The Sun.
London, England, 1857-05-12 00:00:00

raTERATURE.

A. Concise History of the English Constitution.
By E Howley, Esq., of the Middle Temple.
Longman.
In :brief and sensibly written preface to this
volume, the author remarks, that though theworks
on the English Constitution are numerous and ex-
cellent, all methods of treating the subject do,
not appear to be exhausted. The present worle
fully deserves its title of a concise history, as et
is brief and clear in its sketches of the alteratirms
in the law, mid the political changes which have
affected the constitution. One of the author's ob-
jects has been to omit unnecessary facts. In illus-
trating the advantages of judicious selection, he
happily observes that though every shell on the
sea-shore is perfect in itself and a marvel to the
oareful observer, yet that persons in an ordinary
station of life may do betterthan devote themselves
to the study of concholoey. In like manner
though every little incident may have been irn-
portAnt in its influence on the administration
at certain periods, and though every pebble which.
helped to raise the noble edifiCe of our constitile
tion may not be without int-rest, the general
reader will have neither the leisure nor the
inclination to study a voluminous work. Those
who wish to obtain a clear idea of our constieu-
Canal history, the causes of its most important
changes, and its gradual progress from the Norman
invasion, cannot find a more valuable assistant
than Mr. Howley's brief treatise. The author,
hiving apparently little of the literary vanity which
induces some writers to give their own opinions a
prominent place in works of history, has confined
himself to stating facts and to quoting the words
of statesmen and great legal and philosophical
authorities. In the preface he remarks :—" The
author is also convinced that it is better to state
the opinions and arguments of a Bacon or a Lord
Mansfield, than indulge too much in original views,
which would be without the support of an esta-
blished political reputation, and which, if not par-
ticularly striking, would be deemed worthless, in
this ago of light literature, lectures, and encyclo-
paedias. With a more mature judgment and
greater experience, the task of lengthy disquisi-
tions might be attempted. There is no desire to
burden the communication of concise and elemen-
tary knowledge with speculations rather than facts.
In a series of essays certain institutions and laws /
of England are brought prominently forward, with
a brief commentary for the display of their impor-
tance, symmetry, and simplicity. Nothing is ad-
mitted into those essays that has not a distinct
reference to the English Constitution as defined at
the outset." The work contains fourteen essays,
some of them very brief, others of a considerably
length. The subjects treated of are as follows : The
Constitution—Sovereignty—The Feudal System—
The English Law of Landed Property—Magna
Charta—The Reign of Charles I. —Pet ition of Rights
—Hampden's appeal against Ship-money—The Bill
of Rights—The Act of Settlement—The Law of
Treason—Parliamentary Supplies—The Libcrw of
the Press—Political relations between England
and her dependencies. It will be seen that this
kook embraces all the most imnortant points in.
our civil history. In the last of the series an in-
teresting review is taken of our connection with
our colunial. dependencies. The origin and pro-
gress of the American revolution offers many im-
portant considerations to the attention of the poli-
tician, and the government of India is also a sub-
ject that demands wise and careful statesmanship.
The following passage is from the concluding re-
marks, and affords a fair sample of the author's
style.
"Since the bill of A.D. 1853, the Cabinet Ministers
have acknowledged a complete responsibility for Indian
mi-government, and the president of the Board of Con-
trol makes an annual statement on the finances and
general prospects of India. He points out how the
Indian revenue amounts, each year, to about
20,000,0001., of which 2,000,000/. is defrayed in Eng-
land. He observes, that the Indian army consists of
300,000 men, of whom one-sixth are Europeans. But
what has England done for the Indian Empire ? He
can allude to the prohibition of superstitious practices
that shocked humanity. He may announce the eaten-
hien of education, and the scheme for establishing In-
dian universities. He may trace the railways and the
electric telegraph, stretching further than the Ganges or
the Indus. But when the outcry against taxation assails
his ear, he can but lament that enormous land rents
should prevent the cultivation of the soil, that a tax
on salt should be injurious to a people existing on a
vegetable diet, and that customs should be insignificant
in the absence of an extensive trade. The innovations
contained in each Indian Bill have grown from some
previous changes, that at the time scarcely attracted
notice. No sweeping theory has ever been adopted,
and every alteration bears the impress of the practical
and cautious mind of English statesmen. Their tem-
porising policy has governed India better than the native
princes, and perhaps better than would have been pow-
Bible with any theoretical constitution devised in the
closet of a philosopher. This opinion is not shared it%
by Mill, the great historian of India, who animadverts
with some severity upon the manner in which England
has held sway over her oriental possessions. The prin-
cipal difficulty is to find a body of Indian rulers whose
motives for good or evil may be balanced by responsi-
bility to a judicial tribunal, the probability of public dis-
approbation, and the chance of removal. Most Euro-
pean governments control the courts of justice, and
despise the reclamations of the people, but can be
purified if they give sufficient play to the elective or
representative system, which attunes the actions of sove-
reignty in harmony with the wishes of the community.
The barbarous princes of India could realise none of
those conditions. The advantage of English over illative
rule arises from an English tribunal being able to cha.-
tise the highest officials, from a superior race exercising
the check of Parliamentary discussion, and from an in-
terested home government being ready to dismiss any
public servant who is guilty of misconduct. The home
administration of Indian affairs is a substitute for the
impossibility of a local representative system. During
the present century, a few Indian towns have begun
to elect municipal officers, and a hopeful imagination
calling to mind how Edward I. infused into the House
of Commons the elective principle of borouebs, might
picture some future Viceroy of India summoning a re-
presentative assembly from amongst the burgesses of
Delhi and Caleata. Bet the habits of the Asiatics, and
the small proportion of European residents, forbids this
experiment of self-government, and therefore an English
statesman must be satisfied to strengthen and develops
the existing guarantees against Indian misrule. The
supervision of Indian affairs ought to be placed in the
hands of those Englishmen who are most interested in
she welfare of India. According as the interest of the
Court of Directors has lesseaed, the home government
has been transferred to ministers whose desire to escape
removal and responsibility has become at least equal to
the pecuniary interest of the directors id the payment
of dividends. The removal of the directors depends on
the proprietors of Indian stock, whilst the removal of
ministers rests with Parliament. The constitetency that
can best fulfil the trust reposed in it should be preferred.
Pecuniary motives made the proprietary constituency
sanction heartless extortion. Let the parliamentary
constituency prove that it is guided by honest emulation
and sincere pnilanthropy. Without English rule,
imperfect, how-
ever
mperfect, India might not be open to English come.
coerce. The other dependencies that are not retained
on account of strategical importance, or to serve as
penal settlements, defray their own expenses, enjoy the
greater portion of the local patronage, and govern them-
selves subject to the imperial restrictions that Parlia-
ment has placed on their legislatures. Misrule flees
from them because tbey have, in the representative sys-
tem, Argus, with a hundred eyes, and in local govern-
ment, Briareus, with a hundred hands. As a skilful
general would spread out his army to outflank an enemy,
or would abandon a position that be could not hold la
w
safety, there is no reason why England sthonueldenneotuwhidtehrs
draw from an untenable outpost ; but le
pretence of concentrating her forces,
we weaken
to carry civilisation and liberal
institutionsenhertpeo
the
r
furthest ends of the earth."
and concisely written his-
toryAs a carefully compiled
library, and from its
deficiency in the student's
of the Constitution, this work supplies a,
a work of reference. As
relation of facts it will be
extensively valuable as
brevity and simple
the encouragement
such it will, no doubt, obtain
it merits.

THE OXFORD AND CAMBRIDGE COMMISSIONERB.—In a
supplement to the Gazette, published yesterday, there ap.
pear ordinances of the University Commissioners wit h
fcreference
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College,minbg Pembroke
colleges
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College
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minnbiCtnyo.
di lgeceg.oe
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ordinances relate chiefly to the election of Masters and
Fellows, and the regulations of certain scholarships.
CAMBRIDGE tTWJVERSITY— ST JOHN'S COLLEGE.—Firs
Class at the Vol ,untats' Classical Examination—J. A.
Boodle, H. E. Bo c th, Butler, Crabtree, J. Green, Hep•
penstall, A. Holmes, S. A. E. Lafone, Longtnire, J. H
Lupton, Noble, Pa tts, C. Stanweil, W. Wavell.
SUICIDE FROM .M ORPRIA.—Last evening Mr. W. J.
Payne held an inq ut st at the Spotted Dog, Strand, re-
peeling the death .if Mr. George Fife, aged 50, who it
was stated was a n sedical gentleman of some eminence at
Birmingham, and was brother to Sir John Fife. The
deceased was a me, n ber of Queen's College, and Profes-
sor of Materia Medi aa. It was proved in evidence tbat
on Friday evening t tt.e deceased went to the shop of Mr.
Borfield, chemist, ri'd rfolk-street, Strand, and asked for
some morphia, which he said he took in small doses to
procure sleep. Mr. Burfield's assistant gave the de-
ceased some morphia in a phial, but said he should not
have done so if he ha, i not known him to be a medica
walhseonsohledrettoutrhneeddhecoemaesetdo
wadneadcseased went to the Strand
amta
tnh. e As a
mt tonic
time.ic medicine
T t,
Ireet, he appeared to be in an
. who was called in, said the
ThihselaotdregionnoFirnidasysuurnrrieggyel.,:.
excited state from drink. Next morning he was found
ddeeacedaisnedbundoubtedlydi e,l from the effects of morphis,
and that, presuming the "bottle which bad contained it
had been full, there was .enough to kill four persons.
According to one witness, the deceased had said that
family matters preyed upon his mind. The jury returned
a verdict " That the deceased died from an over dose of
morphia, he being at the ti me in a st: to of intoxication,
but that he bad no intention, ;of wilfully destroying hie
life..