Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1860-01-14 00:00:00

nce
the
uld

the
rise

lii's
tbe

gll
art
lly

'delay but requires precipitate cauterisation even
at the risk of the. general safety; at this time,
we say, the idea of hawking grave political ques-
tions before the lowest self-appointed tribunals,
is worthy -only of a demagogue or a rebel.
Happily we are yet able to forbear 'applying
these epithets to even the fiercest a,dvocates
of the' new democracy. The agitation threat-
ened for the winter season, and L which was
to overawe Parliament, and bully all the calm
intelligence of the nation, has been shrunk from
wisely. And even the foremost representative of
the movement has found it advisable to soften 'the
rigour of his demands, and profess, whether sin-

cerely or for the moment, a little more reason
and moderation.

The most debateable ground in the whole Re-
form question, is undoubtedly that of the Borough
franchise. It is through the franchise that any
violent change will be wrought in traditional
systems, and
,that the first stab will be aimed at
the Constitution. It may be the polioy of the ex-
treme Liberals to accepf the smallest opening
which -a deluded public opinion can be prevailed
upon to give them without such apprehensions
being excited as may, induce future vigilance.
It is evident that the only chance of effecting an
-ultimate revolution in English polities is, by the
-method of small and progressive changes, each
-of which shall involve so little as to pass without
observation. In this way the breach will grow
almost insensibly wider and wider, until the
-rude blast of deinOcracy rushing all at once
through the vast hiatus, will make us aware of
our ragged and defenceless condition. Half-
hearted men who are as languid in their fears
as in their hopes, are deterred, • even by the
trouble, from offering a decided opposition to
the first beginnings of change. But it may well
be feared, that if a £4 reduction .in the franchise
is contemplated now with coraplacencY or indif-
ference. , when the actual franchise is £lO ; a simi-
lar ventured upon after that is effec-
ted, will not be calculated to excite any greater
apprehension, so that the limit dropping by
fours or twos will soon come to that point when
men will view without 'alarm its extinction alto-
gether.

The indifference of the nation to a Reform
Bill is so patent, that- the wondir is wherei-so
•nauch Parliamentary agitation can find its aliment.
-The Times is probably right in maintaining that
this indifference does not testify that a Reform
Bill is inexpedient -or unnecessary; but. it does
:testify this, at least,that the country-deprecates
-any change in the present basis of political
-power, or even in its gradations, and the manner
of .its past employment. Nothing is clearer than
that the popular feeling is, that whatever be the
nature of the Reform Bill wanted, it is one which
'wilt produce' no perceptible or real difference in
;the present order of things ; that the course
we are going on in should not be devi-
ated trona ; and that its mission is to
-effect more the logical, or perhaps just applica-
tion of a theory in
,individual-:cases, than to
introduce a new priaciple -of action, -or any modi-
...#pation of the old one. Great principles are
siembodied once for all in the progress of time and
circumstance ; and the law of justice may be
recognised and marked out before the instances
of its .operation are ,embraced, or the indivi-
anal -quarters where its influence may ex-
tend are mapped before the eye. What we
mean is, that the principle of popular repre-
sentation is not a thing which England has
yet. to learn, ar which she needs a BRIGHT to
lead her to appreciate. This has been already won
and dearly. vindicated; and is part of her inalien-
able charter. But whether there are individual
cases of exclusion which remain to be redressed
is a distinct question, and one which we have no
wish to answer in the •negative. We, too, adore'
the law of justice, and crave for its administra-
tion in details. wherever practicable. We only
claim the right, in obeying its requirements,. to
draw our inspiration and guidance from the
fount of political wisdom founded upon the com-
pletest experience. What we greatly doubt is,
whether the true mode of redressing these imper-
fections of application is a lowering of the frau-
thise,—a doubt which the concoctor of the
comprehensiVe measure of Parliamentary Re-
form" shares with us. But to this we shall
return on a future occasion.