The Sun.
London, England, 1838-05-03 00:00:00

WHAT ARE THE WANTS OF THE MIDDLE
CLASSES?

A LETTER TO COUNT A-,
(Translated from a Paper prepared and suppressed at Leipsic,

with the following mottos :—)
IS A celebrated man, with a great mind in a little body, used
to say, If the boat incline too much to one side, I place the
weight of my little body on the other side.' "
" So much in justification of the publication of the follow-
ing letter. In times like ours, when the boat rocks violently,
not only through the power of the waves, but through
the
restless moving about the crew, it seems the duty of every good
citizen, if he think that he has formed a well-grounded opi-
nion, loudly to express that opinion. I do, like the above-
mentioned great man—l place the little weight of my opinion
on that side where increased weight seems wanted."
•'lt is possible that the title of these pages may remind the
reader of a pamphlet, which, in the beginning of the French
Revolution, acted like the tocsin. lam conscious that as far
as good intentions are concerned, I may rather be compared
to that small number of Frenchmen, who, pointini, to Eng-
land as an example, would willingly have prevented the days
of terror, had not those in power despised their advice. We
have time to talk and take counsel, for where Mr. Von S.
is ambitious of being helmsman, the vessel is not likely to
run against rocks, but only to be laid high and dry upon sand
banks."

It is now a-days much more difficult to govern than for-
merly. Not only in the provinces, on the left banks of
the Rhine, which were formerly incorporated with France,
and which now belong mostly to Protestant Princes, is the
task of Governments a troublesome one, from the great diffi-
culty of satisfying the governed—but all over Germany, in
the old Provinces which have not changed their rulers, it is
the same--not only in Protestant countries, or in Catholic
countries governed by Protestant- Princes, but also, and
indeed more, in Catholic countries where Catholic Princes
reign, has the task of Governments become more difficult.
The demands of the governed have increased. What Go-
vernments do, or omit to do, is now the object of daily
eriticigin—a get eral uneasiness prevails—even where fur
the moment there it; no sound of war heard. Twenty
attempts have been made to disturb the peace of Europ.o
since the Prince of Elba drove the King of France out of his
dorninj,ns. and took possession of France in less time than
the unitel aTiny of tltc n9rth paid gf the 59401
conquer R.

jSro clear seeing politician, Tegt of 40,11e_who has for the

last quarter of a century guided, from his elev.ated positioi
the.destinies of Europe, can be blind to the danger the •
iome trifling disturbance, no matter whence proceeding
nay serve as the. spark to muse a far spreading eonflagn,
tion. Where thereexists a strong tendency to cholera, tl:•
smallest sin against the rules of diet may produce th,
deadly disease. The American revolution began with :
•►•ar waged against tca-chests, but their minds were long prt
pared for resistance. In the greatest parts•of Europe th,
lisposition' of the people, not alone of the young, is tendin,
ta disease.

Formerly all their energies were directed towards on
person. Nqpoleon fell, and now the opposition points is
different directions ; but of peace there is so little in the
mind, that a continued apparatus for war is kept in reach.
miater and more formidable than any which former
mturies have known.

This-not-to-be-mistaken spirit of discontent and un.utsi
iess which moves the European world, and shows it-
.i2;htning flashes now here, now there, is attributed in th
'iigher circles most usually and oftenest to the ambitiOl.
If the middle ranks, and it is with reference to the languag,
the sal3ns of Berlin and Vienna that the title of then,
cages has been chosen. What then, indeed, are the want,
of the Middle classes ? Do they want our mansions ? out
places of honour ?' or our heads? Are the wants of the
middle ranks in Germany really the same as those of tin.
Jacobins in France, a complete subversion of the thron
Ind of the altar ? Why do the citizens of to-day no longer
remain quite at their trades, within the protection of their
walls, like their fathers and grandfathers ? Why are the
peasants disturbed and made to leave their father's cottages,
to throng into cities, or to fill emigrant ships ? Thos,
wl:o are not quite bigotted ask these questions—they askfor
the causes of the above effects at least from curiosity ; and
to those is this my attempt at an answer directed. To at-
tempt to teach those who turn away entirely from the sub-
ject, who confine themselves to the circles of the elite,
which admit. only those who perform the part of parasites,
would be an idle, useless waste of time. It might be con-
venient to answer the above questions with counter ques-
tions ; for example—Why, if the good old times are to be
restored, and if it be possible to recall them, is not the be-
ginningeto be made with the beginning ? Why is not the
German Empire and the ten circles to be restored ? Why
do not the Knights take the defence of the country and
the towns exclusively upon themselves, without calling
upon the citizens for assistance ? • Why are all the sons of
,itizens and of peasants called upon to serve as soldiers ?
Why, are they to share the duties without partaking of the
honours?

But the intention of these pages is rather to convint e
than to ittriid the question.
The danger of the times is acknowledged on all sides by
;ill who neither are, nor want to be blind, and I confess
that the impression with which I have just returned from a
journey is a most unfavourable one, as far as the chanccs
of peace in Europe are concerned. It is true the sound of
arms is not to be heard in Germany; and poinards are, God
he thanked, not a German fashion, but the minds are deeply
agitated every where.
In France or in England public men are fond of speaking
on political subjects with men who think differently from
them, and whose position is at a great distance from their
own—they want to hear the views of those parties most
opposed to them. This is not the case with us. Those at
the head of affairs dislike to hear views and opinions op-
posed to their own, whether from the press or in conversa-
tion. German politicians, therefore, ace situated like ab-
solute sovereigns—they are surrounded by flatterers, who
echo only what maybe agreeable to the great man.
You, sir, have called upon me to give my opinion, and I
willingly obey.
Having acknowledged the existence of the political evil,
let us first ascertain whether it may be, perhaps, a passing
evil, or whether it is likely to last indefinitely. I believe
the latter. The difficulty of governing will not decrease
in the world, but rather increase. It will every where come
to this, and it ought to be so, that only Ulysses should bear
the bow which lie can bend ; that is to say, that the diffi-
cult problem of governing should be solved, by everywhere
forming the Ministry of the cleverest and best informed
men of the community ; who, superior to all others by
their intelligence and talents, shall surround the Throne as
its real supporters. This is the real remedy. Imagine an
inferior man had to stand at the head of the Austrian Mi-
nistry, would Germany, France, Italywould Austria her-
self—have remained in peace ? That those most distin-
guished by knowledge and talents should stand by the
side of the throne is consistent with the nature of things,
with justice, and with common sense. To gratify this de-
mand is equally, beneficial to the throne and to the
people. The question then is :—How shall we most
securely obtain this end ? It is perfectly impossible that
the world should henceforth be governed by inefficient men,
who owe their appointment to the whim of the Prince,
or the intrigues of his Mistress, or of his Confessor.
That is the real question which agitates the present
times. The system of the representation furnishes a
machinery for securing to the most able among the
people seats upon the Ministerial Benches ; for under a
representative Government no day passes without a war of
mind between the actual Ministers and the candidates for
office. In the meantime the citizen may quietly follow his
business, however warmly he may espouse the part of one
or the other politician, and the Sovereign may. quietly look
down from his elevated position upon the struggle, for the
war is carried on publicly with intellectual weapons. Pub-
licity is the pledge that nothing illegal will take place ;
tairimaytemlyan who wouldsil'ikiinpublichaose opinion, and
tiooseileg
slthael means
power
imme-
diately
mischief. Happy tie Sovereign who, in war time,when about
to chose a commander for his army, has only to choose
among victorious heroes ; and the situation of the Sovereign
is precisely similar, who when nominating his Ministers, has
only to choose among individuals well-known, not only by
their Parliamentary contests, but by the whole course of
their official life, which is daily open to public criticism,
as fit for the office and worthy of the confidence of the
Sovereign and of the people.
That the object of Governments which must without
doubt for the present be Conservative, cannot be more easy
of attainment in time to come, that it is therefore indispen-
sable to be armed with abundance of intellectual power,
and not only with cannon in the arsenal, may be shown
thereasc o
from the one fact, that the division of the land has reached a
dangerous point. Every foot of productive land, from the
high road to thelo w veryeve re industrious, o f
the forest,
is
y
e
garden, but subdivided into so many small lots, that among
'l‘Cill'iooe childrenfamilies,can
liveon the produce of their land and their labour.
'f'i grow up ; the number of persons desirous for
and demanding employment increases daily ; but there exists
te labour, nor provide professional employ-
no power in Governments to provide land for the agricul-
tural labourer, create a market for the endless produce of
iiii:::tutfao(r'taulrlil may consider tisemselvesfit for it. Competi-
tion in all occupations and trades has increased, and is still
increasing. The number of inhabitants in Prussia has in-
creased since 1814 by several millions, while no square foot
of land has been added to the monarchy.
This is one of the principal causes of the increased difficulty
in the art of governing., though this material cause is cer-
tainly not the only one. The accusation made by the higher
circles, that the spirit of Jacobite= reigns in Germany
among the middle ranks, and is the principal cause of the
difficulty of governing, is palpably false. Every citizen who
has a home wishes to keep that home inviolate, as well as
every possessor of estates, like Prince Metternich wishes
to retain his Johanisberg. Prince Metternich did not
inherit this estate ; it has not been in his family time out of
mind ; nevertheless it is his property—his own. He has ac-
quired it by means of merit and of successful labour. The
greater number of German citizens is in a similar situation ;
they possess what they have earned by honest labour, and
they do not for that reason wish the less, or with less justice,
for the continued security of their property, whether it be
great or small. , Still the greater number are seized with
the spirit of discontent and of uneasiness, because the
question daily recurs—have the best measures been
chosen for the maintenance of external and internal security
in Germany What disinterested person can bring him-
self to answer this question with an unconditional affirma-
tive ? The Rhenish Provinces ask—,, Has the Military
Commission of the German Confederation completed its
labours ?" Englishmen ask—" Has Mr. Von Schele been
impeached yet ?'• What can I answer ? It being thus ac-
knowledged that discontent and restlessness reign, a rum-
her of the most opposite measures have been proposed its a
remedy. But only that statesman will be able to give good
• advice who appreciates the future, who knows mankind as
they are, and who can deduce from that knowledge what is
likely to happen to-morrow. Tim commander who is well
acquainted with all the circumstances of the last war, will
not be, of necessity, the most successful ; but rather lie who
is able
to judge with some degree of certainty of the pre-
sent proceedings of the enemy to whom he is opposed.
Seine
impolitic but influential statesmen in Germany
have declared, like the Versailles courtiers of former days,
that all the disturbances and all the political evils are
caused by individual agitators, and by the unions of ;mil.
mistaken youths as are seduced by the agitators. A war
has been carried on for a number of years, and with the
most disproportionate means, against these twenty-yeare'e
old demagogues. All the youths of Germasly have been
calumniated, without consideration of the
youthful blood
that wasf
readily shod at leautzen and Bautzen, The
periment has been made to war against feelings and opie
nions, and to create an intellectual terdonrin the same way
as the eepen
Cordon sanitaire. Both evall.e
choked by a
qatoi,monting attempt was made to shut
out the imagined infective power of the cho
vain. There are thinsc.,kcluded, whether by police, by arms;imprisonment, or censorship. Other statesinete v4sea in Their
own conceit, do not only wish, but teach that every thing
must be brought back to he (Aid standard, though they fire

not quite agreed what exact moment of time in the; last
century or centuries at which the current of society is. to
be frozen and fixed for ever. When the admirers of the
olden time have agreed upon this question it will be time
enough seriously to oppose them. Until then a.few obser-
vations may suffice. Johauinsbeg and Daneberg were a few
years ago in other.hands. How old is the royal dignity i.f
of Bavaria and Wortemberg ? How old the grand-ducal
title in Germany, or • the possession of HildeTheim awl
Oelfriesland by their present owners ? How old the do,ni
nion of Austria in Venice ? Verily age alone is not suffi-
cient ! You want to re-establish olden times, and you have
not even the power to, and we trust, if you could you woul,'
not again close the Sudestrange*. You praise the old, th •
good old times, but are you sincere ? The first step would hi'
to replace the splendour of the Imperial Crown. You do no.

e msent to this, and therefore you sufficiently acknowledge
that the olden times are gone by,and that the nobility cannot
again get possession of its old privileges—its prospect; of
electoral and other ecclesiastical benefice:, and its inclusive
ights to the higher offices of the State—that a new time
has come to which all must seek to adapt themselves, and
'o obtain security by all proper means. History will fur-
nish arms to both parties, and if the victor be allowed to
refer to the battle fought two or three hundred years ago,
surely the defeated may refer to the day before the battle
was lost.

Other statesmen. again declare the want of religion to be
the cause of all the evils of our days, and teach that the
building of churches, the restoring of altars, and the resto-
ration of ecclesiastical authority, is the only means of ma-
king the nation patient and obedient. To this end it has
been attempted to. restore Church .Government here,
through philosophy, or, rather sophistry ; there by means
of Aesthetic, and in some places even by a tendency to
Popery ; erroneously supposing, that the Priests would be
always the ready servants of the' secular power. But t,
use religion asa means to obtain worldly ends never yet has
succeeded, and never can succeed ; and those who act with
such a view prepare for themselves painful struggles with
the newly aroused ecclesiastical powers. Of this there are
many examples. But it is forgotten that history tells us
how the degradation and the dismemberment of the Ger-
man Empire originated in the wars of the Emperors with
the Powers of the Church, and its ungrateful Princes. The
ignorant,•the hypocritical, and the women, who constitute
the-greater number of the zealots of the present day, would
in the moment of danger be but tin uncertain support.
The example of real piety, of Christian humility, and
. love, in the Sovereign's family, will form a beautiful and
highly beneficial object of admiration for the whole nation.
Religion- is the securest link in families as well as in em-
pires ; but Religion and Church are not identical ; the pure
light of religion is equally shed upon many churches ! Re-
ligion itself is the' relation between. the Creator and the
created, must be confined exclusively to these two, and
cannot, therefore, exist but through a continually renewed
revelation for every individual.
Again, other statesmen, who call themselves practical,
teach that the best means to make the active passions of
the people harmless would be to open new and inviting
paths to industry and wealth.. The people seek riches,
they say, and, therefore, we must give them lotteries or
labour. According to this plan they have erected
splendid edifices, called Polytechnic Se'iools, believing
they have found in them the true method to exo:-
cise and subdue the evil spirit of the age. But this also is
a mistake. No Government in the world can procure
regular and remunerating employment for all those who
have or have not been educated in these schools. A number
of hungry operatives collect before the Palace, complaining
of want, and demanding employment. " What sort of
employment ?" "We have learnt nothing but to polish
diamonds!" Every body will acknowledge that it is im-
possible to procure suitable employment for an indefinite
number of such labourers. But the same holds good of a
disproportionate number of surgeons, lawyers, or clergy.
men ; or of those who work in steel, or gold, or wool, or
cotton. Could any Government procure fee. these labourers
broken limbs, lawsuits, church preferment, or rich buyers of
cottons or shawls, for every day in the year ? Impossible!
The greater the number of schools of industry' established
by the State, with the direct or -indirect premiee
of thereby providing employment for those willing to work,
the more numerous become the demands on the Govern-
ment,- with which it is impossible to comply. In England
there are no schools of industry at the expense of the State.
Yet another class of statesmen, who deem themselves'
the most cunning, believe the secret of Government to con-
sist in seducing individuals who have an kfluonoe with the
public, and now and then in a popular author into a servi!o
tool. If they succeed in any one instance of this kind,
they rejoice aloud, and think they have gained their point.
But by such single deierters the victory is not secured ;
but the reward 'bestowed ou such apostates serves, on the
contrary, to rouse and increase the wrath of those who re.
main faithful to their cause and their party.
It is an accusation against the nation that its reverence
for- the 'Sovereign power is lessened. This is true, but how
can it be otherwise ? Have we not lived to see the Im-
perial. Crown of Germany abdicated, and a new one of yes-
terday preferred before the Crown of a thousand years
Have we not a painful recollection how the Crown of the
'Stranger, of the Invader of our country, wag*honoured by
the Crawn.ed heads of -Germany ?
The real means of our political salvation consists for the
present, and for us as in-all times and everywhere, in the
first call of ci‘i!ization, which is identical with the first law
of morals—that is, that rude physical power is to be sub-
ordinate to intelligence ; untutored impulses to justice ; that
the wise should rule over those less wise, as the father rules
over his children whom he maintains. The wisest are to
consult and to govern the country as the assistants
of the Prince—as . the real Comites. What is
justice in any one individual case every honest
-man knows quite well, without having studied
the codes of nations who have passed away. Jus-
tice is the only means to put an end to the unquietness of
the public mind, or rather to confitht it within fixed
bounds ; for movement within lawful bounds is necessary
to the healthy existence of a nation, It would, indeed, be
unfortunate if there were any other means for promoting
public welfare on earth than justice. Ye Princes, acknow-
ledge and practice that which is just ! Ye Nations, be
satisfied with nothing less than justice ! Ye Ministers,
advise your Sovereigns only what is just ! The warning
example is yet before our mind's eye. The most powerful
man on the mightiest Throne, who • had bayonets and
cannon at his command—to whom great talents were sub-
servient—who was himself a very personification of intelli-
gence—has sunk into the dust, because he disregarded the
claims of justice ; and the beginning of his downward
course may be traced to his first glaring violation of jus-
tice. And again ; the Sovereign to whom age ought to
have taught experience, destroyed the Charter which pre-
scribed the duties and 'protected the rights of the French,
and thus broke the chain which united.'the Prince and
the people : and in three days he was hurled from his
Throne. Learn and practice justice. Once more, and
again—justice is the only means of political salvation
for the present and for the future. All delusions are vain ;
the main question, however, is—How can we secure the
course of justice against the wild passions and the selfish-
ness of men ? This divides opinion in Hanover and out of
it. Experience teachei that every one who possesses power
is inclined to deviate from the course of justice to ensure
that power ; and it is therefore concluded that the only way
to secure justice being done to all, is to form a combina-
tion of several different Powers, which shall controul and
balance each other.. The first generalanswer to the ques-
tion, what do the
,middle classes want ?—not enthusiasts,
not the ignorant, not the plunderers, but men of property
and experience, is, " Good citizens desire justice," To de-
scend, however, to particulars from this abstract proposi-
tion, the middle classes demand a powerful Crown, a power-
ful Aristocracy, and a powerful Commons, and that the
rights of all three should be clearly defined. •
*• The part of the town to which the Jews were confined,
and which was'closed in every night by the Authorities.

The opening of the Zoological Gardens, Chelten-
ham, is now finally determined to take place on the Queen's birthday,
as originally intended. The Committees and Society purpose celebrating
the -occasion by a public breakfast, after whioli the Gardens will he
opened in due form, and the floral and horticultural exhibitions will
take place on the ground.—Looker Oss.
MARRIED NAVAL OFFICERS.—Lord St. Vincent
never liked to hear of an officer getting married In war time. He would
say, when uny one asked permission to go honie to England ibr a short
period, " Sir, you want to go on shore and get married, and then you
won't be worth your salt."—Brotton's Life of St. Vincent.
MEDICAL SCIENCE.—The following apologue
made by a physician, a man of wit and philosophy, represents the state
of medical science. " Nature," says he, "is fighting with the disease.
A blind man armed with a club, that is the physician, comes to settle
the difference. He first tries to make peace. When he cannot accom-
plish this he lifts his club and strikes at random. If he strikes the dis-
ease, he kills the disease; if he strikes nature, he kills natute."
At the banquet to be given by the Conservative
Members of the House of Cumutoos to Sir Robert Peel, on the ittth inst.
at Merchant Tailors' MD, it is expected that of the fit I Members who
have inserted their names in the list of hosts, aiie will be present per.
squally so take part in the festival; 'hie Marquis of Chandos is ap-
pointed Chairman, and the Hon. W. S. Lascelles, Vice.chairman. We
understand that some of the most distinguished members of the House
of Lords, the Duke of Wellington taking the lead., httintated their wish
to, he included in the list of hosts ; but this was felt to be wholly incom-
patible with the principle 11Pckt tIIQ entertainment had been sug-
gested and assonged,
Marshal Sault, it is undeistoodi ;weans to keep a
hosektolie table at the seat of his speci?-1. embassy in Albemarle-sttoet,
where he is expected to arrive in. a fortnight.
We regret tQ announce the demise of Lord Mun-
caste!, wniet took place at Richmond en Monday last. His Lordship
was a Peer of Ireland, and hem An the 14th December, 1802. He
succeeded his f'-'411P'll111,0i):ille,r, the second Lord, on the 2fith./uly, 18 6c.
By kia marriav WWI Frances Catherine, younge.st daughtet of Sir Joists
liamstien, Bart., he has left a numerous infant fanail7 to deplore his
premature demise.

East Aru Qampany. has voted a sword, of
gninos valne, to Captain Chads, for his exertions in suppres4ue
icy IR the ihclian seas,