The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1858-11-15
BALTIMORE.
MONDAY, NOVEMBER Is. 1858.

MONDAY, NV lcs IOcO.
NJ Jouy BRIGHT, the acknowledged leader of
.,o podicoI wing in the English House of Com
,,or. has recently addressed to his constituents,
of birmingham a speech in favor of Parliamen-
+ory Reform, which has been made the subject of
a GOOD deal of comment in the London and Pro-
vincial journals Mr.. BRIGHT warmly and eo-
orentlv advocates liberal extension of the right
Of suffrage, and new and more equitable appor-
tionment of the basis of representation. But IN
this as in every thing else that he has ever advo-
Gated he pushes bis demands to the extreme. lie
desires TO bring about not merely reform of
acknowledged grievances, but to assimilate the
institutions of England to those of the UNITED
Sr.TEs. He declares that Parliament does not
fairly represent the nation, and refers, IN support
of his assertion to the extraordinary struggle that
nreceded the repeal of the Corn Laws, and to the
fact that not more than one adult male out of
every five is a legal voter. These are points
which he urges with great force and cogency Of
reasoning; but the great fault of Mr.. BRIGHT is,
that he is never satisfied with moderate gains
He will have all or nothing. Quaker by birth,
he is a non-combatant upon principle, but, in
other respects he lacks the caution and conserva-
tisrn for which The Society of Friends have ever
been distinguished. Hc is undoubtedly an elo-
ouent man, blunt, fearless, and outspoken; but he
Is full of cranks and notions, that continually set
him awrv. Ee is vehement in his likes, and in
bis diskes, and is disposed to dispute the wisdom
ofauy measure that docs not exactly accord with
his peculiar views. He bitterly opposed the Cri-
mean war: attacked to the utmost Of his ability,
the alliance between France and England, and
vigorously denounced the hostile demonstration
against China. The appeal made by Lord PALM
ERsroy to the country, on the China question, lost
Mr. BRIGnT his seat in Parliament, and afforded him
the opportunity of improving his leisure by avisit
10 Italy. But the services of go able an advocate
Of popular rights could not long be dispensed
with. parliamentary vacancy occurred in the
representation for Birmingham AMI Mr. BRIGHT
wss Immediately chosen to fill it. An ADLER expo
nent of the views of the Peace party could not
have been selected, one less likely TO be seduced
by the Establishments of power and patronage. Yet
able as Mr. BRIcHT undoubtedly is; eloquent as a
speaker, and acute as logican, his idiosyncrasies
SO frequently warp his judgment, that although
bis propositions may be sound enough in them
selves, and his arguments in support of them
plausible in the extreme his conclusions will not
bear the test of common sense. His views are
always one sided, and he shuts his eyes to the most
obvious facts whenever they conflict with his pre-
conceived opinions. In this respect, he resembles
Mr., Senator SEWARD. Both are right and both
hath
right. Both are wanting in breadth of political
vision, and both are apt to mistake their intense
preiudices for mature convictions. Mr. BRIGHT
has fallen in love with Democratic institutions,
and he would have the representative system OF
England modelled after that of the UNITED STATES.
He depicts in glowing colors the freedom and hap
piness enjoyed by the American people. He tells
his constituents that in America ''they will find
flaw, order, and property secure, and popula-
''tion in the enjoyment of physical comforts, and
abundance such as are not known to the
"great body of the people of England, and such as
fare not known, and never have been known, in
"any country and in any age of the world before "
Flattering as the picture is fear that the COM
pliment is not wholly deserved, and that if Mr.
BRIGHT possessed n more accurate knowledge OF
the practical working of our institutions he would
be disposed TO qualify his eulogium. But however
well adapted Democratic institutions may be to the
people of the UNITED STATES it still remains grave
question of doubt whether the people of England
would be benefited by adopting them. Weincline to
the belief that they would not. We belief that any
extension of the elective franchise upon scale
that would even approximate to that adopted in the
UNITED STATES would inevitably plunge the Eng.
lish people into all the evils of Chartism An ey-
cess of liberty, granted to nation which has not
passed through that preparatory course of training
which is essential to proper appreciation of the
political privileges suddenly committed to its
hands, would lead only to anarchy and revou
ton. In England we well know that the spirit O
Chartism is still prevalent among the masses, and
the only security for good government, and the
only safety for person and property, lie in the re-
straints that have been imposed upon its expires
sion through the wholesome obedience to an i'm.
partial administration of the Laws, which is there
exacted of every man. without distinction of class
or station. That there do exist many political
abuses in that country, which need to be reformed
we have no doubt. Nor do we question the valid
ity of the demand for an extension of the fran
chse, and for more perfect equality of represen.
tation. Those are concessions to which the Eng
lish people are justly entitled, and such conces-
sions will most probably be incorporated into the
bill which Lord DERBY is pledged to bring before
Parliament at the approaching session of that body.
But it has always been the policy of English
Statesmen to yield only just so much to popular
pressure as could not be denied and rather
less, than more, than the people were in a
condition to accept, without doing violence to the
body-politic. The wisdom of this cautious and
conservative policy cannot be disputed and what
ever Mr.. BRIGHT may say, and however vehement
ly he may protest, against these gradual and limi
ted grants of power, we presume that Lord
DERBY in the matter of Parliamentary Reform,
will be governed by precedents so entirely proper
in themselves and so perfectly safe in their appli-
cation. ..