The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-03-25
LONDON CORRESPONDENCE.
LONDON. March 5. 49,

LONDON March s. 1852.
Parliament is taking q play-spell, to give the
new Ministry time to find out what they want
to do. But, If we are to Judge by the utter in
anity OF Lord Derby's opening speech, it vii
take more than twelve days. for them to accom-
plish the task Ministry Without party il
either House, and without moral support il
the country, is not likely to go far. 1t will
propose some commonplace changes, but can
introduce and carry no vital measure.
On the question of protection, the last linger.
ing hope of the Tories, the Premier was milk.
and-waterish enough; and though Earl Grey,
for the sake of something to say pretended to
find some meaning in the shallow nothings OF
the Minister, it was evident that Stanley had
no intention to propose change in the Corn
Laws He would hardly signaze the begin
ming of his Administration. which must be in
any case weak, by such stupidity
The only significance in the Ferris eiczsa
was in what he said ne wonid nol 40, l. I. urge
the Reform Bill now before the Commons. 1t
is true that that bill is not much in itself and
would confer no substantial benefit upon the
people; but if it had been pressed by the Min
istry, it might have led to important debates,
and to some important amendments AT any
rate it is to be hoped that the liberals will keep
up their agitation throughout the country, and
that as in the case of the Corn Laws, opinion
will compel the Tory Ministry into reform,
which the Wings have not had nerve enough
to originate
A reform of the representation is the first
step in England to other reforms. SO long as
the aristocracy have almost exclusive possession
of both Houses of Parliament and control all
the legislation, it will be in vain to expect any
valuable or broad recognition of popular rights.
They are a small class-a close corporation ;
and, like all such bodies, legislate for them
selves, and not for the whole of society For
that reason, they will never touch those stupen-
dous iniquities, both in Church and State which
render the Government of Great Britain one OF
the most oppressive corrupt, and outrageous
on the face of the earth.
But let the people once in to Share of the
Legislative power, and they would sweep these
giant evils as with the bosom of destruction
Give the masses vote, and the bloated bishops
would be sent about their business. the learned
and delicate nobility put to use, the vast COM
plications and ntricacies of the expensive law
system reformed, the change and Transmission
of property be made easy, the terrible weight of
taxation lifted off the infamous system of sine
cures abolished, the secret diplomacy brought
to light, and talent virtue, and worth, get some
of that social influence which is now absorbed
by titles and wealth
| used to think that Carlyle, in his various
writings dwelt dd nauseam upon his "shams "
and "humbugs;" but very brief acquaint-
ance with English politics and English society
let me into the secret of his incessant horror
and trouble Nearly all that you see and hear
outside of the prodigious achievements of the
working classes in the way of practical enter
prise, is a contemplate sham and humbug
The speeches in Parliament are so utterly
windy and childish, that you get ashamed to
be discovered listening to them the articles in
the newspapers are mere clever attempts to
bamboozle the public; almost every man and
woman you meet is striving to be respect
able" the public galleries and show-places
abound in pretensiOns, but are scarcely worth
the money il costs to see them, while the most
restless and permanent ambition of the citizen
is to have a coat of arms on his coach or his
shop and to send his poor devils of servants
about in a fantastic and ludicrous livery.
WHY, have seen n noble gentleman so much
afraid that his rank would not be known, and
yet so anxious to travel somewhere mt quick
pace, that he has placed his coronetted car
riage on the outside of railroad car. while he
rode in the first-cass inside!
Doubtless in the country parts of England
and among the cultivated middle classes there
are those who escape the predominant spirit of
society would fain hope, too, that the lite
rary and artistic men and women are above
the frivolous social ambition which infects the
commercial circles but have not been fortu-
nate enough to meet with these, except in one
or two cases On the other hand, such liberal
minded and cultivated people as | have met,
seem to me to be in most unhappy position.
They are tolerated, and sometimes fiattered by
the arlstOcracy but they are in no sense lead
ers of opinion, and nowhere estimated accord
ing to their worth. Indeed am sorry to learn
that many OF them are quite az sensitive as any
one can be, to the smile of "A Lord, though he
he the veriest scapegrace on Gods earth and
that an invitation to dinner at the West End
is to them a more precious boon than the plau-
dts Of the whole literary or scientific world
Isn't D'Israeli Right Honorable. and doesn't
Dickens walk down Pail Mall with the Duke
of Small-paratees
Now, | have no doubt that you think ex-
aggerate the aristocratic influence in England
perhaps do; there is always more or less error
in general descriptions but must say that
have been 80 much Disguised by arstocratic
haughtness and pretence on one side and a
slavish Difference and imitation on the other
that existence here is painful and sufiocating
The very air seems tainted with the universal
falsehood. There is no free fresh, bracine
quality about tit smells Of drawing-room;
and State occasions or, when you escape these
Of old vaults and antiquated chambers, where
the living used to be, but you find now only
their spcctres and images. England is fine
place, said a lady to me, if you have plenty
Of money, and your great-great- grandfather
was gate-keeper to some miserable old scoun
drel of King" Thus ones manliness and
self-respect is attacked at every gate. He re-
sents the supercilious manners about him, but
fnds no sympathy among those who suffer from
1t, and is perhaps glad to retire under Il broad
side OF frowns, which tell him plainly enough
that he Is no better than a vulgarian and a
Democrat
One is particularly struck with this master
and-valet spirit Of English intercourse after
returning from the continent from France cs
pecially, where the freedom, yivacity. and indie
pendcnce Of social life is 10 charming. Even
under the temporary eclipse Of politics you
may dress, talk, go, eat, laugh, dance, as you
may please, In France, but to do either in Eng.
land, without asking the important prelimi.
nary What will Mrs Grundy say?n hazards
your reputation. When first landed in Eng.
land, J was panied at the incessant and earnest
gaze that was directed towards me wherever
went-wc call il staring in Broadway but
soon discovered the secret in the Kossuth hat
that accidentally wore, perhaps with the ad.
dition OF an oyercoat not cut according 10 tho
fashion Of Oxford street went all over Paris
without attracting anybody's notice.
But must leave fault-fnding, to tell you a
word about the French elections Az thew
were the first that were held under the new
Dictatorship, they excited some interest, /. O.,
among Us foreign spectators, but not smong
the people You will see by the published Ia,
bIes that not two-thirds Of the voters inscribed