New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-08-25

1R46 10 1850, the eNposeu themselves " 'NN
nc ths;r bsttIe-cTy Broad principles and practi,,
81 Trad SMALL measures. And why Gil TINS
p..suse in every violent movement they are
.AJ;s I'd 10 appeal 10 the porking class. And II
the aristocracy 10 their vanishing opponent tne
working class is their arising enemy. Ihey pre-.
Ter IN compromise with the vanishing oppohehe
rather than to strengthen the arising enemy 10
whom the future belongs by concessions VI u
more than apparent importance. Therefore, toey
strive to avoid every torcibe COLLISION WITH che
aristocracv but historical necessity ana Tue 20
r;es prt IS them UPWARDS. ihey cannon avon 'ui-
filing their mission, battering to pieces va Eng
land the England Of the Past; and the very
moment when they will have conquered exclusive
nolit,cal dominion, when political domloion and
aaconom,cal supremacy will he united IN the same
hands, when, therefore, the struggle against cap'
tai will no longer he distinct from the struggle
against the existing GOvernment-from that very
moment will date the social revolution Of Eng
land. 49,. -
We now come to the Ckdrfists, the politically
active norton of the British UOrking class. The
six points Of the Charter which thev contend for
contain nothing but the demand OF Cnirerdt SUI
fyHge and of the conditions without which l nj
yersal Suffrage would be illusory for the working
class such as the ballot, payment of members,
annual general elections. But Universal Suffrage
is the equivalent for political power for the work
ing class Of England, where the prOetarate forms
the large majority OF the population. where, III
long, though underground civil war, it has cameo
a clear consciousness Of its position as class,
and where even the rural districts kno" no iohsc'
any peasants, but only landlords, Industrial caPl-
taiists (farmersl and hired laborers. Inc carry
ing Of Universal Suffrage in England "ouid' mere
fore be far more sOcallstic measure tnah any
thing which has been honored with that name on
the Continent. =, ,.,.,
Its inevitable result, here, is the political su-
pre,aacv OF The working class.
shall report on another occasion, on the revl-
val and the re- organization OF the Chartlst farty
For the present have only to treat OF the recent
election. -
must occupy in the BOrOughs, house rated at
fIO TO the Doors rate, and, IN the counties, he
must be a freeholder to the annual amount OF 4O
shillipgs, or leaseholder to the amount OF t10.
From this statement alone 1T follows, that the
Cbartsts could take, officially, but little part IN
the electoral battle Just concluded. In order 10
explajp the actual part they took in it,, must re-
cali to mind peculiarly of the British electoral
system:
Nomination -day and Declaration day Show of
hands and Poll.
When the Candidates have made their appear
ance on the day of election and have publicly har
anpued the people they are elected, in the first
instance bv the show OF hands, and every hand
has the right to be raised, the hand OF the non
elector as we'll ttat OF the electors. For whom
soover the majority Of the hsnds are raised, tnat
iprovisiopall,) elected by show OF hands. Bat
now the medal shows its reverse. The election
by show Of hands was mere ceremony, an act
OF formal poiteness toward the sovereign peo-
ple" and the poteness ceases as soon as prVl-
eee is me- naced. For If the show of hands does
not return the candidates of the privileged elect
ors these candidates demand poll only the
priyi eyed electors can take part in the poll and
whoseever has there the majority OF votes is de-
clared ouly elected. The first election, by show
of hands is show satisfaction allowed, for
moment, to public opinion in order to convince 1t,
the next moment. the more strlklngiy OF It's I'M
potency.
1t might appear that this election by show OF
hands this dangerous iormality, had been invented
in order to rdicue rsal suffrage, and to enjoy
some little aystocratic fun at the expense of the
"rabble," expression of Major Beresord, Secre-
tary Of War. But this would he deusiOn, and
the old usages, common originally to all Teutonic
nations, could drag itself additionally down to the
nineteenth century, because it gave to the British
class parliament, cheaply and without danger, an
appearance OF popularity. The ruling classes
drew from this usage the satisfaction that the
mass of the people took part, with more or less
passion, in their sectional interests as ITS national
interests. And it was only since the Bourgeosie
took on Indep station at the side of the two
official parties, the Wings and Tories that the
working masses stood up on the nomination DAYS
in their own name. But in no former year the
contrast of show Of hands and Poll, of Nomina-
ton day and Declaration day has been serious,
so well defined by opposed principles, so threat
enDg, so general, upon the whole surface OF the
country, as in this last election of 1852.
And what contrast 1t was sufficient to be
named by show of hands in order to be beaten at
the poll. Ii was sufficient to have had the major
ity Mt poll in order to be saluted, by the people,
with rotten apples and bIickbats. The duly elect.
cd members of Parliament, before all had great
deal TO do, IN order TO keep their own parliament
n selves n IN
joIty OF the people, the other the t~elfth.part
Of the whole population and the fifth part of the
sum total ct the male adult inhabitants of the
country. On one side enthusiasm, on the other
bribery. On side parties disOwnng their
own distinctive signs, Liberals pleading the con-
seryatism, Conservatives proclaiming the liberal
ism OF the views; on the other the people, pro-
claiming their presence aud pleading their own
cause. On one side worn out engine which,
turning necessarily in it's vicious circle, is never
able 10 move a single step forward, and the mpo-
tent process Of friction by which all the official
partlts gradually grind each other intI dust; on
the other the advancing mass OF the nation threat
enng Ia blow up the vicious circle aud to destroy
the official engine.
shall not follow up over all the surface of the
country. this contrast between nomination and
poll of the threatening electoral demonstration of
the working class aud the timid electOneer,ng
maneuvers Of the ruling classes. take one bO-
rough from the mass where the contrast is con.
centrated in focus the Halifax election. Here
the opposing candidates were Edwards, tory;
Sir Charles Wood Oate Wing Chancellor of the
EXche Quer. broIher-in law to Earl Grew; Frank
CrOssley. Manchester mani and finally Ernest
Jones s, the most talented consistent and energetic
representative of Chartisn Halifax being man
u'acturng town, the Tory had little chance.
The Manchester man Cressley, was leagued with
the Wings. The serious struggle, then, lay only
between Wood and Jones, between the Wing and
the Chartist:
Sir Charles Wood made speech Of about half an
hour, perfectly insudibe at the commencement, aud,
durii lie latter half for the disapprobation of the I'M
meme multitude His speech, reported By the
porter, who at close 10 him, merely zptuls-
zion Of the Free Trade pissed, and attack
on Lord DERBY Government and a laudation of - The