The Express.
London, England, 1868-09-25 00:00:00

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LONDON, FRIDAY, SEPT. 25.

THE PEOPLE <IND THE ELECTION.

TuE next few weeks will show the world the
sense in which the English people understand
their rights. The elections, their conduct and re-
sult*, will be the testa of the political knowledge
and judgment of the new constituencies, and it
would be idle to deny that they are looked for-
ward to with anxiety as well as hope. The oppor-
tunity is a great one. The commons of England
ire for the first time to really scud their represen-
tatives to the English House of Commons, and the
tl e stability, and the happiness of the
country will depend upon their choosing winJy
and well. We hart, no fear of the vault.
The leap iu the dark" has for us no
terrors ; end, as we believe, will simply prove the
thoughtfulness, wisdom, and patriotism of the
bread mass of our countrymen. But that the
.n:portanoe of the recent change cannot be easily
errated, and is u•.d }e•t understood, there is not
doubt. We Nee that the leaders of the Evan-
gelical School, with Lord EISURT at their heed,
!Arise that next Tliur-day should be set apart by
Christione rending in London and its neigh-
" bouthood, as a day of united prayer, with
a view to the forthcoming elections ;"
and this is only another development of the
feeling which prompt. Mr. EDMOND BIALIS to
JOunuence his address to the new electors
with the words " Working men! you are about to
•` be put on your trial." For the transfer of
power has been such that mistakes on the part
if thaw just raised to the proper level of citizen-
ship would voooil upon their beet friends, and
might greatly retard the proper development of
the principles by which the progressive pros-
perity of the country must stand or fall.
Extraordinary temptations will be offered.
The novelty of the position, the assumed
political ignorance of many of the new
voters, their needs, weakliest:ea, prejudices, and
Will all be calculated upon and added up
with Mephiatophelian craft. The candidates who
have swollen money begs aid little else, who
wish to secure the social hall-mark they think a
sent in Parliament would give, and who would
force their way into aristocratic circles over the
necks of those they employ, w➢ll be ready, in too
many instances, to bribe, to intimidate, or to
debase. Let the oonstituenciee look to it.
The man of wealth, who is "no politician,"
who is " not much of a party man, but is
" anxious to be of nest* his borough' an exude
is a candidate to be looked into narrowly, and to be
sifted well. Why does he wish to sit in Parliament
if he has neither views to express nor principles to
uphold ? Why does be appeal on the strength of
his rumen in trade, or the number of people he
employs, or the extent of his capital P These
things are all good in themselves, but they no more
qualify a man to repo ~ent the feelings and convic-
tions of his fellows, to take part in councils affect-
ing the welfare of three hundred millione of
people, than mills, or mines, or foundries
ran torn out patriotism, intellect,or etateeman!thip
to order. It is as difficult to gather figs from
thorns or grapes from thistles in an electoral as in
a •spiritual sense, end the candidate who seeks to
secure a seat by means of opening public-houses,
ur in return for the drunken orgies in which his
bastard generosity endeavours to plunge a com-
munity, really prove+ himself the representative of
what is low and base in common nation. The
Pattering cozener, the man of wily nature and
,mooth tongue who bribes with soft words and
new-born affability, will not, it is to be
hoped, make nowh way with the chimes
he endeavours to cajole. There is a sturdy inde-
pendeme, a bard alirevedneas, and a keen insight
into character among those just admitted to the
franchise whie.h the lower section of the old eon-
&teem:lea sometime!. lacked. The artisan is, as a
rule, a more earnest politician than the kinall
tradesue Ile think. more deeply, and the fir-
-4 Ilstriptipt cAltit, life urn ruort favourable to bele-