Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1860-01-13 00:00:00

sent writer has just alluded to, is noticeable, both

on their and on our sides of the question. There-

is the same sort of analogy between their mod:ee
of treating the two subjects, as there is betWeeit.

the modes which commend themselves to thth

practical and the Moderate, -i'vfid are comiietenT,
to take a COrninted and more far-reaching view

of the question. The method of the Reformat)
is to apply, ' both to the financial ana

the politicial systems, abstract theories which
can find in them nothing to hold on to, nothing

to fit in with, nothing, by harmonising with
which they will be enabled to work satisfactorily
The attempted application of these theories, as
everyone knows, would issue in a social and poli-
tical revolution. They simply mean the violent
plucking up of every old national growth, the
reversal of every national form, and the rebuild"
ing of the fabric of society upon new and untried
bases. There is evident unreason upon- the face of

this, because of the obvious and now• hack-
neyed truth that our national system, in most
of its features has not, been the mental'

production of any man or any age, con-
sciously elaborated, but the offspring of circum-
stances, fashioned by exigencies as they arose,
and on the whole agreeable to the neces-
sities, and consonant with the spirit of the age.
Our protest is, therefore, the same in purely
political, and in all other social agitations. We
protest against mere doctrines, against vain
abstractions, against the mind of any single"
reformer being made the measure of what we'
want, and what we are capable of. We
adVocate reform in details, ' adaptations to-
altered circumstances, such improvements
sc-
our general advancement in political and•
social economics justifies and even necessitates,'
We condemn precipitation and experiment, and
entire departure from old grooves. Past history'
has ascertained for us a sure enough footing, if
we will only keep to it. It casts a light strong'
enough along the path before us, if we will not
diverge after Will-o'-the-Wisps, which flit about-
in the hazy distance to deceive us. These men'
wish to tempt us.into unknown realms, where we
are to take the sovereignty by right of logic. We
are to discard all rules, all teaching, all experience-
of the past, and begin a new course by a priori,
anticipative systems of demonstration. It is
quite remarkable to notice how their coutempr"
raneous schemes assume the same character, and-
cast a shadow of a similar danger. The theory
that taxation being for the protection of property,
only the direct possessors of property should be
taxed; and the other theory that, the House of.
Commons being the representative of the peoPle,
the people at large should have a direct voice in
electing it, are both equally logical and equally un-'
practical. They are equally defective also ; the one"
in the manner of stating the preniises, the other
in the manner of stating the conclusion. It iS'
an error to assume that only those who directly
possessproperty are interested in it, or would suffer
from its insecurity. It is also an error to assume
that the House of Commons represents a numc-'
rival principle, or the mere temporary opinions of
a majority. It represents the popular principle
and the true system of representation is thit
which is best calculated to gain the best and the
strongest expression of that popular principle.
But the numerical mode can never be the best
mode of attaining a testimony to anything but
to the sovereignty of might over right,—to the
vast influence which belongs to the evil tenders"
cies of undisciplined human nature,—to the dart'
gerous power of unfettered thoughtlessness and-
levity,—of class covetousness, envy, discontents
and ignorance. But such changes in the details'
of our political system as tend to promote a fuller
and truer representation of the intelligence; the'
manly aspiration, the honest vigour, and the rude
but sincere patriotism which lie dormant among'
the humbler classes of the people, are as much of-
the essence of true Conservatism as of justice ;
and as agreeable to the commonest prudence as
to the highest principle. The spirit in which the'
extreme reformers are aiming to turn the Govern-
ment of) this country into a Government, not by
the pa/lulus, but by the plebs; is evident from the
invitation which they hold out to the rapacity of
their new constituents. For to what lengths the-
plebs may go when they have got all rule into-
their hands, we have an unmistakeable indication
when those who are professedly of the popuio
are already bidding for their
,support by this•
tempting proposal ; that, as far as the burdens of.
nationality go, they shall sever themselves from
the body politic, and cast these entirely upon the
classes from whom they have wrested the taxing
power. Without unnecessarily or harshly im-
puting motives, however, .we may once more'
advert to the true answer to all these vain and
unwise proposals,—an answer which we 'haver
taken occasion again and again to enforce, and
pamphlet sea-
sonablywe
xhpircehs s
ibur.n repeats.
tßh oe o
inseparable s
The l e rdyo
c ftvaluable
national unity-
body of which,•
as in the more sacred denomination of it, all the:
members suffer and rejoice together, condemns,
without parley, any theory which is based upon a
division of interests, and, indeed, involves the
impossibility of any permanent benefit to one
part at the expense, or by the exclusion, of
another.