The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1871-10-07 00:00:00

MONARCHY, REPUBLICANISM, AND
DEMOCRACY... .

-----
The Times attetttl:ty, t ht, 4,1 publishea the following
letter from Mr. George Potter
MAD much interested with the article whieli appeared In
The Tim, of 1' 4,day last, on Sir George llowyer's letter,
and the fears iif whith it laised. With regaiet
t.I the 81111j,ti ylotilly your correspondent, th • I:e•
olican tendencies •tln sect ..f oar working Oa,s porn',
thai are the ilretel whieli appears to lin entertained in
regard to the future of this country PPCIII to require that
every man Ishii has influence and who honestly 4611i1Vi the
rest! advancement of the nittsseil uf the Leavitt should totality
declare MS 0Pi111.116.
. _

_
The way to account for the demand for Republicanism
which is beginning to be heard In England is to remember
oat millions of our fellow countrymen have unsatisfied
want, and are bowed down by unjust burdens, not there-
fore the tipper and middle classes cannot be astonished at
such ademand being made by a petite of the working classes.
It is against nature for the poor to be hi love with a costly
administration of public affairs. The Comparison in this to
Buret between Eng laml IVO) ATO•Tien is so favourable to the
latter that the ombr is that English orbit HMI 01,10.1
Intro remained SO long enlitent to ;Winne the advantages
of Brother Jonathan under a Republic without desiring to
share in them.

The Constitutional Monarchy under which we live NUS
fallen upon comparatively happy times. kty character, con-
duct, and domestic experience the Queen has obtained a place
Is the hvarts of the people, a ithout at any time exciting
feeling. of distrust. still less of hostility. It remains to he
seen whether the Heir Apparent will be wise enough to
follow her example. Could we fix the Court where, morally
aside red. it now is, there would be a strong and general
divositios to give the limßed Monarchy a longer trial. As
it is. England, throughout the present reign, has presented
so pleasing a contrast to most European States that a great
nay of us who are Republicang in theory will he content
to remain Royalists in fact so long as no overmastering
motive shall arise for. perfect popularization of our t 11414
Institutions.

Legislatively, we are in the comae of experiments Which
make it natural for thoughtful and patient "Wieners to he
willing that revolutionary changes should be hell in sus-
pense until a ripe and ahole result has declared itself. The
house of Conan ttttt s is not yet a perfect representation of the
people. But let the Minot Bill pass, anti the existing con-
stituencies will give by their votes a fair, although an
fect expression of the national will.
If, however, the rising cry for a Republic In England Is to
allof calling forth any general answer, those who would
maintain the Monarchy must prevail with those in power to
pursue at home and abroad mull a policy as w 11l indispose
the bulk of the people tojoin M the &titre for comatirmhand
change. I. for one, am fur from giving up the extended ex-
periment of populargovernment under hereditary presidency
sun thing tole; despaired of. Yet it can lineeeed only by the
prompt adoption broad measures, honestly fitted to the
evident, circumstanees, the just claims, and the starving needs
of the masasa of the people. I assert that, while the rich and
the well off have and ought to have their dne, the poor snout
be considered, not so much because of their poverty, for
common humanity allows that title. as because they con
stitute the substance of the nation, anti are the SWIM of Its
strength. They must be considered acconlingly, on pain of
signal retribution for persistency in neglect.
It may he asked what aro some of the practical conditions
under which the boiling millions tof my fellow Worklevll
might be reconciled to the continuance of the British Mon-
archy ° I answer that the constitutional points Inn which, as
I believe, the Monarchy minims the support of further
legislation embrace The Sovereign and Royal Family, the
House of birds, the Parliamentary suffrage and Blectond
Districts, the r:ltabliKhed chureh, the Land Question, and
the Claims of the People. Permit me to any a few words iii
each of dose.
Isl, the Sovereign and the Royal Family.—The time hor
revising the cost of the sovereign alei of the memliers of
the oei,,,ing 11-oae in their SeCt rdl Idatudies wilt be on the
next demise of the Crown and f, tills I locli.-re tlw mo,t
eager among us are ready to wait. The Civil List ought
then to be reduced. That measure will be necessary, even
en the lower ground of political eapedieney. The Royal
Bonnie. if it cares Sr its [loyalty, has quite us much
intensit in the sin,^4ested curtailment as have the payers of
tax.. We have been toad that the sovereign must have
enough to prevent Majesty from being outshone by niece no-
bility and private wealth. Th 6 argument must be given up.
For if ever it had any real hove, it has none no.w. The
Incomes which descend with titles, and are derived f
land alone, are in the main far surpassed by illellelea made
from trade. The idea od rivalry most eonseimently Inc given
tip, nor can any time he imagined more opportune than will
be the close of a protracted reign, during which the word
o debt- has not 011, been named in reprLach .if the crown.
In any revision of the Civil List a ith a view to material re-
duction. the question of provision fir the children and rela.
tines of the Sovereign will have to he considered. For the
Princes establishments. and for the Princesaes dowries. will
have to he provided. hut it %ill not foil.uv either in policy oor
In logic that they must have more lit proporti, as their
parent shall have less. Public economy must characterize
both.

The House of Lords.—rnimestionably the House of
Lords must be reformed. If a second chamber in pleaded
for as it security for wise legislation, let it at le ISt be coin-
p,sed of wise men. If the sons 4if peers made its II 11441: 4if
their advantages. they might be as wis- as other people. hut.
s rule applicable to all tanks soil classes. N hi-ow that
wisdom goes not by inheritance. There must be such a re-
form in the House of birds ns will cause it t. work in
smother and fuller harmony rith the Increasingly popular
character of our representative system. In my opini nfl. stuns,
awhile:Hinnu of the House of Lords, and 4 fit power. In ab-
solutely necessary for the 'Kesel cation either of the Abet:tray
trot the Peerage I it must he such as will secure itn
members from twin dependent iipm either Monarch or
Minister. make it amenable to the people, and n. 1,, a Rhin
pop, limib its power by the rep-stet e,o•rcise of is prohibi-
tory vet, to put oil Bills which it does not like, but which
have passed the House of 1744M1110118.
. . . . .

3. The Parliamentary Suffrage and Eleetoral Districts.—
The question bow long the present suffrage may soffit, de.
ponds upon other micsti, in. We shall see lee it will with
under the ballot. We must get rid of the " unlcom en_
periment, a fraud as well as a fallacy. We mnst have tie
lodger vole made as sure and as easy as the householder
fraecl.ise. la the meantime otie would fain hope that the
iI,II,ISC if education and of political knowledge will make
• larger numlier of those .110 have a vote already more
assiduous and more conseientious in Its use. The most essen-
tial defect in the representation f the people, as making on
approach at least to a really national character, come out
of the anomalous, irregular, unequal, and very imperfect
arrangement if the elector. d districts. Tha re-adjustment
if elect,l,l diitricts Wecesdary ill t
.

. ,
general t I*llll rxielw fitactit:ol.B. iliere must he
as honest revision of the , istributlon of ieats in Parlanwid,
so as to bring all ..ur towns as well as the counties into the
same of representati.m, end all our solid interests, whether
measured by the census, the income his, or the acre, lido
something like equal und thorough participation in the poli-
tical rights of citizenship.
4. The Established I. hureft—The dis,stablishment and
&endowment 4.1 the Church of nig land are seen liv many to
Is, in logical and Inevitable eonsequen, of the like action
with respect to the Church in Ireland. Tnat was ame -rare
of religious equality total and miiversal In its chara,ter- a
measure. in fact, for the liberation of religion from state
patronage and contra The application of the same rule
to the whole kingdom is a political necessity. The preseot
dynasty wins placed Ilion the Throne, not lin the prile•i;de
of a State Church, hut on the principle of religials
liberty. The present Abinarch has shown for more dis-
tinctly than bishops and vicars like that she dots not rely
for regal safety upon the attributes and offices of the elate
chtir.t. 'The Queen worships with at least as much sati,
faction in Crathie as at Whippingham, has paid complionnts
to Presbyterian preachers which she never vouc'uafed to
Episcopalian Divines The English Throne is 110 longer the
ixenliar, much less the exclusive, care of mitred prelates.
The Monarch owes governing authority not to the consecrat-
ing oil, hut to the natl mal consent. tel us he wise, and give
Up claims that cannot be enforced, and are endanger.' in
enact propmtion 1113 they are Insistent upon. It is said that
the clergy may do what they like with their own. Exactly
Ind the funds, and the lands, and the palaces MO
parsonages by is latch peers spiritual are maintained, with all
other orders of the clergy, are tot nth. own but belobit to
the whole nation, of which themselves and their adherents
form fewer than the half.
--'-" • • - •

S. The Land Question.—Reform In the tenure of land is a
difficult question. The land must be dealt with aecoriling
to the proprietorships ureter which it is presented to no. 'To ,
Mennen in the name id the people or the State w. iii
and to inquire into the original titles by Which it
wasting hell, and in virtue of which it came into the hate Is if
the existing owners, whether by hereditary des,ent or by
money purchase, would lie both vain anil fotile—vain be-
cause the inquiries could often be battled. and futile Iseciiii,•
where wrong was dime retribution could not be exaetwl
upon the wneigibiers. Since, however, at least In principle.
the country belongs to tl e whole of its inlndiitants, their
claim t 4, vonsi.leration 11111 At he allow:, I. Neither e,,,,h,ea-
tin nor any injustice would be dune were the law or eudom
by which propeity in Intel goes down hi successive
to the eldest son broken through, or not made binding, and
svery landowner left at full liberty to turn his estate into
meitei n ithout the nott§,ent if lion or any man. True jostle.,
will net, he dime until every man It bound at his Ilenth to
divide what lie has equally between his wife and his children.
Thiii principle is demanded by true morality, and would be,
hotii civilly and socially, highly heurPcial. Thinuth I decline
tigo fir the posirb ‘• i• -limo ion of the land by the State.
my opinion is that the usserti ei of the by impish ii)11 ~f
and sithinission ton fair and reason:Ode ysarly payment passing
as between owner and ti mod 00111,1 lie a saisfactioy way of
settling the question, and ir,,iulii lay the found:an for it
reconstruction of the while subject it land tenure on terms
an I conditions which would not simply avert revollition lint
would lie quietly it. ne, and with for noire likelihood of
general cutest. I:ut the St ate has much of the loot, not
may have much more. Moreover, it is from time to time
parting with portions of the soil. The people, therefine,
demand that all this shall for the future be ihine 111/011 Si .11,1
national principles, and not out of favour or cannier. liere the
right if the nation flutist be not simply affirmed but main-
tained respecting existing possession, yet at the same time
pr. Unting against fresh gifts Pi persons already wealthy, and
c,ntenditig that if gifts are made at all, those wt.° get them
shoulil be the poor. In general there are three linusld such
hronertY in land coinuoins, manor', and endowments. All
ttiree may be treated aa public property. whatever may lie
said of estates belt liy private persons. Common lands, by
ins:e fOrCe of their name, belong to the l'olllllllitlity. In re-
manors, hurls amt .-mummers. as law distinguishes
01.111. aft, wilt concerned. Should to lord be milled upon
P. retire, ha must lie compensati-il, and in that case the
re.sioir becomes practically a common. As to charitable
It in now an admitted doctrine among reformers tliat
endow-110,m otter a certain length of ilumtion are at the
disposal of the State, which from that liras shookt fix their
at. dination In therefore. to 1,11,111,11, manors,
an,' ale bin nomts in Lind fall to the ilislo,il if the state it
hiay, without injintice iir detriment to private rights, einploy
then. for the is 0,0111011
- • •

r. The Claims of the People.—The just claim of the
Tin 'lto will never be innleritood, and therefore hum Cr lie
ilely nplooeinrtnul. 1111til ii, rarliamwat they In, esti:Muth
advocate.), 11.1111 deftenb.l it ith the assistance of represi•nta-
tit s frail among the-tie-lies. As it IL 20 reilltoim
iif people have not one 010 of their own order to
Cite their special int, - 1 goo,linch-is
..ther gradleS ' t. tie y have not one Ivor!,
pa Will] can Wind 1,1. in Pal lianimit and speak the
ANsitt-,1,t tha people ill their on ir language. I Re k DOW 11,11 ;:e
that the 114., -if 01.. Iron, 'if e..i..10,ms is not positively
• ',end against Ouch lolsiliS. i•lt flu ii 31. t.
• I.k retarding loth:-
n, 1 Win-n w..rking men
, , r arn-nt the henblatme will
.• . , I ileiiirtio of tin: p "plc, so for
_ .•, :
:„; ! • , vratiiy tin tin 'new., are too
ti lie 11.,., future occasion,
With your peirnissi..n. tie •y may he referral to.
In the ineantime. '4l reviewing what I have written, it
4pears that this letter does not embrace nil the topics on
riitai, at starting, I had intended to write. line subject IA
importance In regard to the (more of the
...glory, as is evidenced by the Speeches of Mr. Glalstotie,
tie l,uro.'l and Mr. Itniee. all .if whom referred to it lit
,a,ioas !f
• II Will kiuuutly Insert this letter, although
It is 1045, # .1;111 fuel obliged.
-

111 connection with the forecolfig letter, The Times
a Tuesday has also the follow.ng leader
We publish to-day a remarkable letter from Mr. flcorge
otter. in tvideli he proteases to account for the spread 1,1
raPtlblican opinions in P ligiand, mud to liellente the 1,011,11-
OJl.$ gni whh•ti the people may be to give the
hunted Moo:Jo:11y a longer trial." The mere fact of 41101 f 1
letter being twhirt,ssed to ourmlves, with a perfect and
We'll founded aasuransw that it will receive fair consideration
from the educated public Is 4 least a proof that a liberty opt
discussion prevails in this conntly which could u"tr
he en
Sealed under a Repuhile. Mr. prime, in oils of his recent 1
opee,hes, stated Ms belief that, immu.cr MT guidable the In-
ternational Society might be as a political orpanisetion nn
the Continent, its leaders have matte up their minds not
to rich their social objet7ts on the doubtful chance of gain-
ing 14 a revolution in Inglanth Whether this be so °runt is
more than we can pretend to say, hilt it is gratifying to hear
from Mr. Potter that many of betel. nds, who are Republi-
cans in theory, will he ...tent to remain IJoyulists in fact,
ft° Stung 118 no overinesterlog fgotive shall arise Mr a perfect
Popularisation of our national institutions." Perhaps we
sought have exprease.l theta blew iioniewhat more simply, tilt,
taking Mr. Potter's formula as it stands, we venture to my
thaC it will shock very low people olio appreciate the
vast difference between speculative until practical views,
and might he accepted with very little qualification by
the moat loyal of ller Majesty's subjects. The rcal telees

-
tilt 0 witel'oer it), :ail it co Stud, uiernetali
natlVe Is likely to arise which c‘mid ,justify the development
of theoretical lit active Itepublwanism, and with this
quest Sir. Potter, to do ilia pi...live, endeavours ill
grapple lioniatly. if we differ, as 11, from vane id his
~,,, 'MA011,1:110 many Ilf ici Stlt.lreXti.ris. it is ,hiay icecsiiae
be :wpm, to lie sttaiiiii ly oblivious of iris Ilwas very Ronal
act bin between theory • and practice.
limier, Icy as It N. 1w rather IN he iccrcrtives it, in rieflatol
with iteloihlh!titi.wi, not il4 i.. is or ever wits in thy e‘h-ting
I•l.lintry. hot a. It some l'omninnistie
very Make that of Plat,

If we rigidly understand him, he thiouLs it perfectly reason.
ablethat working-nien rail for a heopullolle. hecaroe
millions of our iellow-count rj men have unsatisfied wants
and are luoweel dosshy unjust burdens." Toss on tile con.
teary, it appears profoundly unreasonalile, even on this as-
sumption, that men should demand an organic change in the
form of government without baring any definite resets to
suppose that it w.uuld improve their It. At this moment
France is governed set hepublie ; yet, because flue country
electors and representatives predominate ever those of the
great towns, persona of Mr. Potter's class feel infinitely
more aggrieved and discontented than any seetion
of the community in England. Of course, if a It,
pith& means an olioarcluy to be organized and
iv [ministered by Tea les' I o boosts in their own Mt rest, they
Might stleveed in satisfying their wants and relieviog them-
selves of their burdens at the expense of their fellow citizens.
but, then, loefore such a Reptiblic could lie establishes!, it
would Inc necessary to overpower not only the mi5t...m.3,0
hut the great middle class, the whole rural population, and
a rely large lrely, probably a majority, of 111011- 011011iSt toxin
artisans. It is. however, the leas nevesmry to duel' Un this
alternative, because Mr. Potter avows his prefereure for
Moderate counsels, and eteeLlres that lie is "far from giving
up the extended exmaimmot of popular government titmice 311
hereditary Presidency ass thing to be despaired of. Let us,
then, hasten to consider the •• broad measures" the prompt
of which, neconlina to hint, can alone stave elf the
necessity of a Iteptiblie. These are apparently six in Milli-
her, though he leaves an o ]]] i ] nous loophole in his last para-
graph for the addition of a supplementary list. The find
is a retrenel ut in the Civil List the second, a thorbugh
refortn of the Upper House ; next comes a re.adjuistment
of the electoral suffrage, to depend fon• its extent otn
the success cof the Ballot ; then, a complete disestablish-
fluent toed disentlowinent of the English Vliourch ; What, like last
two t ponds of this new Charter are vaguely shadowed forth
under the heads of "the Land question" and the '• I slaluns of
"the People.- Limn the setont, third, and fourth of these
articles Ole. Potter .ys little or nothing which is n.,t already
familliartonuost of us, modifications of the lodger. franchise,antl
the redistribution if constituencies intoelectoral districts, are
110 N 31114 mg the conimoloplaces of prospective reform, and eve
have only to remind Mr. Potter, in paining, that if the latter be
carried lit, it may very po!ssibly result in is large reinforce-
meat of country influence in Parliament. As fir the Choral
of I:Deland, it is admitted that she must stood or fall by her
hold on the auteetions of the people. Mr. Potter estimates
the strength oof this far lower than we dor : hut, whatever it
is, it sill protbably be tested at the next general election, liy
the 10005 of Is inch meat Clinuehmen are unite prepared to
abide. hi the meantime we must protest against the poli-
tical mlsrepresentatfint involvssl lit deserilling Disestablish-
molt in England no'' a logical and Meet tal de e• 111,41110 We "
if Ifiscstablishment in Irclasel, and opened the historical
misrepresentation lb, riven in aaserting that the present
dynasty was not founded upon the principle of a State
Clint eh.

Upon the other three points—the Crown, the Land, anal
the claims of the People—Mr. Potter hen -thing ti say
which licservoi, and, indeed, requiro, noun] 'italic,'. Fully
recognizing the It a) al virtues id iianll Victoria, whose
reign, he thinks, Lae given the Monarchy a now leaSe lif life,
Ire treats it its to,. plain for ilrsilltirst that Itepublietnism
the United ntatt ; in a far ehcapt r bans of whitinistration.
The frailty co 1:11a nolion leis been exposed aanin awl teas a.
Merle:ln Ilepubliiiinisin in slily ceolionlii al if We look
enellisiVely at the salaries tat the Pn•sident and those
)linisters what-compose the Fel:It:rill t'al ail wt. It is entilmounly
expensive if we lase into account the stiltentls ilraWil by mem-
bers it the Federal logi,lattire. the n', 't of the led-dative
mol t• iy tat flit natio:is Stsi.•;, :oat
the holciiiiite :.•to, le•I to 0 • liwaslireil any motley, in, that
wholesale con n 01011.1,1 ccal-la Ni W York exhibits the most
flagrant example. We aiVe Mr. Potter fall credit for his
eolllo,otat poititille; oat that. so 1011,1 SY a
Monarchy, We lutist :..iVe our Ii knees est:ll:ll4am Ms anal lair
Pritan, is doe tics lout no cannot gin' hint credit either for
geiter•sity or tor loin, is :trailing that, inasmuch as the
present lloyal intitiny tarts net, got into ninth, the next
demise lit tiro in-aia it trill be all cn,ellelit i•pportilitily tor
reducing the Son, IVlatiller it slay nut lie
Inolth tn ice Si •11 aa we spend on the l'rown to secure
oust-lets against the perpetual competition tat ambitious
statesmen for the highest place 11l the State, and whether
him:. Mini-ter lie Intl in the (nut anal safest at anti
Pr, sidents—these are consider:Alone which Mr. l'otter
ilia's not el:fiat:lM, lmt litre liresaiil tt tier
very strong llopubliean tendeitrit•s in Sjaaita. and which hoist
assuredly lie weighed egviiiret the protitise of pecuniary
saving beta* we transform our ronstithtion. Nor tall no
ilists rat ally li•ntrer approach to statt.sniamliip in Mr Potter's
Ira atment of the Niel question. It in Colliethag.„ 110 thollit,
that he should reptitliglt- as the absolute re-
id landel propeity by the State lain tileaa af
proton:tat,- right at-teal' to lie hazy in the extreme. In
what tv7lCtical sense, for imtanee, can it be Mtn nit it that
`• country belongs to the \thole :if its inhabit:l nts:'smut
what niust wt• think of the et, molt,: :d •1, o t •• • . •.•e it
lay the lilere faiviiiit their in, I. • • , .
.• True jitstice,- witill.l.!
en ery Ilia,, IC bousel at his death td t... • . • .• . ]..., •
betWeell his wife :sal his children ' et 1, k•,,q.o•S wheat
origin:o,d meitil the 1•Irt mat lit-volution do rat go this lew.ith,
and in the thaite:l Sn.]:•-] t p• •I. of I . . ,•]
extensive as Pt o ] g •
ectieept ions, not • • '•: • • l : •
etin:ent ha the class, ... • , ' •• •
lint we entirely :Isis,. at nit him I let' i • • ' • • r •
highly ]lesirnia; it: tt they should '
aist ileren.lel is I•ii Isom :at ' I.y , •
the 11 orlasg elannes. We :It t:
a ealirlitlate I eyi •• tie. claims 'it t' • -
we have welcomed the eleetion ot candidate, r. !•• l• ;
II Home alla we haVe lo.Vor liceli nltty itt ta oh-tat,
why acct. a candidate wwn not rellillie.l long:ago. Mr. Potter
talks of "insliptanlale difficulties,- but lie liana not speeify
tht•ir 'ratline. or help Ili to rets•l the very force:ll.lla snap:trial&
that svorking-Men ti i I.lt Vlrl.o for working-men because they
do hat trust tout rather. Still. his letter will lie read Mall
icterest, and, oil the whole, with Satisfaction, RS retteeting •
point ot view a Hely remote front that oaf Camtineittal anar-
chists, anal in :thin in a spirit which does not always charac-
terize the utt orances at finalist] Itepublicans.