The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1855-05-23
ADMINISTRATIVE REFORM IN ENGLAND.

Car Sebas,opo still stands Ia lis original strength, but
Il il BY no means certain that the be said Of tho
English srstocracy The disastrous failure Of The Eastern
war has awakened spirit Of discomfort aud Of inyestiga
ton amongst the middle classes 81 England which has ALL
ready resulted 10 an earnest demand for material admins
tratye reforms These reforms look 10 caraiment Of
tbs powers Of the ars,ocray a enlargement Of those
Of the people In au elaborate article Of great ability, in
the last number Of The Westminster Review in discussing
qs qdnaistreiipe example, ef ~ Uaei sats9 The sub
ec Of reform 10 The House Of Lords is preached and the
pan for efeeting il suggested Afer giving just
and accurate view of the peculiar functions and advantages
of our Senate than usually in foreign journals the
reviewer proceeds az follows;
American experience suggests the great advantage
which difficulties may derive from reforming the
Upper House and whenever il pleasss the English nation
10 demand this it VIII be effected with perhaps less resistance
than any other changes for when the interests OF the nation
and OF the peers harmony and the Crown has really
nothing lose the bureaucratic cgue will be crushed in
Reform OF the House of Lords has been unpopu
lar England because Eve beeye the most active radicals
secretly wished that House be parayzed destroyed
rather than reformed but the valuable functions performed
BY the American which with wholly neglect
edought unteach that In what details the re-
form should do think it requisite TO enforce
mnuely but the broad principle is this hs and pop
mar sypae should be infused intb the House, and new
the resuit. Even tttnd
the results OF diplomacy and would gladly get
rid Of it ii they knew how to do without Danger. Abb
reasoning convnce either tmid minds or those
deficient breadth Of thoughts but the experience Of Amer
lea ought stop all objection No pretend that the
United States does conduct It's diplomacy with
energy and success and with to secure the de-
berae support of Congress and OF the nation This is
brought about mainly by the influences Of the Senate over for
egn affairs We have corresponding organ but it
evident House Of Peers ought be the organ and
iRaJI ,tN q Inv huo paere
like the American Senate, should control the Foreign Office
with the power Treaties the right TO demand
for its standing committee full Knowledge 81 all diplomatic
proceedings, and the power OF enforcing publicity Re
ceving such extension of honor and power the House
would willingly consent to arrangements which are requisite
make the change fruitful in benefit to the nation We i'm
agine three principal that subject !, that all
pceages shall be for life oniy q that peer shall be
created without ecommendaory vote from the Commons
g. that the Queen shall have the Fight Of permitting every
minister whether the cabinet mott during bis tenure
Of Office sit and speak in the Upper House, but without
At least popuarizing regulations are required
and the above would probably least offend the lords while
giving new security the public House of Peers
stuted would be independent Of minister's yet ministers,
standing majority in the Lower House, would be ire
movable BY hostility. Two such powers each with indie
pendent life neither able to anniate the ether are htted~
for constitutional antagonist without convuon and under
the elective principle the Upper House would really become
upper in respect talents characters and experience Yet
it, after years. it Was judged to be undu ascondency
the Lower House would claim aud easily enforce right Of
eecting to the Upper not absolutely for life but for term
of years only So long the Commons hodh purse there
is no danger whatever Of their being overriddenv
The New York Courier and Enquirer makes The follow
ing remarks upon the proposed administrative reform in
EngGnd:
sThc acsbility Of the English constitution, and the solid
common sense and love of freedom which the chief char
aetersc English people, have for centuries saved
that country from the caamities Of opposite nature which
have either parayzed other nations excited them to sui
eidal phrensy; and there is doubt that period when
these qualities o the English constitution and the English
character viii be tried to the very utmost has already ar
rived At the close Of the last century Tire general stimulus
freedom thought and action and the disposition to in
aure the Justice Of the established order Of things
cited by the French revouon joined to tbs heavy burden Of
taxation which that order laid upon the people caused
great diinution il the number Of snecure civil appoint
ents and the consequence that the arocraoy, de
prved these civil sinecures provisions for their younger
sons contrved monopoize all the desirable places in
the army for the honorable Toms and the lord Harys and
although, the Duke OF Wellington said the puppies fight
WELL the present disastrous war has proved not only the so
u stranguation red tape which England has been
sueng but that the honorable Toms and the Lord iary
nothing but fight The ignorance, the utter radical
ignorance OF their profession by the majority OF the English
officers which has been revealed by the investigation OF Mr.
Roebuck committees quite incredible us, who, know
ing the mental and physical discipline Of Military
Academy look upon the possession of commission proof
positive OF at least certain grade Of military skill and sol
dieiship.
Ths being the case surprising that the English
middle classes while look after scrip, and turn
their attention that without which their scrip would soon
be va!ueess- administrative reform The declarations Of
those who have this foot boldly made
and the assertion that disasters chiefly
caused by inefficient administration and that this evil to
reedied only by the introduction OF enlarged ability aud
practical experience into the service of the Statethc de-
nuncation of the exclusion from Office Of any persons who
possess ability fill it, and protest against the pretcnson
Of section of the commGnity to onopoze the functions
Of administration accompanied by disclaimer Of any desire
exclude the arstocratc classes from participating in the
counscls of the Crown
+" But although the British nation in Of excitement
and Indignation which will insure this large
OF succe the change which it proposes make is
very great one and the immobty of the English is
such that the change, though npminay immediate, viii in
effect be gradual and therefore safe The English people
under influences which they have been subject for
generations, and those Influences viii for time maintain
their power in spite Of legislation la short the London
Daily News well remarks the task undertaken BY admins
traive reformers is less arduous than putting the
community through course og practical moral training
Much tact much activity much perseverance, will be re-
qured attain the end aimed but the labor must be
dergonc If the country to he saved by persistence
exclusive system our whole framework Of administrative
government has become feeble and eiete The old uedup
tools blunt broken, and useless. New machinery il u
perativeIy called ior''
This IL precisely what Frenchmen under
princes wiH Wherever neither two pow
State reduce Che other dependence sub
mission 1t IL imagined that is made for corp
d'ffaf To overturn the constitution.