Alexandria Gazette

The New British Ministry.

In the course of an interesting article in the London Times, of the 23d., we find the following noteworthy paragraphs, as to "what Lord Derby will do :"

"Of course, there is a good deal which he may safely leave alone. It is not to be expected that he should take up Lord John Russell's Reform Bill, or that he should have one of his own in his pocket. He has a right to at least a year's law on that subject. As the committee on the Income-tax has not even reported, he may reasonably be allowed a year more of the Income tax. Law Reform will probably be as safe in the hands of Edward Sugden as in those to which it has been hitherto committed. As for the Cape troubles, though Lord Derby himself is by no means blameless of them, he will propose the necessary change of policy more gracefully than Lord Grey.

* * * On a review of all the questions as yet before Parliament there is only one which threatens any immediate difficulty to a Derby administration, and that is the very difficulty which has brought him into power. Should Louis Napoleon give further proof of a dangerous ambition—that would compel on the country a more available description of force than Lord J. Russell has ventured to propose, and would therefore justify Friday's vote. In the absence of that Deus ex machina, Lord Derby will have to devise some measure which will reconcile conflicting opinions, and in the spirit of Lord Palmerston's amendment, will probably have to start rather from the idea of a general than a local militia. Should his plan present no very substantial difference from the confessedly hybrid measure of the late Ministers, they will be bound to give it that general and patriotic support which they expected themselves from their usual opponents; and we can hardly suppose that any difference or mere working details can be allowed to interfere with a great measure of national defence. On this point therefore, though the difficulty is specific and immediate, we do not see why it should be insuperable."