The Express.
London, England, 1851-08-20 00:00:00

..CIIRISTIAN SOCIALISM."

(Tree& the Daily Nrwr.)
Tut: remarks lately made in this journal on
English Socialism have ',minced several rejoinders
front the various sects into which, it seems, that He-
resy is split. (Inc of them assures us that we are
altogether mistaken in supposing that Christianity is
in any way mixed up, on this side of the Channel, in
the question of Socialism. Another protests quite as
forcibly that the misty Christianity which misleads
him is the brightest and most glorious emanation
from that pillar of tire by which Socialism is illumi-
nating the darkness ofthc working classes into u land
flowing with co-operative milk and associative honey.
To the anti.christtan Socialist, the faith that is in him
is only, he says, another chapter added to Political
Economy, to destroy, however, all the rest; whereas
to the Christian Socialist, it is a new manifestation of
the old spirit of the Gospel dest Med to evolve an indus-
trial millenium from the ruins of economical science.
Between the two there is here a difference which
ought, most people will perhaps agree with us in
thinking, to he reconciled before the gentlemen who
hold such conflicting opinions on so essential a point,
unite to save society sinking, as they tell us, to de-
struction.

And then, on looking into a very different species
of Socialist public ation- -one for wliich, however, these
gentlemen are in no degree responsible for, still less
connected with—viz., that which combines the pru-
riency of romances and novels,written fur the delight
and gratification of French grisettes and lomttes,
with all the savagery and revolutionism which de-
pict capital and luxury as the real California to be
settled, and colonised, and dug up by the working
classes; here again we find a coarser and more ma-
terial phase of the heresy—a sort of substitute, as it
were, for the Chartism which first subsided into,
and then evaporated out of, Mr. FE.thliUS
O.Coxxom's land and banking schemes; and which
now looks forward to the election of a new Presi-
dent of the French RepuNie next year as the true
Hegira, whence !femora is to go on conquer-
ing and to conquer; until, we suppose, it shall bring
us hack to the primitive habits of the ancient
Britons, befiwe Nottms became a victim of Pouto's
faithlessness, or Hostiles:A sang of Home's ruin, and
we shall, under its beneficent sway, retire to pass
our nights in the hollows of trees.
There may indeed be other forms of Socialism here
in England. But if so, we confess to an unwilling
ignorance of the further sections into which the
friends and supporters deo-operation and associations
are split up. But as the unity, or solidarity, of man-
kind is the "be all and the end all" of this school,
we are entitled to notice, and even to remark on
the divisions which prevail in its Academie Groves—
to ask which is the central authority that persons
like ourselves, willing to pick up wisdom in what-
ever garb it is clad, are listen to for instruction ;
and what it is that these various Doctrinaires have
agreed on.
We can, inde«l,
.perfectly comprehend what the
gentleman whose interesting lecture we recently
considered, and who has more definite and rational
views to expound than either the Christian or the
economical Sociali4s, means, when he proposes to
start from the "self reform" of the working chivies ;
and we can cordially co-operate in so great and noble
a work. But then, to u', it seems, that the very
foundation of "self reform" must ie selTrelionnw,
individual exertion. self-respect, and self-advantage.
It is a work to lie accomplished in and by each man
seixtnitely ; not to be forced or imported into him,
as if he were a machine to be wound up, and onlv
set in motion with other people; not to be promoted
by telling him, as does Mr. KiNcsi.tiv, that Christi-
anity was meant fur his deification here on earth,
instead of his salvation in heaven, that capital is de-
stroying him, and capitalists are his enemies; or by
associating, as the third class of socialists referred
to do in their writings, his so-culled progress with
dulls of violence and acts of desperation.
Great as is the value of the working classes, all
important to other classes us is their welfare, and
aiming though all legislation should at their ad-
vancement morally, socially, materially and reli-
giouslv —nevertheless it is not true that they arc
the all in all of this world; that the world was made
exclusively for those who, with their hands or by
their strength or manual skill, do its external work ;
that, not possessing it, they arc wronged and de-
frauded; and that, to regain their birthright,
all steps arc justifiable. But though this is the
direct teething only of the third class it is greatly
assisted by the instructions of the other two classes,
who would prolrably be the first to disci: such
sieves. They aim, however, by very different means
at very much the w • ends. 'ails, for instance.
we have Vt.. KING...LEY, in his "Message of the
Chureh to Labouring Men," telling them, in the
language of slos•entatisto, that " The Bible pro-
claims Man's Freedom; Baptism proclaims his
Equality ; The I.:upper of the Lord proclaims his
tria hetlewd."

Thus *heading on the formula of revolution the
halo of that "kingdom which is not of this world."
Thus also the otht r division—that which would, by
means of Socialism. add a new chapter to Political
E4satomy to refute all that has gone before
—tells the workman that what is wrong is the
distribution of wealth, that legislation must by
its results redistribute wealth ; and, by h viral ennw•-
yauuce. and fair inference, that which our forefathers
h•muuaably left us. or what we have honestly ac-
.piinsl for ourselves, is as great an injury to our
fellow creatures as if we haul, like barons of old,
asvtd sill their property and appropriated it to our-
selves.

; Me inculcation of these doctrines cannot, we think,
be made the basis of "self reform." For, laying
aside all other objections to them fur a moment, they
substitute fancied wrongs, and what we feel to be
sorthless remedies. for that great principle of self-
n heater whence all human improvement proceeds ;
and because progress must be real and cannot be Glen-
time,. Hut can nothing then he dune to develop self-
n fiance -to stimulate it—to give it fair play ? Cer-
tainly there can : and, first and foremost, we would
plate the political franchise. Make, we say,the labour-
ing classes men—true and Isom fide members of so-
fit ty —Flnglishmen. in the ful I sense of that great word.
The result may not at starting realise the wishes of
the enthusiastic (though it will, we arc persuaded,
disappoint the fears of the timid); the newly enfran-
chised people mac at first use their power uncouthly,
stupidly. provokingly, even corruptly ; but year be
your they will learn its true value ; their heads will
gracluallj• become more and more instructed, their
hearts more and more enlarged. For a great and
unavoidable necessity will be placed on their
rulers, on all above them—on the church, on
all dissenting bodies, on every one who has the
means—to teach, to educate, to instruct and
to guide them ; under such influences their
welfrceinn will be certain and speedy; their
habits of intelligent self-reliance will prevent them
from being led into captivity by such delusions as
; and their perception of the proper men
to place ut the head of the nation will, after some
experience, become quite unerring, because it will be
truthful and honest; they will be able instinctively
to protect themselves from illusions and illusionists.
Thv franchise is, then, the foremost element of that
" selfrefunn" which Mr. CONNINGIUM has properly
described to be the great want of the labouring classes
of England; and instead of their "self-reform" leading
tuScsialisrn, it is perhaps the only effectual remedy
against their falling victims to Socialism. Time
forced rapidly onwards by tyranny and oppression in
Italy and Germany, and by the heavy hand of tune-
tionaryism depriving France of an honest republic,
has great, and in all probability, terrible events in
stare fur the world. l'he present calm is compul-
sory ! existing tranquillity is that of one weight
treLany another down; we have seen revolutions of
dynasties ; we ma vet see revolutions of principles
vorktd out in blood.and anarchy. The pause, the
breathing time that precedes the storm, is, however,
our opportunity. Let us seize it, as Sir ROBERT
PLEL did the piriod in which to break down mono-
Poly. Cheap provisions have infused content into our
Ptpulation. Now is the time to place political con-
fidence in it. Let us then rivet the great principles
of political economy in our Constitution, by placing
Win under the electoral protection of those they
most concern. Then we shall be in a position to
kook on the events in store for mankind without
fltsquietude fur our own safety; without apprehen-
sion of Socialism, Communism, or Revolution.

bEATH Of THE E tItL or CLARL—This nobleman,
nho hi been in declining health for some time put, en-
pin l r Monday e 1.,. ning last, ut Brighton. The Right lion.
Fitegibbon, brother of the noble earl, succeeds to the
title and water.

TIIE GREAT EXHIBITION.

APPOINTMENT OF THE DAY FOR ITS
FINAL CLOSING.
...

All speculation as to the longer or shorter conti-
nuance of the Exhibition is now at as end. A full meeting
of the Itoyal Commissioners, at which Prince Albert, Lord
John Russell, and Lord Granville were present, was held
at the Crystal Palace, when it was decided to close the
Exhibition to the public on Saturday the 11th of October.
Yesterday 2,773/. Pis. was taken at the doors, and the
number of visitors was di,U.J.

The following shows the temperature during yesterday,
as recorded by Mr. Bennett's thermometers, being the
mean result of 100 readings :-10 o'clock, 37 deg. ; 12
o'clock, 63 deg. ; 2 o'clock, 69 deg.; 4 o'clock, 70 deg. ;
6 o'clock, 69 deg. ; mean temperature, 66 deg.

CLERICAL

..... ---
The Earl of Deihl, has resigned the patronage of the now
church of St. James a at Lathan', to the elem. of Ormslark.

The Rev. C. Prince Humble, to the curacy of Great
Grimsby, Lineolmbire.

NAVAL.

ADm t R %LTV, AUG. —Chief
Engineer T. Bullion.; Assistant Engineers W. June, S.
Minster, J. Runner, J. SlM'lymont, H. Jolanrn, and Lewis
Owen, to ()dia. Retired Captain (1810) N. J. C. Duna ;
Clerk J. 11..‘1•A Toy, to Pim:lard.— l'immirrioxg.—Buatswain
J. Riddctt and Carpenter J. Ikatt, tutsaniikt to second-
etas.. T. Donohue, promoted to Acting Gunner.

DrsoNronT.—Commodore Lori John Hay still
remains at Stoke, seriously HI. His lordship wu a little
easier yesterday. Captain Kitchen, H.N., the new Gover-
nor or A•cen.ion, is to embark at Devoitiourt in the
Virago, to be conveyed to Ascension.

l'uuTsmorrn,Gun 19.—Thc court of inquiry.
on Mr. Welch, master of her Majesty's yacht, 1. :thy,
which has been sitting again on board the Victory to-day, 11411
originated ill hill breach of the police regulations of the
dockyard in having Lad a boat brought alongside the Fairy•
when the latter was lying alongside the dockyard. There
are imperative orders against this being done under any
circumstances, and in regard to any vessel. The Fairy
brought over Prince Albert at uiu•i o'clock to Clarence
Yard, where he landed, but in a perfectly private manner.
The Pique, 31i, was einniui,,ioncil to day. pro tent., by Mr.
King, toaster of the Britannia, whn, with •gl extra riggers
from the yard and fin men from the Ordinary, is to navi-
gate her round to l'embroke.—Tlie Thter, steam .loep, has
had her maininiet put in to-day. She has been taken up
alongsidethe Neptune to be fitted oat as an advanced
steamer.

(From Loa night's 17,arfte.)
Arm 13.
With reference to the wan of n ierl reiirement appeared in Ow
Laudon Gaulle of 17th lune, 1,31, and to the pe.motem of iln.
pre Not, .14*.ftql I the 1,0,,•10 Gotel!r of the IA i vain, th
n-iiernientiuned v 41131411 .er the coy nary Inta hern thi. day
prom onl to the tank 01 rapt., mall plated on the meet red MT, lint
ul the royal navy, via.: W. E. IL *nuns.