud. Enormous creepers The first question always is, hanging in grand festoons from the in com is,— great trees. We passed through an immense Ashantee encampment, which must have been pitched on their way down, large enough to hold 8000 or 10,000 men. Some small streams we passed over, and made the Kroomen bearers stand in them to cool their legs. We arrived here at noon, after a most fatiguing march of 13 miles. To-morrow we march to Barraco, and Saturday to Prahsu on the Prah, 6 miles. The total will then be 78 or 80 miles from Cape Coast Castle. Nights are very cold. I had to borrow another blanket at Mansu. Much to the disgust of the regiment there, they received orders to stay, although they were on the point of starting to the front, until we had passed. The troops are now all on their way up. Every little place is occupied every night; but the Naval Brigade shows the way. I have to drink my tea out of an old marmalade-pot; but, as long as I can get it, it doesn't matter what it's in. According to present arrangements, the Prah is to be crossed on the 7th or 8th of January, so we shall get three days' rest there. The old Argus, I hear, has gone up for more niggers. Prahsu, 8th January 1874.Started at the usual time. Better road than yesterday; same endless forest and jungle. Breakfasted at a deserted village, and arrived at the next halting-place. Barraco, distance 10 miles. I suppose these distances seem nothing to any of you at home, but the "closeness" is sometimes very hard to stand; not a breath of air can penetrate such dense jungles. Therefore, although the marches are not very long, yet, what with climate, carrying rifle, 70 rounds of ammunition, day's provisions, waterbottle, &c., the men feel it much. At Barraco we found the advanced party of our Brigade, who joined us, making a total of 21 officers, 183 bluejackets, 68 marines, and 212 Kroomen and labourers. Saturday 3d, about 3 A.M., a hyena came prowling, making a most hideous row, and woke us all up. Left at 5 A.M., and arrived in camp at Prahsu about 8 A.M. The whole brigade marched in capitally; not a single man fell out during the whole march of seventyseven miles, and the General complimented us very highly on our appearance. Deployed into line on the parade-ground, so that a swell messenger from King Coffee, who had arrived the previous day, might see for himself that white men were beginning to arrive, and that we are in earnest. As we marched in, I noticed the special artist of the 'Illustrated London News' sketching Band self as we led the way, and then I suppose he put the men in. Scarcely arrived, when Major K., the chief of the engineers, came and asked for men to assist him in building the bridge across the river. Of course he got what he wanted directly after they had breakfasted. A fine river, exactly sixty-five yards broad where the bridge crosses, swift stream, but falling daily, as we have had no rain for more than a week. Breakfasted with Colonel W., and dined with the General. The envoy is kept here until the bridge is finished to-morrow, and then he returns over it to Coomassie with a letter to Mr Coffee Kalcallie. We have very snug lines in the camp, overlooking the river; banks about twenty feet high; very busy clearing away brush to create more ventilation, levelling ground, cutting down and thinning out trees, &c., &c. Sunday 4th, the envoy was shown the Gatling gun at work. It was fired up a reach of the river about 300 yards, and the effect was tremendous. I myself had not seen one fired before. The Ashantees would have bolted if they could, they |