Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-12-20 00:00:00

In oar reporting columns, we, to-day, record an
incident of very considerable local interest, and,
in point of fact, of no trifling general importance.
We allude to the first half-yearly examination
and distribution of prizes in the mercantile school
frigate Conway. The proceedings were presided
over by Mr. Beazley, chairman of the committee
of the institution. The object of the institution
is to provide a suitable education for youths de-
signed for service in the Mercantile Marine, and,
as might have been expected, it has been warmly
taken up and fostered by the leading merchants,
shipowners, and philanthropists of Liverpool.
The proceedings were of a most gratifying as
well as of a highly interesting character; and we
have much pleasure in referring to our ample
report in confirmation of these remarks.

To judge from the diagnosis taken by certain
journalists and other state physicians, of the pre_
sent and possible condition of England, we should
be inclined to say that that condition is what may
be most aptly called, desperate. We should say
that England has come to that point of gratuitous
madness which the old proverb assures us goes
before destruction.

If one thing be plainer than another, it is that
all classes of thinking people in this country, ex-
cept a very trifling minority among the Liberal
party, are opposed whether by traditional habit
or practical reflection to any marked extension
of the democratic element in the Constitution.
But more than that is plain ; namely, that
those classes through whom this extension would
be effected, were never more easy and con-
tented than in their present condition, that
they never gave less sign of that danger-
ous power of discontent which, if it does not
justify almost renders unavoidable, unwilling
and in the abstract unwise concessions. It is
almost incredible, therefore, that this extension of
the democratic element should be demanded by a
few demagogues, talked of by party leaders, cal-
culated upon by respectable newspapers, as a
necessity of the day. The assumption is upon
the face of it unnatural and absurd. A " necessity"
shows itself in various unconscious but very de-
monstrative ways. It does not require any arti-
ficial means of making itself felt, or heard, or
generally known. It, of itself, comes before the
public mind in a thousand modes, which cannot
be unrecognised or put off. It has a mouth
of its own and is trumpet - tongued, and
insists, on being heard in its importunity.
But we look in vain for any such instinctive and
unmistakeable signs at the present time. Eng-
land is not convulsed. There are no smoulder-
ing fires supposed to be under the surface. There
is no danger predicted which still waits, and
which some extreme measure of safety is required
to keep off before it be too late. The unenfran-
chised are not clamouring for the franchise. The
great body of the Liberal party continually tell
us that not even a Reform Bill is necessary ; and
the great majority of the Legislature are substan-
tially agreed on the principles of the Constitu-
tion, and on the duty and expediency of doing
nothing to violate or endanger them. Does not
England progress ? Is she going too slowly?
Can political measures avail in any way
to further the teaching of social and economic
science, or the growing efforts of humanity ?
Is the Commonwealth so bad, or giving so few
signs of getting better, or so evidently going
backward in the path of happiness.and prosperity,
that it needs the adoption of strong measures

and new advice to be called in Yes ; there is
one man that says this, who, we are told, with his
arrogant and overbearing tone, is to make him-
self heard above the dictates of political wisdom—
which yet all men admit to be wisdom—above
the well-ascertained voice of all the best, and
truest, and most universal opinion of the country.
There is Mr. JOHN BRIGHT !
Now,. how is it that Mr. JOHN BRIGHT has

attained a stand-point from which he can
thunder democracy with so rude a voice into the
ears of a Constitutional House of Commons ?
Does he represent any solid body of opinion in this
country ? Certainly not. Has he any right to take
upon himself the advocacy of the unenfranchised
classes. No. They never asked his advocacy.
They do not respond to his offer. They have
lodged with him no complaints to carry withlim
to Westminster ; nor do they wait outside the
doors either as suppliant outcasts or as threatening.
extortionists.. It is he and his compeers who
have tried to effect a sort of make-believe among
the people,. to excite in their minds an artificial

want, so that they may afterwards nurse it, and
exaggerate it, and inflame it, until it produce-the
fruit of uneasiness and discontent; and. threaten
an outburst if it be not satisfied. But evenin this

they have failed. They cannot allege the calm
wiShes of the "loiver classes," or rather or the
loWest of the "lower classes," nor evil-r, threaten-
ing, demands, as a "reason fbr democratic
change. They have only one thing to allege
and that is,that in their opinion, extreme measure
of Reform would be a good thing for the at pre-
Sent tirkenfranchised classes, and for the country at
large. Well, if it come to this,, is their opinion
—the 'opinion too of a minority, even if of a wise
one—but not of a wise one--.-rather the opinion of
half-educated cleverness, of the most transparent
11
envy, of the most trivial vanity,—is this opinion,
we ask, to override the collective wisdom of
England ?

We wish to be assured on this one point.' Why
should the London Times, when using the recent
bribery disclosures to prove that the "lower
classes" are not fit for an extension of the fran-
chise, think itself impelled to acknowledge, that
there is after all no use in exercising our reason
on the subject, for that extreme measures are
to be passed notwithstanding ? We see no
answer to this, except that Mr. BRIGHT and his
few myrmidons are the people of England--are
more than the people of England. There is no
reason internal or external that CARTHAGE should
fall, but—CARTHAGE must be destroyed,