New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-09-29
TIE ENGLISH siIDDLE-CLAss.

The whole system of Class Government in
Britain hinges upon the political subserylency OF
the middleclass to the aristocracy. The middle
class have the power, and lack only the will, TO
take political position BETTING their influ-
ence in the State; but to do 30 would involve the
overthrow Of Glass Government and necessarily
bring about considerable changes in the time
honored British Constitution. Any symptoms,
therefore, that the middle-class are beginning to
entertain sense of independence and selfrespect
in the presence of the aristocracy are worth OBJ
serving not so much for themselves as for the
consequences that are certain to result from the
state of public sentiment which they attest The
refusal of the empty dignity OF knighthood by
Stephenson and Dargan is one such symptom, but
msnifes stations of middle-class independence have
been very frequent of late in the framing and
working of Liberal Ministries, into which pure
middle-class element is cow sure to enter.
Eight years ago, in the flush of his free trade
triumph, middle class Golden was offered by the
Wing aristocrscy the place Of Under Secretary to
the Board of Trade, without seat in the Cabl-
net He refused il because it was beneath his
dignity; and middle-class public opinion ap-
plauded him for that act. Mddle-class Miner
Gibson, the Radical Member for Manchester, &C
eepted the place, but soon resigned it as incom-
patible with his political independence; and he
rose in consequence in middle class estimation.
In the present Ministry the antagOnism of the
two Observation-Disclosures and middle-class-hs
been far more conspicuous than ever before, and
has reached pitch that has made it serious
impeachment to the harmonious working Of the
Cabinet. His aristOcrstic LOrdship, Palmers-
ton, Undertook to alter in a material particular
bill relating TO the Poor Laws, which had been
league, Mr.. Baines, without deeming it worth his
while 10 consult subordinate like Baines on the
matter; and Mr.. Baines, feeling himself snubbed,
resigned. Public opinion said he was right
and Pslmerston wrong. Lord Palmerston
apologies, and Mr.. Bsines resumes bis Office,
having taught aristocracy lesson. Lord Palm
ersion says, jauntily from his seat in Parliament,
that bis middle class colleague, Mr.. Wilson, had
talked 4" sheer nonsense" while the Radical
member of the ministry, Molesworth, in answer
ing Lord Palmerston on the ballot question, de-
elsres that be (Palmerston) had only "gone over
arguments which he had heard urged in Par
"l Lament usqEe Gd nGuseGm." In the first in
stance, public opinion says Lord Palmerston was
impairment, and in the second that Molesworth
held the right tone. Molesworth was becoming
Unpopular and suspected at the time, but this
hit set him straight again. While in the House
~ Ii
est constitutional appeals on behalf of Church
rates; in the lobby he discovers that the
Attorney General and the middle.cass element of
lis Ministry have contumaciously divided against
him to man; and Lord John Russell finds him.
self considerably damaged BY his position on this
question. The climax was reached when wealthy
but parvenu Mr. Strut was unceremoniously