Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-11-14 00:00:00

THE NEW REFORM MOVEMENT.

It would seem that efforts have been made by certain
gentlemen t ascertain the extent to which advanced
Parliamentary Reformers throughout the kingdom can be
induced to agree to thn general outline of a measure for
the amendment of our representative system next session.
We believe they have succeeded in finding common
grounds upon which the party may base their operations.
They are now found fault with, as we understand, not
because the ground they have roughly marked cut is
objectionable, but because they have prosecuted their
difficult and delicate undertaking in a manner which gives
to it the appearance of confining a broad matter of national
interest to the management of a private clique. It appears
to be suspected that the whole ontetprise has been planned
and prosecuted with the ulterior view of throwing the
Parliamentary_ leadership of the more advanced _Reform
party into the hands of a pateieular men, add to elevate into
undue prominence, in connexion with the question of
representative reform, a few aspiring individuals. The
very contrary to this is the fact. The method adopted,
and that advisedly, has been such as to exclude all rife,
rence to leadership, and leave that to he determined by the
natural course of events—while with regard to the gong:-
men who have been most active in the matter, it
probable that their names will never publically appear.
Teey are constructing no national organisation—they
are concentrating in their hands no lines of management—
they are contemplating no noisy agitation—they are
laying out no plans for the accumulation of political
influence. All that they have proposed to themselves lrs,
been to get a defination of what it is worth while for the
country to demand—end this done, to rely upon the
people to do their own work. We may add that the public
man whose popular name the newspaper press have
associated with this movement has had no more to do with
it, beyond presiding at the first meeting in Palace Yard,
than other public men whose views have been consulted,
and probably would be the very first to disclaim any
closer connection with it, than that which he shares in com-
mon with many others—namely, general concurrence in
the result. And we are confident that the first authentic
demoestration of that result to the public will euffice to
convince the most saepicioue, that no personal objects can
have been contemplated by those who planned the
enterprise, or that if they have been, the method selected
has been such as 'was specially adapted to defend their
own end. We venture, in conclusion, to suggest to the
• Radical body, that whilst avoiding the weakness of com-
mitting themselves to any unknown course, merely in
deference to the authority of individual names, they will
do wisely to abstain also from opposing what commends
itself to their juigment merely in antipathy to names
with which it may chance to be associated. Let there be
the utmost vigilance, by all means—but let there be no
giving way to personal prijedices. For our own part, we
see no practical benefit which is likely to arise from
putting the most uncharitable construction on the motives
of such as may sho w themse'ves willing to work. If they
have mistaken their vocation, the event will soon
Undeceive them. Meanwhile, we think they are enti led
to quite as liberal an interpretation of their efforts, as
those who keenly criticise 'everything, but help to do
nothing. It is curious and instructive to notice how,
whenever men set about something with earnest and
disinterested determination, the n:st slap in the face they