The Washington union., 1857-06-05
For the Union
THE NEW PARLIAMENT.

the case fr the voice of the constituency of the
members indicated the popular feeling the people of Eng
land would sanction the begerent policy of the
minister in relation to Persia and China well his
course in Central America.
But it should be borne in mind that the elections in
England not exactly parallel with those of the United
States In the former fifteen out Of twenty Of the
people have no voice in them and consequently, in
uence and that what is called am appeal to the people
in the election of members Parliament is only an APP
peal to very small portion Of them the minority in
fact The majority is permitted to huzza and make a
great shout at the polls and perhaps assist in carrying
the successful candidate their shoulders but this is
all they have to do in the business.
1t would also appear that this comparatively small
number of voters-this select fcware by no means i'm
accessible to corrupt and improper Influences Even the
reputed organ of the successful minister thus discouses
on the subject
1t is true that everything that bad in elections
forty or fifty ago is not bad The riot and
abuse the shame and toll of the polling days. if not abo
ished at least abridged The glarng aboInina
tons which, in former times, frequently extended
several weeks, now reduced to few days. But
the other hand the old evils extended and dused
They exist In greater number Of places and the under
current of meannesses and rascaltes by which inter
ests are kept upby which mnorities suddenly
verted into maoritics maorities wasted into mino
tiess current not less frequent less few than in
the old time 1t Is in election matters as in so many
other tngsless and violent vllany but less
vice there is decency than there was but there is
also more of secret fraud.
Probably than two thirds of the late members
for borougbs who have not presented themselves for
election may be found telling their friends very plainly
at the clubs that they found the expense great 1t
might be borne for twice, but they could not
stand 1t oftener We no longer each alone In
single elections sometimes happened when the polls
might be legally kept open for fortnight three weeks
butt taking the aggregate there is far money spent
in getting into Parliament than there in the old
travagant times. Ii there be fewer enormous sacrifices
at the shrine of parliamentary positions, the number Of
the inconsiderabe sacrifices is immensely increased
this be true, it is but poor encouragement for the
extension of the right of suffrage in England and we
have suspicion the preceding statement intended to
discourage the idea Certain it that would be worse
than useless to extend the right of suffrage to people
who it seems, ready to sell it to the highest bidder
They don't deserve right which they prostitute to such
base purposes and nothing clear than that every
approach to freedom by ignorant and depressed peo
pie is only step towards increased corruption Let the
people of the United States take warning from this exam
pie which have presented for that express purpose
let them comprehend that whenever the period shall
rive when they make trade of their votes they will not
only lose their liberties but deserve to become slaves
There is no safeguard freedom but the purity Of cleo
tions and when our citizens sell their they sell
themselves.
Be this as it may the triumph of British minister in
an election is very different from that of candidate for
the presidency chosen by majority of the whole people
of the United States but few of whom hope and be-
evc have as yet entered into this fatal and disacefu
traffic which is far worse than the African slave trade
With regard however, to the complexion and character of
the new Parliament its meeting is too recent to have dis
closed any part of its future policy 1t probable
that the contest of parties will concentrate not much
on the foreign as the domestic policy of the government
In the recent elections much said about REFORM and
this will most likely be prominent issue Lord Palmer
ston is reputed staunch liberal but yet have not
observed any overt acts in that direction.
He or at least his capricious organ, the London
Times occasionally rails at the patronage of the govern
ment being exclusively bestowed the arisocacy yet
we observe that all his foreign minister's with the excep
ton of the warkc Chinese high commissioner Sir John
Bowling, fwho if not actually superseded is what the
New Yorkers call soversaughed, either noble lords
or branches Of some noble stock So also with the high
military and naval officers large portion Of the latter of
whom commanding squadrons, to be of the family
Of Seymours the head Of which stands very the pin
nace of British aristocracy. The number of honordbes
in all the departments of government is almost infinite
We have nothing to say against thisthat is his lord
ships affair only it seems little strange under b-
eral' minister.
There will probably be something said in Parliament
about economy and great deal more about political
economy which last admits OF endless discussion mas
much as though all agree in its principles, all differ in
their practical application But the real ldashion-
ed economy which consists in saving the peoples money
appears be of date in England f not in the Uni
ted States J and the people of the former don to
care how much they spend SO long they borrow
the money. But it behoovcs TO be silent this sub
iect when this system resored to in almost every
State city, town. and county of the United States The
old provcrb about glass houses admonishes to hold
tongue We presume therefore, that there will not be
much saving grace in the present Parliament They may
possibly cut off the heads curail the salaries of
few clerks that don't belong to the arstocacy, has
been sometimes done by another honorable body which
shall be nameless.
Another reform much wanted, and much talked of in
England is the administration Of the law which, as 1t
present is Of the great grievances of that
try In theory all the people Of England equal in the
eye of the law yet in practice the most gevous nequa
ities prevail 1t has become intricate that the lawyers
can unravel its mysteries, tedious in its pace that
must live to the age of the Patrarchs the end
of suit, and so expensive that poor man must be
stark mad TO go law, and rich not much wiser
We sincerely wish them in this branch of reform
and earnestly hope they will prosper better than we
have in this our Empire State We have attempted to
remedy the laws delay and diminish its expenses by cs
tablshing multitude of courts in order that suit
may obtain speedy justice by the privilege of
appealing from to another amultitude of judges
whose jurisdiction is pcpctualy clashng and who either
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