The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1836-12-27 00:00:00

legislature of the counts., ? Of what offence have they bees
guilty, that there should be a forfeiture Of their political
fee? We can easily answer these questions. Because
they have preserved the country from the destruction
meditated against it by radical reformers—because they
have vindicated the rights of property—because they 112"
checked a political demagogue in his revolutionary career
iu Irelandbecause, in fine, they have chained the ruth-
less hands of a spoliating, constitution-destroying minis-
try. For this they must be levelled ; and, to accomplish
this, every artifice that a tortured imagination can devise,
or an evil heart suggest, will be employed during the
next session of parliament, and we believe it has been the
chief question of deliberation during the recess.
But, as the ability to perform a wicked device is not
always commensurate with the desire, the ministers of
evil, hitherto driven from their main design, still, indi•
rectly, carry into execution their purpose whenever an
opportunity offers. Thus, baffled at present in their at'
tempts upon the House of Lords, they spread their per-
nicious compost over every section of the land where
they have influence, that it may fertilise the pernicious
seeds contained in it, and cause them to bring forth fruit,
full of deadly poison, to aristocratic power, and, there-
fore, fit for the garner of democratic reform; from
which it will be brought, as occasions offer, to drug the
parliamentary cup of agitation. Of these poisonous
fruits none has been more prolific in practical results of
levellism than municipal reform. By it the title and the
dignity of mayoralty are degraded—we no longer look
up to it as the designation of a local chief magistrate--
as the guardian of our civil rights—the dispenser of every-
day justice; the title, truly, is retained, and the power is
retained, but the regard for both is lost—it is levelled--
it is no longer the head of a wealthy, well-educated, well"
bred class of the community, but the name of a leader,
of a vulgar, ignorant, party-serving cabal—gathered out
of all ranks of Society—in which men with most imPe-
dence and least sense, rise to distinction. How can such
a carcass, have .an honourableheati? Originally, and un-
interruptedly, till the Municipal Reform Bilk-stuck a
badge of disgrace upon the character—an alderman Was
a title of high respect—they were gentlemen•of fortune.-
and therefore placed above temptation, to perieft
justice—separated, as such functionaries ever were, and
always, ought to be, from the concerns of ordinary life.
Now, who are aldermen ?—a man who, every day, mar
be seen behind his counter, selling cotton, or ribbons--
serving customers upon whom, it may be, tomorrow, he
will be called to sit in judgment. This evil, we know,
in a slight degree, existed under the old corporation
system, and it was, in our estimation, the principal im-
perfection of it—but then it had this redeeming quality,
that no tradesman ever became an alderman, who•stoorl
not in the first rank for wealth, and character in the
town. Now his aldermanic creation depends not upon
virtue, or talent, or property—a valuable guarantee of
integrity, however it may be despised by radicals--
but upon his political recklessness—if lie be but pre-
pared to go all lengths in the destruction of existing
institutions—if he have but lungs that can exceed
" cenlum votes"—no matter what may be his moral cha-
racter—be is a fit instrument for accomplishing the de-
signs of radicalism, and he becomes, an alderman—and
is not this levelling all distinctions ?—lowering the tone
of public virtue ?—is it not a vast stride towards that
democracy which borders upon the confines of anarchy
itself ? And are these aims not directed to, and accom-
plishing, one and the same purpose? and that purposes--
equality of civil rights—the doctrine of revolutionary
France—the greatest political solecism that was ever en-
gendered in the fervid brain of discontented man. But
our object is to expose other insidious attempts, and, We
are sorry to add, two successful endeavours, of our pre-
sent ministers, to undermine the foundations of the Bri-
tish Constitution, by digging away the rock of virtue•
wisdom, and wealth, upon which it has stood for ages.
the bulwark of our country, and the adoration of the
world—supplying its place with the incoherent materials
of party spirit, hungry cupidity, unprincipled ambition,
and infidel liberalism. We invite attention to the subtle
means employed to accomplish this design-.-we- cat per-
ceive running through a great variety of,/apparently, in-
dependent measures, this one undivided object of de-.
mocracy—and the are the more earnest to excite atten-
tion, because we think the public have not yet beerit
brought to view these measures as forinink parts of one
plan, but have discussed each upon its owii merits.' The
clamour has hardly ceased, with which radical dissenters
demanded the introduction of this levelling system into
our universities—property left for specific, and welt-de-
fined purposes, was to be alienated from the will of testa-;
tors—the forces of our national church were all to be
broken down—and, we suppose) the divinity chair itself
to be held by a Unitarian professor; to enlighten the
mind of theological students—destined to become lights
of the Established Church—all this was levellism—a re-
trograde step to anarchy—and all the fruit of that anti-
patriotic weed political reform.

And, last!y, to show with what consistency Ministers
pursue the one object, look at the obart?r conferred on

the University of London. We forbear to say a word
more on its infidel and political character, because that
has already been painted by the master hands of oyr
Metropolitan Journalists; but what a successful blow is

given to honorary titles, %vial which, once, we associated

ideas of academical learning—and though, in mans, in-
stances, it might be conferred, as a mate; of honour

rather than a testimony of merit, yet there always has

been blendel with titular designations something men-

:ally lofty, which served to show that talent and industry

had their reward, however rank, or favour, might some-

times obtain it without desert. But what aria be the
value of such honours now ?—honours, which have the

stain and odium of political corruption on them ? Who

will know from what college, literary addenda have bee►
obtained ? and A. 8., or A. r,1., from thu London Uni-
versity, will " become the mouth as well" as 11.-e same
titles derived from Cambridge or Oxford ? But, as
newspapers are required to have a peculiar stamp upon
them, so we would suggest to the universities to have
the little additamentum of C or 0 after the titular honours.
This defence against pollution may not, easily, be in"

corporated in souni, but it will furnish a distinctive-
character to written honours—for no one from this time

Forward, " will pen a sonnet" or 'write a " primer

below an A.M.—and every pothouse will ring with the
eloquence of Doctor A., or Professor B. We think the

first boon of the college, should be a universal diploma

to our erudite corporation, mayor, aldermen, and town-
councillors, investing them with the honours of A.M,—ve-

will give them a testimonial, if they need it, of being

consummate masters of all the arts of municipal cur-

ruption.

But let us return to this unity of ministerial design--
this fatal levelling system which is so destructively at
work in every institution of the land—which if resisted
in one place, immediately making an attack in another;
if unsuccessful in levelling the Lords, yet successful
stripping off all dignity from municipal corporations ; if
frustrated at the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge,-

yet completely victorious in the University of _London
and now plotting to level all qualifications for candidates
for Parliament, as well as all qualification in electors--
universal eligibility and universal sufftage the cry—thus
rendering the whole system uniform. Royalty itself has
received from levellism a more dishonourable blow ; for'

with the constitutional privilege to choose its ministers,
democratic insolence hap put a constraint upon the libertl
of choice.

DFAvornoordwunn ltoo,". a time is come to mock at form:
everytroyalhe
E corner
English
ria !—allaci,oeus von
of
ofaisgs nesageonlrbal
ignorance!
nowe! counsellors, hest oc !
Nom, borough sink-holes, purge you of your scum 2
Have you a radical can prate—rave—lie—
Dissemble and cabal—do ought but blush—
Be happy : he will trouble you no more—
England shall give him office—ho.nour—might.
It behoves every one well disposed to his country, espe-
cially every one who has any influence over national
affairs, whether directly, as a member of the British
senate, or indirectly, as exercising au elective f;.tuclii'e::
to watch most scrupulously shis levelling tendency
of
reform measures. Frequently, if nothing more can he
gained than a half step tuwarda AcmociaLry, the earliest-