The Express.
London, England, 1855-05-04 00:00:00

ADMLNISTRATIVE REFORM.

CONSIDIBABLI asiscooosption of the Administra-
tive Reform movement exism io some quarters, owing
to the vagueness of the idea which men attach to the
word "aristocracy." There in a real and a factitious
aristocracy. Is every country—even in the United
States of North America—there exists a compare-

tively limited clam possessed of inherited wealth. It
matters not bow this 'math has been originally
acquired. In Europe during the middle ages the
military and priestly classes contrived to
appropriate the greater proportion of the

national wealth. Since the close of the 15th
century families whose ancestors accumulated
property by mercantile enterprise have been to a
great extent engrafted on this original stock. In
the United States mercantile enterprise or the avo-
cations of the bar have been the chief sources of such
" realised capital." Property once concentrated in
large mama in the hands of a few iodividuals, has a
natural tendency to remain unbroken for several
generations. The fortunate possessors of lugs in-
herited fortunes, when they are of active and ambi-
tious tempers, have great advantages in starting in
life. They can afford to educate themselves, they can
command troops of servants, they can remain idle,
"biding their time,' and watching their opportunity.
Those of the class who are more indolent avail them-
selves of their wealth to enjoy life, and, as general
society advances in intelligence and refinement, their
social habits become more elegant. The wealthy by
inheritance regard each other as " peers," and herd
together. One common tons pervades the class. The
political power it possesses, and the dignified
corm of the deportment of most of its members, im-
pose upon the public, and thus its influence beseelee
great and permanent. Such an aristocracy exists in
every country, independent of titles or recognised
social distinctions : it is a real aristocracy. In
France, on the contrary, immediately before
the Revolution of 1769, there was a recogiused
aristocracy which had become almost entirely fedi-
time. The measures of Montagu, completed by
Louis XIV., had concentrated all political power in
the throne, and degraded the tableue into mere wart
followers or salaried officers of state. The program
of commercial enterprise, and the peculiar mode in
which the public revenue was managed, had brought
into existence a clan of roturiers more wealthy than
the nobility, equally refined in their social habits,
and equally, or more, conspicuous as patrons of art
and letters. The aristocracy of France had become
a speciosa but unreal shadow, which vanished amid
the first storms of the Revolution. Oar English aria-
tangy is a compound of the real and factitious.
It possesses great wealth: its more ambitions and
enterprising members mingle In the contests of poll-
tim, and thus acquire hardihood and energy.
It is a real power in the State. But the
word " aristocracy," as it is seed in the rising
movement against exclusive, or oligarchical role, doss
not designate exactly the aggregate of our titled
holiest, or even that wider circle which embraces
along with the families of oar peers what may be
called the untitled aristocracy. me aristocracy"
against the emissive rule of which the country is
now pretesting, is not very easy to define. Its
nuclei. is composed of themes stirring and aspiring
members of the aristocracy who have embraced polities
as a prelacies. These individsals, when in
Gibe, ars seeemarily in Gloss and frequent commui.
cation with the Court; and when in opposition they
still keep up a kind of intimacy with it as persons
who have held ails% or who slay coo day hold
it. This melon of the aristocracy bosoms, in
seessqesece amts especially the sentre el theme circles
el moiety whisk aspire to be thought logien-

tibia, To hays any chases of coming into
familiar Womanes with them men most
below/ to those exclusive circles. To have
any gases of being amosiated with them in
calm men must become their familiar companions.
Moos it is that the education of the drawing-
rooms and saws has become more indispensable
to ambitions politicians, than any preparation by study
or experimental training in officio, for the discharge of
official duties. A frivolous tone has thus been im-
parted to our ruling clam. In addition to this, the
active politicians of the aristocracy are rarely the
meet wealthy of their claw; and the parvenu adven-
turers who elbow their way into the exclusive circles
of fashioo, with • view to political advancement, are

rarely in affluent circumstances. The active and
politically powerful "aristocracy" of England has, in
fact, at the present moment, more analogy with the
flattering, intriguing, indigent aristocracy of
France under Loots XV., than with a real aris-
tocracy, and is something apart from, though
connected with both the English House of Peers, and
the English "aristocracy," in the wider acceptation
of the term. Family predilections, and pecuniary
necessities, have induced or compelled this dominant
class to intrude their relations and dependents into
every department of the public service, without the
least regard being paid to their "official aptitude."
It is to this that we owe the imbecility of our exe-
entire government in all its departments; and it is
against this system of exclusive misrule—against

the vesting of political power exclusively in this
frivolous congeries of votaries of fashion and penny
less adventurers that the nation is now raising its
voice.

The advocates of the admission of competent men
to the civil offices of state, whatever their antecedents
or social position, contemplate no attack upon our
existing institutions. They are friendly to a Mon-
archy, and regard a Hereditary Peerage as a neces-
sary buttress to the Throne. They (for the most
part) are of opinion that our electoral system might
be amended by admitting some classes now excluded
within its pale, by equalising the numbers of the
constituencies, and by the adoption of secret voting;
but they ars staunch friends of Parliamentary
Government, and believe that even with our imperfect
electoral system they can work out their ends
by constitutional, Parliamentary mean.. They
appeal to the electoral body to bring such a pressure
to bear upon the House of Commons as will oblige it
to support no Government but one composed of
men selected solely on account of their competency,
irrespective of their convention A social position. Their
aim is to have the choice of the Crown in its selec-
tion of Ministers extended to the whole educated
and intelligent classes of society. In old times the
feudal Baronage and the Cnurch monopolised be-
tween them all who were competent to the task of
government. In our day the great body of the
middle classes are the equals of the nobility, in edu-
cation, in political koowiedge, and even in social re-
finement, nios sense of honour, and dignity of deport-

ment. The nation is sick of that frivolous and exclu-
sive clue which at present monopolises administra-
tive appointments, and it insists that capable men, even
though they do not belong to this class, alien hays a
fair chance in the competition for high office in the
State. Circumstances hays at present directed atten-
tion more especially to the necessity of pressing into'
the national service men characterised by those qua-1
Sties which mercantile and industrial pursuits are
more peculiarly adapted to develop. But the wish
of the nation is that the services of
other classes—of those who, either as mem-
bers of the learned professions, or u de-
voted to literature and science, have cultivated
I faculties that can be rendered available for the public

service, should also have the career of official ad-

vanoement thrown open to them. The first step has
been taken to widen the circle from which the Crown
and the nation are to select those who shall serve
them in the higher departments of government, and
the movement cannot now be arrested. Its ultimate
success, which is unquestionable, cannot fail to aug-
ment the energy and intelligence of the Executive,
and raise Great Britain still higher in the scale of
nations than she at present stands.—Daily 11 eras.