The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-07-29

Reconstruction OF tho British Pariia-
ment-Aristocratio Dread OF DemOc-
racy.
The British Parliament is being recon-
structed. Between the 10th and 10Th of July
six hundred and ffty-eight members had to be
returned to that assembly-five hundred from
England and Wales, fifty-three from Scotland,
and one hundred and five from Ireland. OF
this number over four hundred and fifty had
been elected when the last mail left We
ought, therefore, to be able to gather general
idea of the results of the contest and of the
principles which have guided the elections.
The only difficulty is, that nothing is more
conspicuous in the addresses of the leading
politicians from both sides Of the House, than
the absence of any strongly marked principles,
or any openly avowed policy. Lord Palmer
ston-like q well-fed, self-satisfed old tory as
he is in all but name-contents himself with
retrospect of the past Even Mr.. Disraeli, the
"mystery-man" of the opposition, as John
Bright happily terms him, throws no light on
the mystery of the future beyond vague
assertion that the incoming Parliament will
mark an important era in the history of the
country. Any time these four years past the
electors were edited by illusions to the "utter
failure of democratic institutions, as made
manifest by the lamentable civil war now
raging in America" At every stray cleo
ton the warning finger was pointed at
this country and my Lords tenants were
solemnly admonished that unless they voted
for my Lords candidate they might become
even as those Americans yonder. Tory exqui-
sites lsped out feeble denunciations of came
wican democwacy" and wing lordlings ex-
ulted over the superior wisdom OF British
institutions as made manifest in the axiom
that nations were made for wings to govern.
"Brown and our glorious constitution" "JOnes
and down with democracy" were cries war
ranted to carry the least popular candidates to
the head of the poll What has become of all
these interesting illusions? We search column
after column OF dreary platitudes in vain to
find renewal Of these references to American
institutions, and all we meet with is now and
then an apologize justification of British neu-
trality, and nothing more. The American
republic has proved itself to be the strongest
government on the face of the earth, instead of
a miserable .fdsco, and the wings and the
tories, and all the hereditary lords Of the soil,
tremble lest the people they directed to
America in the hour Of her temporary tribu-
lation should look at her in the hour of her
greatness and pray for the institutions they
were urged to curse.
Hence comes the ominoB silence main
tanned by Lord Palmerston's government on
all questions of liberal progress. But the mo-
tives which the political leaders dare not
avow the tory papers unwittingly dis
close. "Any considerable liberal gain"
says the London Herald, "would saddle the
country with liberal government much more
likely to give effect 10 what are called liberal
principles than that which has for the last six
years striven to maintain Office by a judicious
abstinence from all debatable measures. For
though Lord Palmerston's name Is the battle
cry of the liberal party, it is not for Lord
Palmerston that the battle is to be fought.
No long time can pass before he must accept
the honorable rest which he has earned by a
life OF most laborious service; and Mr. Glad
stone must be in name, "a he already almost
is in fact the chief OF the liberal party.
Mr.. Gladstone is deeply pledged to reform
He has asserted in the broadcast terms the
democratic principle of an inherent indi
vidual right to the franchise; and he could
not give any satisfactory reply II challenged
to show why he should not admit to the suf
fragc the whole body OF the artisans and
operatives of the towns. They are not too
Ignorant: they are not politically dangerous,
except by their numbers; and Mr.. Gladstone
has rcpudiated the constitutional principle o
the representation Of classes, on which alont
the resistance TO the Wholesale enfranchise.
ment of the most numerous class can rest
His convictions, his vd'siiy, his policy-.for h
aspires 10 be The idol Of The ,oortcing classes
bind him 10 reform; and he Ooead not b
Premier for too years 'oitto,d bringing IN al
ertcnsiUe reform BILL"
Just so. A liberal Parliament means a stronl
reform bill, which, once passed. would sen'
such an assembage to ST. Stephens as woul,
for ever take the government of the countr.
out OF the hands OF an arist0cratIc minority
and in ten years would effect what wing
and tories alike drcad-would Amercanize tn
institutions of the country. Palmerston, Rus
sell and their fcudal associates would be swcp
away, and the government of the country woult
in future be carried on by such men as Glad
stone and Bright, Forster and Stansield, Stuar
Mill, Hughes and Torrens.
How important an influence these eonsidern
tons have had upon the progress of the cleo
lions may readily be gathered Though NOR
liberal in name than its predecessor, the ne,
! Parliament bids fair TO be less liberal in fac
The middle and aristocratic classes, who nov
hold virtual monopoly Of the franchise, hav
set their face against reform, and whereve
practicable have replaced advanced liberals b
wings. Like Canute, they have put down thel
chair and declared "Thus far shall the wave