New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-03-03
DECLINE OF TIE ARIsrOCRACY.

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DECLINE OF TIE ARISrOCRACY
From The London Tina Feb +
From different circums sDces Il cane 10 psss that
at TO period since the Reform bill bad the artOcrAtc
families obtained so firm h"l1 on Office, place. sad
patron ge as IL the committeeman. OF the year 1851
They had conducted our business for many ye srs
without any extraordinary miscarriage MISFORTUNE
and We were content 10 leave them the ed Of politics
as their peculiar vocation and monopoly. Bat war
tss always been noted unsparin, inlOvatOr, the
DESTROYER of conventional responsibilities, a1d the
oyer,hroger of all manner of snug and comfortable
cliaue- and lotteries. TIE experience Of the last few
months has Awakened the people Of Eagland from
their dreams Of wealth and prosperity, rom their rs
oitioLal self grauaiions over the naval and mill
itary exploits Of the late war, aud from the
supposii0n that men invested with high rank
ard clothed with great Office are possessed of
faculties equal TO the direction Of our affairs
whenever there is more than al ordinary strain on
the vessel Of the State. Our eyes are open, aud
we b. hole that we are naked We AK for talent suf
fcien TO conduct great ailars To successful cOnclu
sions and ns;s ad of talent we are offered titles and
pecicrees We ask for merit, aud We are offered in
exchange high connections or NJ best seniority. The
cold shade Of aristocracy is over US ALL and nothing
can grow beneath it except the Of-hoots Of the tree
iistf. Up TO tie miccle OF November this country
believed itself 10 have armies generals statesmen, de-
Ia.tnents all equal 70 their several duties all of the
very b.. IT the world could afford and now 10 the mid
ole Of f. Binary in three sbort months all il
or rather all IL reversed. We have awoke from our
dream Of hope, prosperity aud success. TO disaster
ard csmay. Our generals have turned out than
useless our Ministers something more than incspa-
bic; every public department has been crushed into
hopeless imbechty by the weight of unbendng rou-
tire and WORTHLESS formillties, and on occs-
sion that are Of, has the right man been Sc
leoted to fill the right place Everything has been
uitmansged 10 a ct gree which, If predicted, would
have been deem ed Incredible; yet far the pub
lie aware no single official has yet been rec ,ed,
ano after q weeks iuterregnnm, Government has
been reconstructed and strengthened only by the
omi zion Of three of IL leading members, and the pro-
motion Of who is at least as guilty as any Of those
emitted
The people Of England have remained quiet under
all these thpgs. They have fet-as how should they
not feel the mortality which has brought mourn
ing TO every hearth. They have noteo-as how
shoud they not note the incredible and mex plea
be confusion and stupidity which have presided over
every department giving reality 10 absurdites such
az the most eItrayagant Imagination could never
have painted, and occasioning miseries such a. the
z oouiest prophet could never have ioreboded. Why
The people have been so long silent has been to most
rejecting men matter OF wonder ana astonishnent
They feel most acutely. but they have remained
hitherto passive spectators Of the method in which
their beet hopes and dearest interests have been
squande, ed and betrayed. Perhaps they have cher
isbed a hope that at the meeting of Parliament all
tbir ps would be WELL Perhaps they have been content
10 ad their sentiments faithfully reflected in the col
umDs OF the prets. Whatever be the cause OF their
10 look for an expression Of public opinion from
end OF this county 10 the other which will convey to
our governing classes most clear aud htelllgioe
warning that The patience OF the nation exhausted
and that the necessity Of widening the area from which
our Executive is to be taken great and paramount.
The enthusiastic meeting at the town OF Derby has
LEO tho way, and the remaining towns OF England
will lot be Glow to follow. The cry Tor practic al
states naDshp for opening free career to talent, for
placing our resources in hands equal to the emer-
eency. The Derby petitioners hold no extravaganza
or exaggerated lasgusge they declare their coDh-
depce IN the Justice OF the var they express their
humiliation ard II gret at the disasters which have
CURED: they pray for searching inquiry into Their
causes, ana suggest remedies adequate to the emer
eepcy which We have 10 meet. While Ministers
debating how to fill up the most important offices with
the least compstent persons and considering the cams
OF rank, Of family, and Of eonDecton-ot everything
except crit and capscity-whlle the friends OF rising
Young statesmen Of the true breed are indesatga-
bly, soliciting Their adv aDcement from Ohce TO office,
The people Of Ing and, who care for none Of theee
things ore gravely taking the matter into their ser
Gus COMIC Grafton. and coming 70 conclusions but
little favorable to the stability OF the present govern
ing classes We have been ready 70 allow place and
psti onage 10 be monopolzed by few great families.
We have been content 10 live in our own county.
strangers TO own Government, excluded from the
working of our own institutions but it was only on
clifton that rational pride should be respected
and our interests and position in the great family OF
nations remain invioate. This our arisocrscy have
failed 20 10 and therefore the people Of En
gland will we hope, demand in spirit OF wild AMI
theoretical levelipg in no spirit Of hatred or animos-
ity 10 any portion Of the community, but IN the
spri. Of practical reform Of an urgent snd ntolerabs
grievance that the system which excludes plebeian
talent FRI high office shall heneeiorth be discontinued,
and that in the army, at the desk and in the council,
those men shall be called 10 the public service who
are best able the public We wish all SUGGESTS
this movement IL has been our painful let to witness
more nearly than others, ard 10 Obtain more ample
information as 10 the manner in which this war has
been conducted and do not he state TO express
opinion that without entire change Of system, 8
substitution OF youth and energy for age and decrepl-
tace-unlsss some plan can be hit upon By which
merit sba be the only criterion in the filing up Of
civil and II itsry ofices,-without. 10 fact, CON-
plefe abandonment Of the claims Of wealth offanily,
snc of interest, il favor of tina, higher mobility which
the hand of God has impressed the forehead OF ev-
cry man of talent il il vain for 10 continue the
present contest. snd better 70 accept any conditions,
however degrading ana however Illuminating, since
no cegrac anon AID humiliation suffered az the
bsncs Of the enemy can exceed those which our own
servLiiy and mesnDess have inflicted and are sboG,
10 infct, upon ourselves.
County Womans Rights Meetings, to discuss all