The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1849-06-14
TIL Z REPU Lie.
ELECTORAL REFORM AND TRIENNIAL
PARIIAMENTS.
(Rrom the london Daily .Ns,os, J

ANY sagacious man, consulted as TO the fitness Of
the present moment for agltatlng and advancing
the great question of electoral reform, would pre-
baby shake his head, and say ii was by no means
a fit moment The Wings are in office, and thus
the party which is the old hereditary and rad.
tional leader of all movements, has got retaining
fee 10 be quiet. Then the industrious masses
which must be the soul of such movement, are
however pressed by taxation and mortified at the
stand-stil in all kinds of political progress, never
theless painfully moved by the fears which peryade
the spending and specializing classes, and the OBJ
snuction which foreign disturbance has raised 10
trade.
MANY of the middle class are thus but TOO apt to
echo in umidity the cry which the conservatives
raise in design. They forget altogether that mo-
ments of political panic like the present are the
most dangerous of all for the public Liberties and
the public purse; fear paralyzes the dependence of
both, whilst those who prey upon both seize every
preeXt TO be rigorous, retrograde, and lavish. IL
has, indeed, been always by panlcs got up on the
score of danger and infection from abroad that the
Tories have established their rule, and that aristo-
tocratic parties have contrlved to cheat the people
into false enthusiasm and Idle expense.
The present therefore, is the epoch of all others
when il most behooves the industrious classes to
open their eyes 10 politics and their ears TO in
formation; 10 associate, to keep watch upon the
tendencies and doings of their rulers and pursue
ardently those rghtfu reforms which will give
them and their humber fellows more influence, a
greater and more direct voice in the combat of pub
lie expenditure, and IN the management and dlsrl-
button of the sums which are raised
glance at the politics of the day will show that
the aristocralc classes are alarmed at events and
at things that nowise threaten concern the people
of this country. What is II TO us that the French
proclaim republic, or that the Pope and his sub
ects cannot agree Why should this be made
the preteXt of expenditure with us--should make
us keep up armies fleets, and officers But of this
the parties who form the majority in Parliament
will not be convinced And the only way to drive
these if not from power, at least from that old po-
Hcal track which has dragged into the rut of an
eight hundred millions debt, is TO make great
electoral change, and at the same time sage one,
such that comprised In household suffrage, the
ballot, triennlal parlaments and airer apporuon-
ment of members 10 constituencies.
Such is the programme of the association which
had It's first public meeting yesterday, report of
the proceedings of which will be found IN our col
umns. And most successful public meeting ii
was, in every sense-successful by its numbers, en-
thusiasm, concord, and order. After the chairman
had fully opened the meeting, Mr.. r. Osborne
made one of those rafting and telling speeches OF
which he treats the House of Commons TO too few
We may not agree with him IN thinking the popular
party so null in the House because so divided
They are divided because the members of this pop
uar party are not looking for place or in hopes of
forcing open the doors OF the cabinet. For this it
is which gives discipline and compacuess par
ty But eighty or hundred liberal members con-
stitute very efficient and formidable popular party,
ready to rally aud vote together on all essential
questions, even although they have no whlpper-n,
and indulge in the various capnces OF political IN
dependence. There is right good nucleus, if POI
htIea and financial retormers would bestlr them
selves TO gather more around 1t.
The ex-member for Coventry, more and more
missed in the House since the illness of Mr.. Hume
and Of so many metropolitan members, humorous
ly exempfed the prevailing equality OF taxation
Mr. Clarkes objections property qualification
for members were highly just. And II is no doubt
only because such an amendment must follow the
other more important reforms, that II was not
thought necessary TO place II specially amongst the
demands of the association.
The several resolutions, however, developed
they were by different speakers, would each require
separate consideration. But it certainly a SIM
gular coincidence, that on the same evening with
the first public meeting of the association, one OF
its leading questions should have been actually car
ried in the House of Commons. Mr.. Tennison
dEyncourt may, indeed, have owed his victory
more to the idling excitement of the Derby than
TO any growing wish of the members of the House
10 curtail their tenure of representation. Indeed
uiennal pariaments rs one of those very fair and
necessary laws for putting end to political trad
ing which the pressure from without must strong
ly urge on Parliament, 1t can be finally carried