The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1855-07-29
DICKENS ON ADMINISTRATIVE REFORM.

DICKENS ON ADMINISTRATIVE REFORM.
tan administrative reform meeting at Drury Lane on
June 81 Mr. G. Dickens who most warmly received)
addressed the meeting and said
cannot sure better express my sense Of the kind
reception accorded by this great assembly than by
nroaising to compress what shall address you within
The closest possible limits IL Is than 800 years
ago since there set Of who thought they should
he heard of for their ~mGch speaking As they have
nropaeated exceedingly since that time and observe
ihat they flourish 10 surprising extent about
westminster Laughter win do my best to avoid add
Inc 10 the numbers ofhat prolific Hear, hear and
Ia1ghter The noble lord the head Of the government
when be wondered 10 Parliament about week ago that
nv friend Mr. Lyard did not blush for having stated in
his place what the whole country knows perfectly well to
~ true and what 10 il by possibility better
know 10 be true than those disnieresed supporters
az that noble lord who had the advantage Of hearing
him and cheering him night after night when he first
became PremierI mean thai he did officially and ha-
hi,naIl oke al time whea this country plunged In
deem disgrace and distress say that noble lord when he
wondered much that the Of this age, who has by
his earnest and adventurous spirit done the dis
unguish himself and it, did blush for the tremendous
audacity Of having come between the wind and bis
by turned airy period with reference 10 the private
theatricals at Drury-lane Theatre Now, -have
slight acquaintance with thestricals private and public
and will accept that figure OF the noble lord viii not
say that ifI wanted to form company OF her Majesys
servants think should know where to lay my hands on
the comic old gentleman, roars Of laughter that If
| wanted to get up pan'omme, fency should know
what establishment 20 for the tricks and changes,
renewed laughter 4 also for very considerable host Of
Spernumerar@s to trip another npin that contention
with which many OF US are familiar both on these
and on other boards in which the principal objects
thrown about loayes and fishes. hear and
laughter But | will try 10 give the noble lord the
reason these private theatcs cad She why,
however ardently e desire TO ring the curtain down
upon them there the fantes hope Of their coming
conclusion Ii Is ibis The public iheatricais which the
noble lord conaescending manage so intoer
ably bad the machinery is cumbrous, the parts i'll
distributed the company iu Of walking gentlemen"
laughter The managers have such large families and are
bent upon putting those families into what 10
called eGIst business because OF their aptitude for IT.
but because they their families that find ourselves
obliged TO organize opposition LCheeEsJ We have
The Comedy OF Errors played dismaly like TRACE
DIV that really cannot bear IT, We are therefore,
making bold get up the School Of Reform and hope
before the play is out improve that noble lord by
performance very considerably Hear, hear and laugh
ter II lie object that we have right 10 improve him
without his license, claim that right in yir
tue Of his orchestra consisting of very powerful piper
whom always pay. aughter Sir, as this is the first
political meeting have attended hear, and my
trade and calling associated with politics perhaps
may be useful for to show how he here because
similar to those which have influenced may still
be trembling in the balance in the minds of Others. want
all times in full sincerity to DO my duty by my country
II fee, an attachment toward them, there is moth
ing dsnteresed or neriorfons in that, for
aiiecouatey remember the confidence and friendship
that they have long reposed in Cheersl My sphere
Of action, which shall change, shall never over
step further than this for longer period than do to-
night By literature have lived and through literature
have been serve my country and per-
fecy well aware that cannot two masters In my
sphere of action have tried understand the heavier
oa grievances and to help TO set them right Cheers
When the Times newspaper proved its then almost incred
bic in reference the CHASTITY absurdity OF that
labyrinth of misplaced and msdirected things which
had made England unable to find face OF the earth
enemy one-wenteth part potent effect the misery and
ruin Of her noble defenders she has been herself believe
that the gloomy silence into which the country fell by
far the darkest aspect in which great people had been
htited for many years Cheers With shame and iEdgna
ton lowering among all classes Of society and this ele
ment Of dscord piled the heaving basis of ignorance
poverty and crimewbich is always below uswh little
adequate expression Of the general mind apparent
Outstanding Of the general mind in Parliament with the
machinery OF the and the legislature going
round and round and the people falling from it and stand
ing aoo if they left it TO its last remaining function
of destroying ITSELF when il had achieved that the de-
sucon of so much that dear to them, did and do
believe that the only wholesome affairs mcnacng
could possibly take the awaSing of the people the
onpeaing OF the people, the uniting OF the people in ali
patriotism and loyalty to effect great peaceful constu-
Cheers At such crisis this association at such
crisis joined it, considering its further be-if
further case could possibly be needediha what every
body business nobodys business that should be
gregarions in good citizenship well other things
and that il is law in that there be
OF attraction for particles to fly before any serviceabe
body with recognised functions into existence
This association has arisen and belong it What
the objections TO it? have heard in the main but
three which will now briefly notice 1t is said that it
proposed by this association exercise influence through
the constituencies the House OF Commons. | have
the least hesitation in saying that have the smallest
amount of Faith in the House of Commons at present exist
ing hear hear, and that consider the exercise Of such
influence highly necessary the welfare and honor Of this
country [Cheersl was reading later shan yester-
day the book Of Mr.. Pepys which is rather favorite Of
mine in which he, 200 years ago. writing Of the House Of
Commons says:
Ny cousin Roger Pepys tells that il is matter of the
greatest grief him in the world that he should be put upon
this Of being Parliament because be nothing
done that he out Of truth and sincerity but
mere envy and design"
A. i. !,
many years after reform bill, the House Of Commons is
SO little changed viii not stop inquire will not
ask how happens that bills which cramp and worry the
people and restrict their scant enjoyments easily
passed. cheers and how it happens that measures for
their real interests very difficult be got through
Parliament (Cheers will not analyze the confined air
OF the lobby reduce to their primitive bases the ele
OF those which made by honorable
gentlemen who the candidates for your and my
independent vote and interest will not ask what is that
secarian figure full Of Establishments standing the
threshold with its finger its lips will not ask how
that these personal alterations involving all the
removes and definitions Of Shskspeares Touchs,oneihe
reort conference.-the quip modes,-the reply chursh-
the reproof vaantthc counierchecR quarrelsome-ihe
lie circumstantal and the lie drecare Of UNNECESSARILY
greater interest the House of Commons than the health
the taxation, and the education OF whole people
lCheersl will not penetrate into the mysteries Of
that secret chamber in which the Bluebeard of the
party keeps his strangled public questions and with
regard to which, when he gives the key his wifethe
the door Laughter will merely put il to the expert
OF everybody here whether the House of Commons is
not occasionally little hard Of hcarnga little hard OF
hearing little dim Of sight little slow Of understand
ing, and whether in short il is not in sufficiently nva
ded state require close watching and occasional APP
Wiz e. IL, u. - -