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

ley been
Because
'ruction
;se they
ley have
y career
Ile ruth-
g minis-
-01-11 plish
devise,
.ing the
next-session of parliament, and we believe it has been the
chief question of deliberation during the recess.
But, as the ability to peirm a wicked device is not
always cOmmensuratewith the desire, the ministers of
evil, hitherth driven from their main design, still, indi-
rectly, carry into execution their purpose whenever an
opportunity offers. Thus, baffled at present ;n their at-
tempts upon the House of Lords, they spread ii;eir per-
nicious compost over every section of the laud -alele
they Ire influeve, that it may fell ilise the pernicious
seeds contained in it, and cause them to bring forth fruit,
full of deadly poison, to aristocratic power, and, there-
fore, fit fur the garner Of democratic reform ;
which it will be brought, as occasions offer, to,drug the
parliamentiry cup of agitatimi. Of these poisonous
fruits none has been more proli& in practical results of
leeetlism than municipal reform. Irby 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 tetained, and the power is
retained, but. the regard fur both is lost—it is levelled—
it is no longer the head of a wealthy, %veil- 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 impu-
dence and least sense, rise to distinction. How can such
a carcass, have an honout able head ? Originally, and un-
interruptedly, till the Municipal Reform Bill 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 pervert
justice—separated, as such functionaries ever were, and
always, ought to be, front the concerns of ordinary life.
Now, who are aldermen ?—a man who, every day, may
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 stood
not in the first rank for wealth, and character in the
town. Now his aldermanic creation depends nut upon
virtue, or talent, or property—a valuable guarantee of
integrity, however it may be despised by radicals--
but upon his political recklessness—if he be but pre-
pared to go all lengths in the destruction of existing
institutions—if he have but lungs that can exceed
" centunt votes"—no matter what may be his moral cha-
racter—he 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 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 purpose—
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 can per-
ceive! running through a great variety of, apparently, Irv::
dependent measures, this one undivided object of de-
mocracy—and we are the more earnest to excite Eaten-
(ion, because we think the public have not yet been
brought to view these measures as forming parts of one
plan, but have discussed each upon its own 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 well-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 tl,e
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.
Awl, lastly, to show with what consistency Ministers
pursite the one object, look at the (*barter conferred o*
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 our
Metropolitan Journalists; but what a successful blow is
given to honorary titles, with which, once, we associated
ideas of academical learning—and though, in many in-
stances, it might be conferred, as a mark. of honour
rather than a testimony of merit, yet there always has
been blended with titular designations something men-
tally 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 will 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 been
obtained ? and A. 8., or A. M., front the London fini-
versify, will " become the mouth as well" as the 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 additamentumpf C or 0 after the titular honours.
This defence against pollution may nut, easily, be in-
corporated in sound, 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.—we
will give them a testimonial, if they need it, of being
consummate masters of all the arts of municipal cor-
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 in
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
fur Parliament, as well as all qualification in electors--
universal eligibility and universal suffiage the cry—thus
rendering the whole system uniform. Royalty itself has
received from levellisrn a more dishonourable blow ;. for,
with the constitutional privilege to choose its minister*,
democratic insolence hais put a constraint upon the libertY
of choice.
For nov a time is come to mock at form :
Down, royal state!—all you sage counsellors, besot
And to the English Court assemble now
From every corner apes of ignorance!
Now, borough sink-holes, purge you of your stuns !-'
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 uffice—bonour—might.
It behoves every one well disposed to his country, eslie;
cially every one who has any influence over widow!,
affairs, whether directly, as a member of the Bridals
senate, or indirectly, as exercising an elective franchisoer.
to watch most scrupulously Ibis leVelling tendency
reform measures. Frequently. if nothing mare can h
gained than a half step toward' democracy, the ca."3111.t.

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Ilion -ne purposp. -1,. ' kt.,;,,_f1„..,,•,.,.. • .:..N respect, ;'s gii . • bat there should be a forfeiture of their p
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......._ _, ~,.., ~- _4 L roe ?.- ' • can easily answer these questions. E
1411 I reinov Iry '-„. ' Avaiiiv, :-.: t EAIPLARS, tie- .
i,iviet:ie et, ... w.. d ()mote vvlbitevdr ,±2, ',
iliti,(, . e bei dy.) the 2tit - . go •
~. "''they h• • : preserved - .ountry from the dest
ire effective tor the pu Elie gm.d. Be first,: .- ~ -PKINci _i 1, VOCAL mi.ttFottlaErts : meditate, •y radical reformers—becam
proof that a change ass practicable and sale; -!. :::.,, +' EACH,
,
e. lie conileina,4l expe:nnental legislatiit, t6.it' ..ii YAMS, have vindiga he rights of property--because the
übsti:uted the shadow for the substaue.— .-lIENSI-I.ALL, and ips yr 4,
.i.I the speaker.) He refused toe)sol,M4e a ,-- Mr. PEMBERTON, 4 et checked a political demagogue in his revolutionary
Om for ail untried theory. He wished not who have kindly offeted their ser% ices. iu Irel4o4—because, in fine, they have chained Us
at the expense of yustiveaudeiniscience, Mr. BROWN will perform the last Fantasiaof Nichol son's, less hands of a spoliating, constitution destroying
ed integrity as the sines' itillfilti) safety. Ile whieh was played by the Author before the King and Qaeeu. try. For this they must be levelled ; and, tn accc
a menu, of a free stat.Olitt weld maintain Conductor, Mr. Geo. Hor.nr„N.
ew heel:Mies as a sit i' and was willing to In consequence of the il'ness of the Levier, Mr. G. EyToN, t 9, every artifice that a tortured imagination can
hese, said the liable a: ~z- , were the pi incip es Mi. BROWN cannot avail himself of the kind °fie, of tht, Lublin- ran evil heart suggest, will be employed duri
..iivp divt nnon'thg e was sure the mem- mental Performers.