New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1848-04-15
ENGLISH OPINIONS.
The Middle and Workins CInsses' Position.
From the Manchester Examiner.

Honan passion like the human coootensDce, mas
ts gensric chsrsctsrisrics and. thereo'e all reVo-
lo,ions muss exhibit sirnilarities In action aud re-
so!ts Notwithstanding the great change which
has passed over society. we see, In the French
H.voloti OF lele m nch that exhibits strklDg
analogy 70 that Of 1859. There 10 similar exuta
ton and similar Slam; hope and fear. the motive
MOWERS OF human conduct are in alternate sscen
depcy dreams Of social regeneration animate the
ardent - dread OF indefoite change agitates the
timid and for the time, social existence resembles
a vessel steered in arctic seas in perpetual danger
Of being crushed between conflicting masses.
The similarity v also striking between the effect
prodaced on the public mind OF England by the
French Revelation Of sixty years sgo and that
which the present great change Is exciting now
Sixty years ago, the working classes OF this coun
try demsnd led the realization Of the " Five Points
u the Charter" and they found Duke Of Rich
mond 10 enbody them in 4 bill which he actually
presented to the consideration OF Parliament
bixty and seventy years ago. Democracy raised its
head With q sterLer and more menaciDg aspect
than IL exhibits now and found men Of the highest
genius TO reiterate demands more sweeping IN
their nature than have yet obtained expression In
the general voice OF the people. "KDgcrah end
" prisstcraft,' a. the phrases went, awoke
hsrcer hostility all existing Institutions Ia Church
and State seemed destined to q more sudden and
inevitable overthrow good men from the pulpit
announced the dawning OF new era, full OF bless
ings for the human race and human progress and
thinkers and hopeful reformers. In the American
War Of Independence. religious, Puritan New
England set on fire by smart sbrewd yet
shallow and aippant pamphlet. called :" Common
Sense" written by Thomas Pane Daring the
political excitement that preceded the first
French Revolution, sentiments were uttered by
public men Ia England which would be thought
extreme even At the more advanced period at
which We now live; and Pitt himself, ere he sub
sided into the puot that weathered the storm,
AL A.. TO- D., liam ffsry Hofn
by speeches that might have elected cheers in our
Free Trade Hall. Then it was that Bentham, In
his Fragment on Government pierced 10 the
very core the fascies. the fctions, the phrases of
that glorious constitution 10 Church and State,
sxpounded by Blackstone and admired by De-
lolme Then il was that Goodwin wrote Of "Polit
cal Justice" and his wife OF the Rights OF
Woman I" when Macintosh heshed bis maiden
sword and achieved his frat reputation, In bis
vipdicstion Of the French Revolution from the
sleausnt invectives Of Burke; when Wordsworth
and Southey dresmt Of crestins Pantisocrscy
On the banks Of the Sosquehaona = and the whole
ediAcs OF European power shaken TO its iounda
ton by the throes Of the blind strong man, seemed
about TO bury everything in its runs
Bat though in this respect there ARE striking
sin,larities between the two revolutions. the dis
similerities are not less remarkable. We have
heard intelligent and liberal minded men avow
their opinion, that the present French Revolution
will run q coorse similar TO that OF the first one
and that change will be followed by anarchy and
anarchy by military desPotism It's a. Lord John
Rasssil remarked on Monday night somewhat
bssardous to prophesy-the Future OF the French
Republic has unquestonably very dark and stormy
aspeces But 10 there not also 10 the entire char
scter Of public opinion. both in France and Eng
land. q something which may inspire the most
timid with hope Blood has been shed; senseless
rioss have been excited; wild demands are made
unrsasopsbl expectations have been raised a II
uancial crisis impends; panic ties up money bags
and Commerce looks forward. uneasy and forebod-
ing. Bat 10 there not also breadth In public
opinion. on which confidence In the maintenance
OF public order may rest with far more security
than at any former period Are the masses in
France and England a. restless, as ferocious, as
mach inclined to the destruction of lite and prop
srsy % vas the case in both countries during the
fret French Revolation1 1t were a Islander to
s6lsm It. That very increase OF our population,
which makes 90 great q difference between the
present and former revolutionary periods aud
which, In one point Of view. renders the present
psYiod more perious, 10 also additional element
Of security Tue population must live the great
bulk of the population are thoroughly Impressed
with the conviction that In such country ~ this
existence can only be obtained by regular Industry,
through the ordinary operations Of trade and COM
mHrce and that conviction operating as a per-
psenal demonstration, will more certainly keep the
peace than troops and special constsbles, who
might feel that they were going through painful
daty without heart or hope, or care for the interests
1t stake.
Bus there IL another point of view which marks
Q great difference in the present period, and which
n calculated TO inspire both hope and fear. What
svsr may BE- the inward feeling OF the upper
classes there 10 exhibition OF the old ascenden
oy spirit The word "rabbe" 10 all but blotted
oas Of their vocabulary. and the people have be-
come TACT Kings. dignities and hierarchies speak
with difference OF an invisible power, which for
msriy they knew not and would not recognize
Everywhere even 10 Russia, the common mass OF
men are becoming actaailties-rea lities-facts-a
something which, II not taken into prompt account
viii render Government an impossbiity This 10
. stupendous fact--a mighty change. The people
begin 70 know that they have risen into living
power In the apprehensions Of those who were
once almoss their absolute rulers: and it is this
victiou which inspires the great body with disesst
Of the senseless riots which have recently taken
place Walk among group even OF young lads
In fastisn jackets, and you will hear them speaking
with unqualified contempt Of the conduct OF the
rioters. There 10 use. they say. in such things
and they discaim all sympathy association with
hlscksaards. whose only object 10 to destroy and
pluoder. Nov. although this conviction arises
hon intellectual appreciation, from the knowledge
which tells them OF the folly a. we'll a. the crimi
nasy Of such conduct 10 10 also q manifestation OF
the quiet oonsciousness OF power. There may be
furious defamation at public meetings, and wild
EXPRESSIONS used by indlsoreet orators; bat the
oaeo OF Soo people VIII uoS tofctstc riSttue, simPy
bscsuss they consider that il 10 not only foolish in
isssh bot also because oil their objects can be at
tanned without IL.
Nov, shis 10 very critical point at which the
popular mind hes arrived and the middle classes |
are responsible for H. For ct least quarter of
censury. the middle classes. active, intelligent and
determined, have been educating the working
clssses and convincing them that everything il u
b obtained by peaceful orderly constitutional ag
tasion. BY that means. all the changes have been |
Effected that have taken place. from the repeal OF
he Test and Corporation acts down TO Free Trade |
nay. more. the middle classes have been indebted |
10 sbe woskine clssses lss during the Reform asita
s,ool for little Of that sslutary terrorism which
oonvinces temporal and spiritual lords that oonces
sioa y much more safe and more salatary than re-
prsssioa Now. the working classes NAV fairly |
ssy 70 the middle classes. By our joint efforts We
Obtained Catholic Emancipation. repeal OF the Test
Sad Corporation acts. Parliamentary and Municipal
Rslorn, abolition OF the Food Monopoly and various
cshsr inssslments Of justice; do We now. once for
ell part company. you to stand still, we TO go on
What answer is TO be givenI Shall we JOIN the
sTistocracy In hoping that another Nspolcoo will
arise In France, another Pitt in England, another
nuaonnAion OF Caah ma fs.U hondrsd mil