The Press.
London, England, 1857-05-23 00:00:00

LONDON, SATURDAY, MAY 23, 1857.

that perpetual political changes interfered
with national progress; but that if changes
were introduced it was incumbent on the
landed interest, in the broadest acceptation of
the term, to take care that the injury inflicted
upon it in 1832 was now redressed. Whether
we take the population or whether we take the
constituencies as the basis of our calculation,
the anomaly is almost equally glaring. As
Parliamentary Reformers adopt the first test,
it is but fair, us Mr. DISRAELI implied, to meet
them on their own ground ; and then we shall
find that the proportion of representatives in
the rural districts is less than half that
awarded to our more fortunate municipalities.
While, on the other hand, if we are guided by
the number of electors, the inequality is but
little reduced The proportion of county
members t. electors throughout Great Britain
is, in round numbers, one to two hundred and
fifty, of borough members one to one hundred
and twenty-nine, or very little short of double.
And yet these, forsooth, are the injured classes
who arc oppressed by the predominance of
the land ! In proportion to the patience with
which the owners and occupiers of land have
so longendured this injustice will, we trust, be
the energy and perseverance displayed by
them in procuring its removal, now that its
magnitude is fully brought home to their
understandings. Till this iniquity be re-
dressed they will fight in vain for the ascen-
dancy of Conservative principles, and may
look on helplessly while the ancient institu-
tions of the realm are tampered with by
political quacks who know nothing of the art
of government, or corrupted by experienced
placemen who know it only too well.
It was probably under the influence of some
such conviction as this that the Leader of the
Opposition, in his address of Wednesday last,
proceeded so naturally from the subject of
Electoral Reform to the position and prospects
of the Church of England, and the general
advantages resulting from the maintenance of
national institutions.

On the subject of church rates the Right
Hon. Gentleman well observed that we can
hardly suppose that there is any really national
antipathy to a system which only 600 out of
t 2,000 parishes have been found to repudiate
and the ejection from Parliament of its great
adversary, Sir W. CLAY, speaks volumes for
the popular feeling. But, then, the malcon-
tents are by the very nature of their position
louder and more pertinacious than their ad-
versaries. And it is thoroughly necessary
that all the friends of the Church should be
on their guard against a sudden surprise ;
should acquaint themselves with the question
in all its bearings, and be ready to show such
a front to their opponents, that, whatever
arrangement may be come to, the integrity of
the National Church shall be insured. _

There is a tendency in the present day to
magnify the importance of individuals, and to
imagine that a case has been made out against
our most valued institutions, when it can be
shown that some minute fraction of the com-
munity is dissatisfied with their working.
This mode of arguing is childish and effemi-
nate, and should be met by a bold avowal that
the State cannot take cognisance of such coin-
plaints. Otherwise, in Mr. DISRAELI'S own
Tords, " we are at a loss to understand how
" any of our national institutions can be up-
" held." We entreat the attention of those
persons who are, in the main, lovers of the
English Constitution, but whu are apt to be