The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1871-04-15 00:00:00

MR. CANNING ON REPUBLICANISM.

"ACivilian" hae tient the fullowing te rte Times for
publication :

In the scope and breathing space afforded by the adjourn-
ment of the Homes, and when your paper can yield a column
or two to extra. Parliamentary utterances, it may be worth
while to look back and see what a great leader of public
thought and opinion said just 50 years or so back on this
notable queation of the conversion of a Monarchy into a
lt,publlc To ordinary minds it Is not easily conceivable
how the present crisis in European affairs can afford a solid
standing ground to English innovators who profess a regard
for their country, and yet speak with contempt of Ito Con-
stitution. We have France convulsed by anarchy and
Germany united by despotism. Before we commit ourselves
to the guidance of those sappers and miners to whom
"nothing Is sacred," let us hear what a statesman and
orator had to any to our fathers on thievery point:—

-
"1 do not think myself bound to enter the lists to show
why the British Vonstitution should be a Monarchy. lam
not called on to demonstrate, d priori, that it was necessary
that the British Constitution should be a Monarchy, any
more than that Great Britain should be an island. It la
quite sufficient for me that I end these things so ; it is
quite sufficient for me to know that Providence has or-
dained tho one, and that the acts of our ancestors, from
immemorial time, acquiesced in and confirmed by a long
succession of generations, have clearly ascertained the
other, and have thus, although without my individual
vote or consent, Imposed on me the duty of allegiance
to the Monarchy under which I have been born. I
know how tame and servile and abject this sort of
reasoning sounds In an age when it Is So much more the
fashion to appeal to theory than to fact ; to try every exist.
Ing establishment by some abstract model of excellence.
But, gentlemen, against • popular Assembly, constituted on
the principles on which Parliamentary Reform is alleged to
be necessary the effective consequences of which principles
does. I willingly admit, go beyond either the avowal or,
I daresay, the intention of those who profess them., I say,
against a popular Assembly, no constituted, no Monarchy
could stand. Such a Government must be practically—
whatever it be in name—a Republic. I do not think myself
at liberty to discuss the question whether that be a better
kind of Government. I feel myself, I confess, circumscribed
within the limits of the exiatlng Constitution—
" • :Vattern nactus es, hanc exorna.

Improve, as you can, the Usnstitution which has fallen to
your lot. The attempt ta alter by force that Uonettlution
Is one which the law has branded In disagreeable terms.
I agree with the law, and would endeavour to prevent that
from being done through inadvertence which, undoubtedly,
there is no danger of any one's attempting to do by design.
In short, in all approvements, we midst conform to the nature
of the conntry to which we belong; like the King of it. hinds,
who had an extreme desire to be a naval Power, hut win die
laudable ambition was checke I by this only impedrment,
thst there was no seaport In his kludom."

Tills passage occurs In the midst of a speech abounding
with striking aphorisms, though directed against a groat
measure, which ten years subsequently, was carried out by
the will and force of the people of England. The speech
was, moreover, delivered to an audience which the gifted
orator described as animated by 'a warm but reasoning
loyalty, consistent with perfect independence of thought,
and an ardent love of liberty, combined with a determined
hostility Vi all the excesses of faction." The date of this is
Augiest, 1.522 The audience was composed of the citizens of
Liverpool, and the speaker was Canning. We have surely
, now attained to that "practical Republic 'which the speaker
anticipated, and which Is all that we want.

I venture to recommend this opinton to those ll:Montane,
to tlOrrow tI,c.OrS 11111..x.4100, Wflo ...111 to ollap. aim
alter the very foundation of society In a va!n hope of grap-
pling with admitted difficulties in our social scale.