Weekly national intelligencer., 1848-10-28

do not feel little hattered when we find opinions
which we have frequently advanced in our commu-
nications TO the National lnteiligencer " echoed
by so high an authority. We have often stated
every sentiment contained in the following extract,
but as we feel that we have never stated them SO
well, we venture TO give the words OF the eloquent
reviewer, IN order that our own ideas may receive
the advantage OF being clearly and iorclbly advo-
Gated
No country has effected many great changes by
peaceful means England has done during the last one hun
dred and sixty years. and far less changes more rapidly ac
compshed attempted, have other countries been either
attended with many Of the evils of revolution, have in fact
produced them Ii their gradual character and that alone,
which made them SAFE The history of many Of these
great changes is in this point of view, deeply instructive
The principles involved in them were, at first, slowly propa
gated from few superior minds to many Of inferior power,
gradually made their way into large sections and At length
masses OF the community Were first maigned, then dis
cussed then aniliarzed-then embacedt, length, hav
ing eayened the whole lump the Legislature soemny set its
seal the expression Of matured public opinion Nor do
the slightest degree doubt that equally great changes may
BE- peacefully effected, and will be witnessed by posery
without any danger the constitution, provided they ef
ected in similarly cautious and temperate spirit. But by
only raising finger could effect all these changes
morrow, would nodo it because certain that until they
OF Weal,
and population of the country their favor should only
10 harm by it. Many of our great changes have been halt
century maturing It is common place say Ministers
behind the People They do any thing of i'm
portapce until they compelled We answer once,
may it be So We have wish see the Minister
who will take upon himself to propose any great change,
bis individual conviction, that Of his official col
leagues, that will be for the benefit OF The nation; uni,
the nation has unequivocay expressed its decidedly pepon
deraing WILL This were in fact to of the hands
Of the people that sovereignty Of which they usually
jealous We would strictly keep in their hands, would
deny 10 any minister the right of presumng ought to be-
what few years, will be- the will Of the nation His
par, and his duty wait till he the great bulk the
nation already marshang him his course and far from
blaming, would rather applaud the caution which will
be satisfied until that is very unequivocay indicated
otherwise he might be giving effect, the voice of the
Eaton, but to the suggestions of few individuals. Thus
what often urged against the conduct Of Government
that is behind the pecpeis, most generally its highest
praise. All that wise minister will commonly attempt to DO
to sail into harbor at he op of the tide. II he attempt
before he will only bring on the breakers The
tide must be at flood before he safely raise his anchor
Sir JAMES Macintosh never uttered profound
er or truer word than when he said that poit-
cal Institutions are not made, but grow" This
vital principle it is in the British constitution, this
growth which has been maturing for centuries, and
IS capable of indefinite further growth which gives
to II power and an energy omnipotent for all the
legitimate purposes of Government which could
not be derived from mere skeleton of parchment.
One more short extract from this powerfully writ
ten article-it will be some weeks before it is re-
printed>in the United States and when it is il will
not be seen by many Of those who will peruse it,
if inserted in your columns. This is period in
the worlds history when it is of the highest i'm
portance that correct notions Of good Government
and the best modes Of securing it, should oe widely
disseminated. Republican as are in our feel
ings, and regarding republicanism the very best
theory Of Government, we are still very much in
doubt whether any great portion of the family OF
man is fl for It's practice, although we hold that the
whole Of that family has the capacity to make itself
SO. We do rot think that our neghbors in France
can establish republican form of Government,
through this moral or social or political incompat-
bllity. You have much less Of this incompatibility,
and therefore you proportionally better fitted for
republican rule, and the perpetuity Of your nstitu-
tons depends entirely upon your preserving and
increasing your adaptiveness TO their operations.
Now, next TO your form Of Government, absolute
ly both theoretically and practically republican we
hold the form of Government administered under
the British constitution 10 be the most republican
in its operation and results:
g" has been (says the reviewer) very sowy-deyeloped
growth of centuries aggregate Of laws and usages which
have been impercepby deposi,ng themselves during thou
land yearshe venerable Lnd the curious Of the
intellectual Of civilized Il is Pile majestic
ndee] but OF varying orders Of architecture and Of parts that
have be referred the widely eas much Of
hoary with age and Of il The fresh looking masonry Of
Yesterday But the whole erection has been marked by the
law Of continuity and though, in fact during the ten cen,u
res Of its existence has passed through changes which may
be said TO be anamount TO entire charge constitution
and, If they had been effected simultaneously would in fact,
have constituted such Transformation, no portion has been
removed at time large leave far greater pau
standing untouched. II has been changed like the sacred
ship Of Athens plank by plank, fragment by fragment l
scarcely any part remains still, in the human
body, continuity and change have coopeaed and secured
substantial identity by the simultaneous processes OF decay
and repaaIon has throughout been different, and vet the
same"
The reviewer has not pleased the advocates for
Parliamentary REFORM because he does not think
that universal suffrage and the vote by ballot are
the best means Of obtaining it. The Ddiiy hevs,
whilst il deprecaes some Of the opinions of the
/ Edinburgh Reviewer, does not recommend uniyer-
sal suffrage for England; and with respect to the
extension of the suffrage to females, il has the fol-
lowing, as 1t appears to u.s. very pertinent remarks
"We do think that the votes OF al men and women