New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-12-07
ENGLAND-POLlTICALD

\ Let UkE,
BY MR.. MORTON, OF CAMBRIDGE ENG
tD,..,,,l for rrbn Vriilir@

LIZ /
nv AIR MORTON OF CAMBRIDGE, ENG
Reported for The Tribune
4 Lecture on the above subject was Delivered
bv Mr.. MoRroS in the Lecture Room OF the Mer
camille library Association. Clinton Hall, on Wed
uesday evening last. Alter Introducing himself
to the audience, he proceeded to deliver his lec-
ture, OF which give brlet synopsis There
is no nation, said he whose name conveys to the
world impressions so varied as that OF Eng'snd
If we look back to her early history, there Is
much we will find to interest us. II we go back
to the period in which she was under the lntia'
erce of her Dmids, and the Supersttions OF tnat
time when the Bard devoted his lie to singing
the praise of military heroes and the prowess OF
their arms-wc look at the commlngng OF races
whose various characters combined made Eng
land one of the greatest nations OF modern times
whose knowledge, whose intellectual power haVo
raised her above all others-we shan not wonuer
that England is a subject for the interest OIL man
kind It's not her position the character oil her son.
climate, or any OF those natural advantages "nNe
so much contribute TO the prosperity OF othef
countries which have made her 50 great, or 70
which we can attribute her present character
among the nations of the earth J o no othet
cause can we ascrbe her greatness tnah 10 LIN! LIN
indomitable spirit which shrinks before no am
cuties, and is deferred by no danger England;
continued the lecturer like other nations, has haa
to contend against a combination oil various lnnu
euces: against the influences swayed by the &c
clesiastical, monarchcal and arlsocratleal powers
who have been the cause OF all the misery ana
lIoodsbed which have at various periods con
yulscd not only England but the Continent Of
Europe Notwithstanding the o0stncles placed
IN her way by these tyrannic powers, we lind on
nearer view that the people we're advancing
slowly but surely in the cause OF freedom they
took advantage OF every opportunity to enap
cipate themselves If we 90 back to the Roman
Conquest we find that the three powers have
mentioned combined to Cypress the people No
sooner had William the Conqueror obtained pos
session Of the throne than the feudal system was
introduced, and the whole kingdom parcelled out
among the mobiles Thus reciprocity OF interests
was established, for the mobiles, relying on the
Kiug for their power, rendered freely IN return
Tor the fayors and privileges extended to them,
whatever eudal services he might require OF
them. In time, however, the Church stepped IN,
and by that great influence it possessed over
the minds of men at the period to which refer,
it eventually provoked the JEALOUSY Of the other
two powers, who beheld in it terrible rival
Thomas It Beckett, Archbishop of Canterbury, by
his assumption Of authority and power, at length
excited the fears and the snimOsty OF Henry IL
Beckett at last fell victim to that power OF which
he. YVES the great opponent Some time, however
after this period, John, whose weakness history
has recorded in more instances than one, and
whose meanness OF character made hum desplca
check was finally put to its power in the reign
of Henry VII. when that monarch who had,
strange to say, appeared as its defender, and VIM
dicated it's character from the attacks OF its enc.
mics threw of the supremacy OF the Pope, and
severed all connection between England and
Rome Despotic himself he did nothing for
tie liberty of the country, and 1t was OPP
pressed by regal power TIL the advent OF
Cromwell, when the King was tried by the
people and condemned to death. The people
then were the soYereigns, and the two powers,
the monarchcal and the ecclesiastical, under
which they bad so long been enslayed, now ceased
to exercise unlimited sway over their destimes-
After his death the people became again the prey
oil Monarchy, audit not till the defeat oil King
James that they once more obtained possession Oh
their rights, under the more liberal and more CON
stitutional Government of William and Mary
From this period to the present the Reform Bill
is the only great change in the Constitution to
which can advert as bestoWing upon the people
some real good. By this great measure those VINO
paid 80 per year for house rent and were dnly
registered were entitled TO vote. Yet the good
which might have been expected to result from
this great political privilege was oyerbalanced by
the evils arising from land monopoly and tho I'm
mense influence exercised by great land propri,
etors The small farmers, or those VINO rented
lard from the mobiles and gentry, were lofceQ ~
the fear of being dispOssessed OF their holdings W
vote for the aristocratic landlord, whose AMBITION
aimed at seat N the Lc5lslhLulC VI Ao
This influence does not, SAID the lecturer, ioHo"
the votes into the manufacturing towns to cheek
the free exercise OF his political privilege there
lie is not so much restrained in the expression OF
his opinion because there he has no landlord -
hold him n terror The lecturer next spoke 0,
the Representative system in Great Bohala ara ara
Ireland and said that beside the Peers o, 'n nr
Realm there are in the House Of C9n IaJ 9,oTn
lower house $50 members who are eie as o,,er
the different boroughs and Counties inc the
Of the House OF Lords is confined coh'n ~ hills aE
lecturer to the approval Or dIsaPpfoF "a Commons
vi eneli never vetoed any bill %hich passeo
b G the House bat Of 'ss in to e eca
ron q rover has been 50 greaE a If liberal eas
ton VI ali hope for the adoption o Go'a afnat
desuoy q notber evil of great magnitude, a8s'n"
ures the neopIe have contended' IS tnat OF pa
"hlcn TUG Immense sums are yearly expended on
tr?nsg g;o,s sys,em In Canada and other colonial
TINS The highest places bestowed upon the
a,ored scons Of nobility. The contrast presented
ha,green Canada and the United States Is toe
liking not to exhibit at once the difference De
ssnen The Governments that rule both countries
Tie lecturer proceeded to speak at greater engta
On the evil effects of this system OF patronage and
concluded By expressing a hope thatthe day would
Icon arrive when the English people would De
freed from the tyranny Of class and become atres
nation