The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-05-11
English Statesman on American Demo
cTacy.

cTacy.
From The Times.
The debate on the English Reform bill has
brought out some expressions of opinion in
regard to our form of government which are
somewhat amusing. A portion of the speech of
Mr.. Lowe possesses this character. He is Of
those who, adopting the letter OF Lord Macau-
lay, written in 1882, on receiving q copy of JEFF
ferson's works, as their guide, assume at once
the functions Of judge and the profundity OF a
prophet. In Mr.. loves eyes, the method OF
representation among us is a huge mistake and
its consequences fraught with the direst disas
tiers. We are to die of democracy. When our
towns have increased to European dimensions
they will swamp the country beneath flood of
poverty and ignorance. 1t is only the agricultu-
raj interest which has preserved us so tar; but
that will be overbalanced some day. Then. some
great question will arise upon which the people
will be divided, and anarchy will follow, and
usurper will succeed it.
The opinion of Mr.. Macauley was written
thirty-iour years ago; and since then the cities
OF the United States have grown to proportions
equal to the largest in Europe, with q single eX-
cepton, and rlvalling those OF antiquity. Dur
mS civil conflict, which as lar exceeds in mag
nitude the civil wars OF England as this contl-
nent exceeds in size the British Islands, the
young but great and growing cities of the repub.
lie showed a devotion to the principles of liberty
an energy in the struggle for national life, and
readiness to make patriotic sacrifices, which
have never been paralleled in the history of
human government. II Mr.. Lowe does not know
this, he ml9h consult with advantage the record
OF New York, Philadelphia, Cincinnati, Chicago,
Pittsburg, Buffalo, and Boston, at that epoch in
American history when the question was being
tested whether this Government should surren-
der to slavery, and whether thus surrendering,
it should continue to BE a Government at all.
The agricultural community did nobly during
the war. But the cities OF the loyal portion of
the country did their full proportion OF patriotic
duty, in men and in means
Mr.. Lowe asks what, if democracy is adopted
in England, will become OF the House OF Peers
and OF the Established Church nay, even of
the House of Commons itself? What, indeed
Why Mr.. Lowe himself might lose his own seat,
since the borough of Calne would most surely
be abolished as a separate constituency. HIS
a arm is Just, and we sympathiZe with it.
Mr. Lowe breads, as following an extension
OF the suffrage, the dangers OF revolution and
anarchy. He cites the condition OF the Louises
of France and others as instances where the up
setting of thrones resulted in terrible popular
suffering, to be followed by despotism. And he
alludes 10 the love of the English people for
their sovereign as guarantee of peace within
the nation. What if France had been always a
republic-would the great revolutions there
have arisen ii there had been 10 kings? Why,
even in England is there no: already q vast un-
derstratum OF vice and poverty which is q con-
stant terror in all times OF political agitation.
Suppose that a bad monarch now ruled the Eng
hsh people, to whom would they be loyal, to
him or 10 themselves? The question is not an
unfair one. But let us lemnd such as Mr..
Lowe that we try to educate our voters,
and with some success. Our failure to educate
some of them is due to the ignorance which
they bring with them from Europe. The very
element which is most troublesome here is the
poor, untaught element which pours forth from
every emigrant ship that leaves the Old World.
| II here, with liberty and representation, these
newcomers are Tor the most part safely trusted,
how need they be feared if they were repre-
sented at home, and with all the associations of
home around them, and where they constitute
a power unhea1d, but never forgotten? The
| truth, as we read it, is that no harm comes OF
trusting the people, and that if the reople are
eXasperated by injustice and wrong-doing, g, they
! will give shape to their feelings which will be
| equally pugnacious under all the forms of gov
ernment ever invented, but the resort to public
violence will be longest postponed where the
fullest expression OF public opinion is freely
| conceded.