The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1853-09-20 00:00:00

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TUESDAY

MORNING-, SEPT. 20, 1853

1 H 'is one of the evils attending our modern
system of legislation, that no great change can be
effected, whether for good or for evil, without a

preliminary course of popular agitation. Our laws
are ostensibly emanations from the wisdom of
Parliament, but they are in reality the effects of
the pressure from without ; so that we are no longer
governed by the intelligence of the few, but by the
active will of the many, operating in public meet-
ings and in election contests, and influencing the
proceedings of the responsible advisers of the
laown. A CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQLTER is
Ipresumed to prepare his Financial Statement with
special reference to the exigencies of the State, the
peculiar pressure of the public burdens, and the
most advisable means of affording relief. Such is
the presumption, but, in reality, he is guided more
by the energy with which particular interests
claim exemptions in their own favour, and their
respective bearings -upon the strength of political
parties, irrespective of justice and equity. At one
time, there is a clamour for the repeal of the
Window Duty, and Ministerial subserviency makes
the concession; at another time, the popular feeling
runs in favour of cheap sugar or cheap tea, and
forthwith the ,demand is gratified, although it
involves the necessity of imposing fresh burdens
upon some other class of the community possessing
less parliamentary influence. The Reform Bill was
carried, not by the intelligence of our senators, but
from popular agitation. 'Success emboldened con-
stant resort to the tame means, and almost every

subsequent =measure of any importance was owing
to the same influence. When Sir JAMBS GRAHAM,
as a Conservative Minister, introduced a Bill to
secure .a more general system of education in the
principles of the Church, he gave it •up because the
Dissenters entered into an active agitation against
it, and the same mode of expressing what is called
public opinion has heen permitted to supersede the
functions and influence the decisions of Parliament
in every great question which, during the last
has formed the theme of popular dis-

twenty years

cussion. To the credit of the late Sir ROBERT
PEEL, however, it may be said that he was less
guided 'by these extraneous movements than any
Minister of modern days, and particularly iso in his
financial schemes, having imposed the Income-tax,
and repealed the Auction and Glass Duties, without
the slightest pressure from without being brought
to bear on either subject.
In the agitation to •effect what is popularly
known as Free-trade, the prime movers had a more
difficult task than ordinary ; for not only was there
a large majority against the scheme in both Houses
of Parliament, but the people themselves, upon
whom the agitators depended for their strength,
were either opposed to it or lukewarm. They did
not, however, despair. They met few in number
at first, subscribed thousands to pay the necessary
expenses, hired lecturers to advocate the cause in 1
public assenibliesroffered prizes for essays in elucida-
tion of the subject, and deluged the country with
pamphlets and writings in order to arouse the
populace into a general clamour for cheap bread.
The result is -too familiar to need reiteration. It
was a striking instance of energy and determina-
tion on tlce one hand, and credulity on the other,
rendered successful by 'Ministerial treachery, and
resulting in great distress, and a destruction of all
confidence in the honour and honesty of public
men. It was a repetition .of the treachery with

which the Protestant cause was betrayed by the
Emancipation Bill in 1829, and its consequence was
similar in the defeat and discomfiture of the Mini-
ster who perpetrated it.

It might, however, serve as a useful lesson to
those who still adhere to Conservative principles.
If the Free-traders could make such sacrifices, and
display such energetic perseverance, in order to
carry out a mere political theory in our commercial
system, what should not those do who aim at being
Conservative leaders, in order to maintain and pre-

serve those institutions of the country for which
they profess so much veneration P It is of vital
importance to the welfare of the State, that Con-
Iservative principles should be in the ascendant in
the Legislature ; and yet, notwithstanding the
mighty interests at stake, little or nothing is done
to accomplish such an object. In election con-
tests we find all shades of Radicalism uniting to
further their own views, while Conservatives are
almost unaided in their efforts, and even opposed
by those who should be with them. Men loud in
their professions of zeal for Protestantism are
found swelling the ranks of Radicals who have in-
variably favoured the designs of Romanists, and
representatives returned by Conservative electors
are found supporting a Radical Ministry. The
Free-traders left no means untried which could
contribute to their success, The Conservatives
have hardly made an effort, except attention in
some constituencies to the Registration and an oc-
casional contest at the hustings. The Free-traders
lavishly supported the Radical Press which
favoured their views ; the Conservatives have left
the Conservative Press to fight their battles with-
out any other aid than the consciousness of the
justice of their cause, and the conviction that
virtue is its own reward. The Free-traders
handsomely rewarded every writer who advocated
their cause, and circulated essays and pamphlets

on the subject in almost limitless profusion ; the

Conservatives, in this respect, have done literally
nothing, and the unthinking public are left at the

. _
mercy of their self-elected instructors. The -Free-
traders held public meetings _in every
_town
_

throughout the kingdom, and in lectures and ora-

tions impressed their specious doctrines upon th,

minds o.? their hearers; the Conservatives, in this
respect also, have done nothing, notwithstanding

the magnificence of their cause.

What, then, is the obvious duty of those who,
from station, influence, and the possession of
wealth, should be in the position of popular leaders,