The Press. — London, England, 1856-05-24 00:00:00

482 without scruple, has been singularly exem plified this week in their treatment of Mr. HENRY BERKELEY'S motion for the Ballot. By 151 to 111 the House , of Commons rejected the proposition, and declined honouring Air. BERKELEY with a lengthened discussion et his motion. A leading organ on Wednesday tack contemptuous notice of the " Ballot" debate, and made mcirjr'with • Mr. pERgrLRA speech, in a style that cannot lie very flattering to that gentleman. It is true that the " Ballot " was " once great.," but that was long • before it fell into Mr. BERKELE►Y'S Bands. From BENTHAM to BERKELEY iS a fall with a . vengeance. Mr. MILL disserted upon it, and Mr. GEORGE GROTE, in its support, spoke clas• . sical speeches, which were never variegated with metaphors from Boxiana. Sir WILLIAM MOLESWORTH discussed it like a philosopher, and adorned the subject with his deep know ledge; but if we are to judge by the eagerness with which Mr. BERKELEY pounced on the coarse metaphor of the Premier taken from the prize-ring, and hunted it to death, talking of " the lemon and the sponge," it would seem that " the science of self-defence " is more familiar to this illustrious senator than the arguments in favour of the cowardly secret voting he advocates. Well may the Times say, with the prospect of Mr. BERKE LEY as an annual exhibitor on this question, associated with the advocacy of GROTE, MOLES WORTH, and MACAULAT,—" The debate on the " Ballot is now found to be a periodical humi " Haden," a sentiment in which we heartily agree ; and judicious critics of all parties, not to speak of " puny whipsters," will not differ from us there. We were present when Viscount Howicx (now Earl GREY) told the House of Commons, in 1839, that Lord MEL BOURNE'S Cabinet had made " Ballot" an " open question," in the hopes of retarding it. The Radicals have taken a hint from his Lordship, and transferred " Ballot" to Mr. BERKELEY, in the hopes of its being awkwardly strangled in his unskilful hands. But, even if the question were given into ' the custody of some memter able to grace it with eloquence, and enforce it with logical • argument, the subject would make no way. Ballot was a crotchet of the extinct " Philoso phical Radicals." It was un-English, and that was a merit in the eyes of a clique of closet politicians who had a speculative love for revolution, and no practical capacity for wielding the emotions of a community. The age is, indeed, striding forward with rapidity, when many of the once prominent names of p_hilosophical Radicalism are already forgotten We cannot recollect when last we met any huzzlepated gentleman looking oracular, as e spoke of " Bentham." Doctor Bowaixo is knight, with a good place at the other side of the globe; I\l r. GROTE is preparing a volume on Plato and Aristotle ; and Ballot has come down to Mr. HENRY BERKELEY It is curious how the Liberals took up such a metaphysical abstraction as the Ballot. They never cared about it at heart ; but they wanted a hustings' "cry," so they yelled against " intimidation." They vote for it still with evident reluctance, but they know perfectly well that the Whigs will never concede the Ballot. The Premier calls it " nonsense; " Lord J. RUSSELL made his best speeches against it; SYDNEY SMITH squibbed against it with vastly quizzical effect ; even the Greys now disown the crotchet. Sir CoRNEWALL LEWIS, also, voted against it the other night ; so did Mr T 411oUCHERE, Mr. S. WHITBREAD, Mr. J. WlLsox, and last, not least, Mr. W. G. HATTER. W., need nut point out the changes of opinion here from the division-lists of bygone years. IL has long been what the Germans call " an ' open secret," that in its interior counsels the Whig families have peremptorily ruled once for all against succeeding upon the Ballot ; Ind this bringi us to the condition of the Waig oligarchy and its Radical allies, who keep it in power. An active organ of Radicalism alluded on Thursday to the fact that, out of the majority of 151 members who voted against Ballot this week, not less than 115 of the whole num ber were supplied from the Conservative party; while the Premier could not collect b THE PRESS. forty Whigs to withstand his Radical sup porters! The fact is equally disgraceful to both sections of the_ Liberals. What is the Liberal r.‘ , - our' time but a hypocritical coalition ucL,Wieri etipercilious oligarchy of haughty families, who monopolise the great of of St*te, oh the one side, and an anomalous eollertion of. greedy Radical place hunters, or platform politicians hunting lb, dsurt distinalloaa? The Daily News says *it such a state of oto h s 1M " intolerable." ut the Premier and Mt t HaktEa know the " In dependent Liberal* better than the Daily News. The Liberals are practical only in their systematic pursuit of place. It is a butt, that for one Conservative M.P. who quits Parlia mentary life for the sake of a salaried office there are at least four Liberals. " Birds of passage " flock in great numbers to the Liberals. So that the "families" have a monopoly of Ministerial office, they do not care what "cries" are kept up by the Radicals. Salary cures one noisy democrat of his Par liamentary tetanus. A hint about a future peerage with a romantic sound lulls the spas modic patriotism of a new baronet, who im plores lords to dine with him, and longs that his shaking of hands with vestrymen could be done in secret, like "Ballot " A secretaryship makes an " Orator Mum " of some empty chat terbox. talking speeches made of exhumed jokes from forgotten farces and scraps from Liberal newspapers. Gaugerships, clerkships, and "situations under Government," given in profusion to new politicians who like to ape the parts of patrons, stop the brawling tongues of provincial politicians with M.P. after their names. In the meanwhile, the country at large is utterly deceived by the notion that the Libe rals are in office. The Whig oligarchy is in power, and it trusts to Tory votes for stopping Radicalism. The Whig-Radical party may be seen in two representative types—the " Fox Club," and the " Mary lebone Vestry." Each despises the other, but they use one another. The first gets power by means of the last ; and the last gets lots of places by means of the first. This is a hypocritical system of politics. A haughty clique with a salaried platform, and organised " cries," is the only policy of Whig Radicalism. Recollect the popular "cries " of the last twenty years, and eee what became of them. " Down with the Church," soon died out. "No bishops in the House of Lords " is heard no more. " Reform of the Upper House " is never whispered about. " Trien nial Parliaments" has fared like Chartism, and so many other shibboleths. The Conser vatives have preserved the Constitution. They struggled for Queen, Lords, and Com mons, and they saved the country from revo lution in obedience to " cries." We believe that the country is getting sick of the obvious hypocrisy cf this system of Whig- Radicalism. That system gives no vigorous statesmen. It produces tribunes with one favorite question, but it does not rear illus trious orators, and it leaves the practical rule of England in the hands of an hereditary clique. Will a system that produces no genius give the country a good Education Bill ? Is Army Reform likely to be realised under such varnished jobbery ? Are practical measures to be expected under• such organised impos ture? These are questions that the fact of Lord PALMERSTON as Premier answers in the negative. THE BENJAMIN-BAND AGITATION. LORD CHATHAM in the early part of his political life had a peculiar reason for remaining attached to an Administration of which he disapproved. He conceived that he could damage the Ministry more by retaining his office than by throwing it up. In this respect —certainly in no other—Sir BENJAMIN HALL resembles the " terrible Cornet of horse." He determines to sit on the Treasury Bench in Parliament and to head the Opposition out of doors. The Premier may have his vote, but the people shall have his voice. There was no call for Sunday music when the Right Honourable Baronet introduced the SATURDAY ..-- $ practice last year. No one asked for the band *ale were con afforded by L the green below —and tied long be nch no one 'er may be 1, as to their rblic-houses Ire been the tion, much pi BENJAMIN HALL has the very questionable merit of being the first Minister who ever thougl4.-4f courting popularity by such means. No doubt the experiment was attended with success, if judged by the multitude of persons the music collected. Whether the kind of, re laxation best fitted for the six-day workers is to be found in such crowds is another que tion. We are inclined to think that the mind as well as the body needs repose on the seventh day rather than excitement, and that when a Government provides the people with parks and gardens for healthful and quiet recreation it does all that can be required from it. One excellent purpose of the day of rest is cer tainly lost when it affords. no leisure for re flection, as no life can be healthful from which reflection is banished. It is to the mind what pleasant exercise is to the body. The Government having decided that the experiment had succeeded last year. deter mined on its extension this season. In addi tion to the band in Kensington-gardens, other bands were provided for the Regent's park and the Victoria-park. The Premier approved all that was done, and the increasing numbers of people who flocked to these musical enter tainments were noticed as the best answer that could be given to those who objected to the practice. On Sunday, the 11th of May, upwards of 238,000 persons were attracted by the three bands. It is probable that when the novelty had worn off the numbers would have declined. Variety is essential to amusement. The people would have tired of crowds, noise, and heat, and would have sought for some quieter and fresher recreation. But the Government having stimulated the movement to its height, would not v,ait for the reaction which was sure to set in. The Premier's public approval of the practice was suddenly followed by his order for its suppression As if for the pur pose of exciting discontent, he takes care to let it Ire known that his own opinion remains unchanged, but that he is compelled to defer to the religious sentiment of the country. The first effect of his order, with its accom panying avowal, is of course to raise a howl against the " Sabbatarians," as all persons are termed who conscientiously disapprove of Sunday amusements. Among the rabble of the metropolis a prejudice is raised against religion itself; piety is denominated bigotry; and people who go to church are branded as fanatics. As the Premier gives it out that he has been compelled against his own judgment and feelings to respect the Sunday, the inference is unavoidable, that if a sufficient amount of pressure be exerted on the other side, he will change again. Accordingly a regular " Sunday band agitation " is commenced ; metropolitan meetings are held ; and a grand open-air demonstration is announced for Sunday next. The most curious part of the story is to come. The agitation is headed by Sir 13Es- JAMIN HALL. As a member of the Government , he thinks it not inconsistent with his duty to stimulate a movement which is expressly in tended-to overpower the religious sense of the country, and to make the Prime Minister yield to popular clamour. Can anything possibly be more indecent or more dangerous ? have great faith in the good sense of the people of the metropolis, but we would much rather not accustom them to mob-demon strations. The agitation is at preset proceeding in so flourishing a manner that we should not be at all surprised if Sir BENJAMIN HAI.L had his way. He either has an excellent understand ing with the Premier, or he thinks he is tk o strung fur him Lord P - ALMERSTON having spoken in one sense and acted in another, is in liensington.gardens. The peopl ( tent with the natural enjoyments a the Parks"—with heat air, with shade above and Me green Sward I) any Cipternment shauld 'tine hesitat fore they sanctiodael a libvelty wld tho ght of ,d mudding. Whate ve sal i n litkroui of Biiiiday ihtusementB, to nor to lebo "to* from put an so ibiih, it Ni* !War heretofore par al our Governinent to sancti less to provide, them. Sir BMA