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Leader (1850-1860), 3rd April 1852, Edition Country of 2, Page 13, POLITICAL REFORM AND SOCIAL REFORM AT TH...

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      Apbix, 3, 1852.] The Lea Deb. 321

      Apbix , 3 , 1852 . ] THE LEA DEB . 321

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      There Is Nothing So Revolutionary,,-Beca...

      There is nothing so revolutionary ,,-because ; there 19 V . V .+ Vinie- so -unnatural and convulsive ; as the strain to VMHjtSnsffl fixed when all the'w ' cirld fs ( by th 6 ' very law of ite creation in eternal pro ^ ress . ^ D ' Ev ' AfaNOLD . <

      The ¦Qoymb$N^^-Mltjf^L' ^^^ '!X The Gove...

      THE ¦ QOYMB $ n ^^ -Mltjf ^ l ' ^^^ ' ! X The Government plan for organizing the militia is a half measure ; but the , ^ od ^^ ^ e ' ^ p ^ c , on all subjects , is in itself a , half measure . ; spxd the plan has in it the merit of feeing . expansive . It is an immense improvement on the BUI prbposedbythe late Government , ' The expansion of the age from eighteen to ^ lnrty- ^ , ^^ acceptance of volunteers in the iirsy ^ ance , jthe waiving of qualification for officers in certain

      ranks , are all advances towards , a really national force , ' which stamp the measure , indeed ; -not only as an improvement on the last abortive scheme , but on those which have previously been in operation . The imperfect extensipjl of the , Ipree is not of very great moment : this force may be . a model or trial for one of larger extent . We do not yet perceive clearly how the independent volunteer corps are to be dealt with , and we trust that no attempt vrill be made to discourage them . But here is a force that will comprise representa-¦

      tives of ¦ t he- various classes of society , will accept the members as volunteers , will arm them at the public . expense , and will , in short , prove the official disposition "to trust the people . " The enforcement of a militia ballot in districts which do not furnish their quota , would be a proper lesson on public duty to any defaulting district . The plan is very generally ascribed to Lord Hardinge , and it does credit to the colleague of Peel .

      The Conservatives are setting a lesson to the Liberalsof trust in a great political truth , that freedom armed for its own defence is not necessarily turbulent . The turbulence of Switzerland may be traced , like that of Ireland , to her poverty ; her independence , in the very midst of despotic Europe , to lier mountain spirit , and her domestic rifle . In the United States , the volunteers maintain the law . The First Division of New York

      rostorod order at the time of the Maeready riots ; and at the great gathering of Volunteers to welcome Jtosauth , that division received the cheers of the other regiments . The old objection—rathera strange one to be repeated by Mr . Roebuck , who talked at Sheffield of & national force !—that it would " make good artisans into bad soldiers , " is idle An ill-contrived and ill-trained militia may make bad soldiers , but

      a \ yell-trained force does not do so . As a' speaker said in the debate of Monday , of the Duko ' s army a . Talavora , a large portion wore drawn from tho militia . And we have already mentioned tho Mexican victories of militia regiments , who had nover seen service before . Old Zachary Taylor accueod tho Yankee militia-mon of the very ^ amo igrioranco which has boon ascribed to British soldiers—tlioy did not know when they wore boaton . ,

      We do not koep out of viow tho feet , that much will depend on the administration of tho statute that parliament may puss . The bounty may bo wasted in gifts to men who will loavo wMJir standard as soon as they finger oash , or tho instal ments may bo rosorvod until service bo fuli , " * bounty may bo given as war / es , in Which caso- it would bo ludicrously inadequate ; op it may bo bostowocl as a real bounty , in a spmt and manner that shall convort it' into ' a loicon , and a very welcomo token , of good will . -Uie actual field sorvieomavlm limifcnr ? ± n twnntv .

      . ,, rtay » f . ana may bo rondorod very odious m \ tl u'lCHomo , if officers arc harsh and supercilious ; or tuo meetings may bo hold yot oftonor , without uo mpujsion , and bo made tho " most attractive and agrooablo incidents to all concerned ; if th & oflioors JUivo tJio true ' " aristocratic" nympathywith thoir tCl J - ° a 11 olassos - It W » "boon suggested !«• ii m ff tft 0 suinmor , volunteer companies might muko tho Saturday afternoon a

      half-holiday , for practice . Why should not the militia have permission and facilities to hold the same strictly local gatherings at the same time . If officers of tact , public spirit , and good humour , ^ re , selected for so important a service , such weekly meetings would be a very wholesome usage ,. a ; nd the contemned militia might become , t ] ie ,: modeii totlie young men of-the country . Lord John Russell proposed to abolish qualificat ^ bn . / fbir qifipejrs , and the present measure partially retains ilie qualification . This is rather a

      serious flaw , since it preserves that sign of " bai ^ e" # liioft Ought not to exist in any national force , where feudal customs have ceased . But , even here , a juciipiqus . administration might do much to tempeir the ' evili-by a well-conducted plan of promotions ; especially if the qualification were ?( vaive . d ; in special instances of combined merit and ability .. \ But , why continue it at all , wh \ y not t ) e eontent wjitK the proper discretion in subervislng all commissions fpr the force P j B ^ rbia the spirit in which , the measure , in its general structure , ; is conceived , we indulge the

      confidence that there is a real desire to work it In a inationai ' spirit ; . and , if so , we may yet see j-iestored t 6 our pillage-greens and town-greens , iHose D ^ anlysports , ^^ for rea ^ objects , which have declincid , amongstus , followed by a marked decline in the independence and physical comfort of the people . We are not half so anxious for the spread of *' democratic" opinions , as we are for the revival of national feelmg—that great guarantee of national independence , and even of personal independence . There was a time when

      to be an " Englishman" was to be conscious or a transmitted privilege ; an hereditary obligation neither to do nor to suffer anything craven , meian , or ungenerous . "We long to see that spirit abroatl amongst us once more ; and we will thank " Conservatives" as heartily , if they help to revive it , as we would any other set of men . 3 Tor he who sets an example of love of country , of a high and quick sense of the national honour , does more for the freedom of any country , than he who passes laws however " liberal " in their clauses .

      A Stanley Forfeits His Gage. Stanley Of ...

      A STANLEY FORFEITS HIS GAGE . Stanley of Derby said one thing a few days back , and now says another thing ! He denies his words . We quote them , with the dates , from the Times : — On the 15 th , — " This [ Protection or Free-trade ] is a question wlrich ought not to be allowed to remain any longer i » abeyance than possible . ' Further on he said— ' I repeat that tho period of suspense ought to he as short as possible , —that the appeal to be made to the country ought to be made as early as the great interests of the country will permit /

      On the l & th , —[ after declining to comply with tho wish of the Duke of Newcastle , and to name any precise time for a Dissolution , inasmuch as circumstances might' possibly arise that would render it inexpedient to dissolve in this or that month . ] " I repeat that I dosiro only to conduct such business through tho present session as it is necessary for tho good of tho country should be passed . I will not specify what nro

      tho measures included in that category , except to say that I do include among them one of paramount necessity—the organization of tho internal defences of tho country . After I shall havo discharged tho duty incumbent upon me for tho present session , I beg to repeat that 1 shall bo as anxious as tho noblo Duke can bo that an early decision and judgment of tho country should bo , taken , » md tliat Parliament should upon that

      judgment , before the closo of next autumn , pronounce its ( lcfiniti , v <) and final decision . " Ou tho 2 !) th ,: —[ In reply to Lord Minto . ] " Nothing has over fallen from my lipn which could lead any man to suppose that tho present would ho h nossion of unusually short duration . I never said anything that could ' justify such a conclusion . I say further , that tho continuance of tho nesfmm doponds on causes over whitlh J . c'uii havo no control . "

      Wo nood do no more than rooord those incompatibldphrases , with tho expression , of a , regret "that a Stanley , speaking in prospneo of tho country , should havo uttored both averments . Wo stand hot upon tlio precise words , indeed , but upon tho gonoral tonour : Lord Derby convoyed nn impression by his first statomont , and ntill rnoro by ins second , fclmt ho would mako tho appeal to tho country ^ and l * oassomblo Parliament to act upon ifc , before 1 lio closing of tho autumn . On tlio strength , of that assurance tho combiued Opposition waived , its aggressive tactics . Wo wore

      in some degree reconciled to the new Ministry , in the belief that the relics of the Tory party did retain the relics of the high bearing and the chivalrous spmt which they vaunted of old . If they did not monopolize that spirit , as the history of many a gentleman not " ennobled , " and of many a ' plebeian can prove , at leastth ' ey vindicated it . If some fell off from- it , the order generally stood by their standard . The relics of the Tories

      professed still to bear it unabased . We used to believe that the present head of the house of Derby was high in bearing , and chivalrous in spirit ; he is still high in bearing . But there is a question beyond that of Lord Derby ' s word . He vaunts the confidence of the Crown , and asserts his right to continue in his post so long as he has that confidence ; Lord Derby is breaking through the custom which shields the Crown from direct allusions in party debates ; and it is the more remarkable in that the

      present wearer of the Crown is a woman . However , he has the right to assume that position . Ministers are the Monarch ' s servants , appointed by the free choice of the Monarch . ' But the constitution knows a correlative right , and there is the one proper answer to the vaunt—to stop tlie supplies . No Minister making a vaunt of

      that sort ought to remain one hour in possession of the tacit sufferance of Parliament ; and for the Crown's sake as much as for the people ' s . But Lord Derby counts upon the divisions in the opposite ranks , upon the faintheartedness of those whom the Liberal party still endures as its leaders— -upon the servility of those who consent to remain bfthind where a " Russell leads not . He

      thinks the Liberals will not dare to go to the extremes which he has forced upon them . . Degenerate as he may be , he holds himself not so degenerate as they . At first he cowered ; but he learned to measure his puissance by their weakness ; and now , a hero among cravens , he swells out his chest , exalts his voice , struts exultant , and crows defiance . An Osborne would not stand his ground , for he had none to stand upon , and a Russell had trodden off Ms own spurs . Stanley feels safe , and again he rears his crest as

      high as ever . In the calculations of sure party manoeuvres , English statesmen seem to us to be forgetting their duty . Any man , even a practical man , who thinks the constitution worth preserving , should have summoned the Commons to do their duty , and enforce upon the repudiating Minister the responsibility he denied . Lord Derby may have a right to be the Treasurer for the Crown , but he has forfeited his right to claim a single shilling from tho people , and to entrust him with tho public moneys would now be a breach of trust in the Commons .

      Political Reform And Social Reform At Th...

      POLITICAL REFORM AND SOCIAL REFORM AT THE ELECTION . Tub relation of the Radical party to the party of tho late Ministers has caused , and still causes , much embarrassment to hearty Reformers . It should be sternly revised , or the best Reformers must bo content to remain , in tho oyes of the vory classes whom they desire to enfranchise , " as bad as tho Whigs . " No sooner was Lord John Russell out of office , than ho convoked tho Liberal Members to support him , and they responded to tho call . Some of them gave him

      counsel freely , but still proffered adhesion . Mr . Ilume brings forward his motion , and thon tho . Radicals find that tho Whigs havo no intention of obeying thoir summons . Sir William Page Wood still supports thorn—in the abstract ; but not in tho lobby . Mr . Hutt is absent . But wo havo no desire to pillory individual Members , nor to parade comparative statistics of tho division ; suflico it to recognise distinctly the one or tuo facts established by tho division , l ^ irst , tho general aspect of tho division is this : tho minority of 81 ) , with its two tollers , represents

      tho Radicals , " who go as far" as Mr . Humo , or further ; while tho majority displays an union of Tories and Whigs distinctly united against a Homo Suffrage—the ancient suffrage of JKnglish freoinon . Secondly , there are some of tho ablosfc and most gontlornanly of tho Radicals who do not put much faith in Radical fortunes , but prefer trusting thoir vonturo in tho Whig craft . Thirdly , howovor willing tho Whigs may bo to accept support for Reform measures contrived to increase Whig influence , they will not reciprocate it : botwoon tho Whig party and n-ny really popular party , there is an iinpassabjo g \ uf . Lord

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), April 3, 1852, page 13, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_03041852/page/13/