New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-04-07
EUROPE.
The Decline Of England.
rsisree of Tbs n. Y. Tribune.

le4S, and Of which they even hattereo thelhse"es
with the possession, the Revolution OF thai psroa
has vet produced effects, which In rapid ma'unT
ard extensive compass have never been paraueied
in the history Of the world
Questions. which for the last fifty years have been
treated as the most difhcult Of problems, are now
brought to bear upon the approaching crisis which
hangs over the fate of Europe, fundamental prin
ciples of political life. Thus, the establishment 81
constitutions will no more seriously employ any po
tcal M s.ic nor inspire any people 70 actual sscfi-
fces.
Nations, which have hitherto assumeda privileged
position, standing as the supreme umpires To the
struggle OF other European nations, have been ina'
perceptby brought down into the national family cir
ce and involved in its common fate. England, TOT
example has o. good as lost her insular and aroi-
,ratina monopoly, is evident to every profound
| observer Its recent change Of ministry IL PROOF
that II can no longer withdraw from the fate OF the
Con.inent-that it can no longer oppose the monop-
civ Of its maritime position 20 the motives de-
| ternine public opinion on the Continent
When after the destruction Of the medieval hies.
arcby, il became the great problem to I'll up the
gsp which was thus made in tbs whole social sys-
TEN Of Europe, the materials for this were already
| In the possession Of England.
What was the service rendered BY TIE spiritual
power in the middle sgesi 1t placed limits upon
| the secular power-is formed VIVA. IL now called
| Constitutional eounterpoise
Professionalism emancipated the individual from the
| discipline end moral tyranny Of the Church-but il
also feed the Princes from the restraints Of the spr
| tual POWER. II gave independence to the individual
by establishing the night Of private judgmept-bus II
also clothed the Princes with absolute authority.
| Hence, as the need was developed Of finding legal
political limits for restraining the Princes In the
place Of The spiritual power Init was already in
operation 10 England through her aristocracy.
| The English aristocracy had subjected the monarchy
TO i.self-it was properly the supreme and sovereign
| ruler-n was the only political power, and hence
| contained the only elements for sn Opposition
within Its ranks every struggle must take place for
the contraction OF extension OF legal limits tina, Is
| Tor the compass in which the phantom OF royalty
must be valid The people were merely lockers
| on during the struggle, anxious only to obtain In
| the gaining party, greater talents, ana leaders
| competent to bold undertakings.
| Now the case is different The people take part
themselves in the struggle. The political tonrna-
ment of the two arstocrac parties no longer forms
| the whole history Of England Tbs old Wing OPP
position is no longer independent In its decisions
nor self sustaining in the exercise and application
| Of power--but Is crowded on by the people, and
forced even to measures which destructive to
the ancient Constitution.
The Wing party, accordingly, can no longer &C.
tualy sovern-that is, 1t has no longer the power
fox eroa, enterprises-iis whole activiy,f 1t may
still be called activity, Is limited TO thwarting and
restraining the movement Of the people-,s esea-
tions ore composed Of individual apd petty reforms,
which they throw out to the people, il order to pa
city them for the moment
Bu, In proportion as the people are trnpelied BY
Cd tn 10 de
the Wing Is condemned to a passive course,-his
whole art Of government is reduced to a merely
negative policy and be takes the same gIouad with
the Tory, except that the latter has greater power
Of resistance and Is not prevented by his principles
nom openly taking sides against the people that's,
10 bring the aristocra,ic Government itself TO al
end, by Strengthening the military monarchy against
the people and preparing for battle.
Hence, the separation between Monarch and People
will take place In England just a. in France from
1859 to is45 the monarchy resisted the democratic
people.
The abstract wishes Of political Utopians uhn
regard uniform Constitution for the whole world
as the highest ideal, will be fulfilled, and the con-
trast which now exists between the Continent and
tho insular monopoly Of England, a, least in respect
to the Constitution, will diminish, and ultimately
will be destroyed
II il DO greatness of mind to be able only to con-
ceiye of one form for all relations and essences Of
life fwhile life itself delights In variety OF FERNS
and calls forth new masterpieces from their album
dance and strife) then began the impovershment OF
old Europe in the middle Of the last century, whom
Mon,esquieu commended the English form the
bishest ald the only adapted 10 enlightened
nations.
The unity OF form boasts In fact Of being iTesisti
BILE and it shows the power with which u advances
above all by the fac. that the arstecratic Republic
Of ENGLAND approaches its dissolution in that polti
cal FORM which has long been regarded on TIE Con-
tnent rs the genuine copy Of the English original
What further results Of this uniformity are TO be
developed IN history, shall presently eonsder,-it
10 enough now that this uniformity is already SO FAR
established, that even English parties regard the
Continental constitutional as the same form a.
thsiy present political system, and the Wings accept
the oog ati9n, TO propagate this imperceptbie int
isucn on the Coatinens under tie shield Of thsiz
protection.
While the English Parliament has hitherto perse-
ea.sd the Ronish policy, and ayailed itself OF the
popular impulses for the establishment Of its soVe-
rsienty-whe, in the OLD Ronish spirit, 1t has taken
advantage Of internal domestic differences, as for
example, the differences Of High Church, Of Scotch
Presbyterisnsn and of Irish Catholicism, for the
formation and development Of its srstocrstic art Of
Govesnment--whle IL has thereby obtained the posi-
! ton Of supreme umpire in all European contests
il has now become party TO the Continental strug
gle between the peoples and the Governments, and il
appears as the advocate for Corsntutienasm al shs
very moment when that's approaching lis unisnis
! bic downfall.
Tie Wings, as party, have interviewed, but they
have 10, engaged in the ssrusgle-they have only
secretly ssits.sd. While they have annoyed and
~. a.
people, and excited their hopes without really help
ing them. They have come forward as medistors
al protectors. III Italy, for example, aud have done
nothing. While they have sent out their fleets In
| order &c collect few thousand pounds, they have
i IL