New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-08-14


ment in spirit Of opposition to the general views
set forth through these columns. In recurring to
the subject, we desire to place the discussion on
the broadcast basis. DR. Caldwell who triumph-d
over Mr. Tbackeray AZ Oxford, mas already served
with distinction in Parliament. and mag be, for
-aulbt we know, more effi cieDt and cspab'e Menu
Der thar bis late competitor. Let the individuals
ard this particular contest pass, while We consider
afresh the general question OF the fiji ess Of literary
men to bold place among the lawmakers Of free
people. tax Dg fOf our text the following extract
nom The Covrisr's article
"Wbst were Mr.. ThackeTay's claims to seat IN
Parliament L. he fair representative a suy great
interest in the British Commonwealth Gould the
trs Of the roll the holders Of IT, the t0lers in the
nlls tr the owners Of them, the merchants an1
traders, just y regsrd linn likely to understand teir
peculiar wants. 1t seems clearly enough that they
could not Is he then of that class of men the bent
whore minds is to affair, 10 use the term of the las
century who study with comprehensive eye the po-
gress Of eveLs and who b, virtue either OF the legts
la,ive administrative fasulty, have the power to
take part in and to Influence. If not control. tna'
progress =
We readily admit that Mr.. T. has yet exhibited
produced no document showing that he has been
duly elected to such seat by majority vote Of some
legal constituency, and we know no valid claim but
that. Nor do we suppose that be would take his
seat if elected as the representative Of any great
material interest whether landlord or tenant,
commercial or manufacturing, rich or poor.
Of the representatives of peculiar wants" in
this sense. Parumepts Sid Congresses are already
quite too full. Instead Of increasing their nun.
Der, we would gladly see it diminished, aud mea
of broadly cultivated minds, generous impulses
and lofty aspirations for human good, elected IN
their stead. We would like to ses our legislative
bodies flied with men who have prcfouedly studied
the great and difficult problem of Crime and its
indictments. and who are prepared t. offer sugges
TORS for their. dimiDuiiOn THIS momeotous cub
ject has long enough been left to the unchecked
disposal of men of AFFAIRS" such as The
Courier delights in-ss well as to the represents
tives Of the rumseIlDg, brOthel keeping and
other "greas interests" to which the higher
and broader interest Of Humanity has too long
been practically held subordinate. We hive aud
look for radical change in this respect. and hope
especially to it ipaugurattd IN Great Britain,
whose constituencies arr free from the shacker Of
our dete table caucus convention system aud the
abeuId requirement that representative sbal have
his local babta,iOn in the dirtrc. f,om which he ls
chofen- fhsckles unknown TO our Constitutions
but inbedded in usages, a d which have neari,
driven ever thing but medioority aud the lowest
intrigue from our halls Of Legislation. Had che
caucus system attoiDed its present tyranncal per
lection forty years earlier, it would have probably
deprived this country Of the services in Congress
Of Henry Clay, John c. Calhoun, Daniel Webster
ARD uen of their caber, or reduced their stay IN
the House respectively to two, or at most three
terms. Unless another successful rebellion, ike
that Of 1924, be speedily initiated, the business ot
legislation among US will be restricted to brief
lees and charactere.s attorneys, bankrupt traders,
aid other cheap walters on the Deliberations OF
township and ward committees, who take charge
of the Interests Of the public, because they have
n.ne Of their OVID, and because individual dare
trust them With the value Of dray-bcrse.
THE Conrur proceeds TO say, with seeming
Inconsistency, but with our hearty concurrence,
that
The daily needs Of mer Of letters are much ths
sane &c those Of Other men; their interest in the
peace welfare and honor OF their country differs in ne
resp Ct from tbot Of the great body Of It's citizens
ard while they ARE thus without sufficient claims Tor
any sp. cial rtptese Laton in the Government their
uub.rs fortunately for themselves and for the com
mon good ale not great a- To give them cal 10
retreseutation rs q considerable element Of he
b dy polinc.'
But vt utterl, demur to what it adds in the
following passage:
"If therefore mar offer himself a candidate
L. dv,,tri aflxsf
claim that his life has beer successfully devoted to
literature ID any If its branches, he should rest his
eXpt Citations the peel ar fitness OF men of letters
for those functions ard Goes any man OF ordinary
sense tLd UbseN ati n, however lin tied his expe-
rence To- De told that hst tne does not
Tie universal presumption is, on the contrary, thst
the pursuit If literature profession urhts
for Ctalibg nth the practical afsirs Vt le and that
the Ner, clvlce of that plofessi"n indicates
melt ara chsiattr cf mind which l. eulaeLty
suii, d 10 The demands 81 states uanrbp. Aud the
OpiL !on, IN general lurgm, Ut IF thoroughly well
founded. A. gene Ial thing men OF letters arc SO
waItiI in prudence, sagacity providence aud al
n,ipIstraive capacity To- the material interests
today tta tLey unable Ia conduct their Own az
fairs with pct or control Their o~n too
of'en rot even their own families with discre'ioo
tn, ir inability fteir 10 tive iDeapacify, 10 make
su arsn. ena with regard 10 their own business
fair o. the plsiotst colnon sense would CITRATE
,f,r suhiects them 70 msc' isiruchn aud unmerit"d
ohoquy Oh the part If hose ~ho-e thoughts arr
trey bent upon the material Interests ot the present
day.
We object Of course to the word /" claim in the
outset Of the above quotation, still more to the
adjective hich qualities il: We insist that ability
i. ability, however evinced. and that the writer Of
"Hankt" or Paradise Lost is presumptiv-ly
better qualified to deal With the great problems ct
government than the most successful London
brewer, Birmingham buttcn-maker, or Buckr
farmer, each respectable aud -ensible man We
believe the Briti.h Torres Of the last century made
Il mistake in not sending Dc. johnson ~ Parlia-
ebt, us their sons did IN nat profer'ug .e,t Z"