The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-05-09
TEE NEW YORK PRESS.
EDITORIAL OPINIONS or LEADlNG
JC ULhdLS iron CUBRhNY 1OPrC>.
conr11D rvrnY DAY FOR 1vrrIro rr1roaApn
Reform i'm England.

Reform I'm England.
From he 7TiJune.
The vote on the Franchise bill in the English
House of Commons Is not as gratifying as we
could have hOpeG In House ot G}l mem.
bers, unusually ull. and showing but q alb
sentees, the Government received BIS votes.
3l3 voting against it, otis not 20 deep as u
well, nor so vide as a church door; bat It's
enough; twill serve" We are afraid we cnn
get no better consolation out OF it than this.
The closing sceDes OF the debate exhibited many
signs of dlsintegrahon and demoraization in
the Liberal party. This was inevitable. when we
look at the elements composing that party. The
present members were elected under the leader
snip OF Lord Palmerston. That leader. by
reason OF long years OF service, his career
going back to tue time of the Younger Pitt
and the continued success that had at
tended policy which, with all its
iaults, was true TO the English sentiment
what perhaps we might call the TOwdy Eug ish
sentiment oil brag and bluser-had gained a
commanding influence IN England. Although
his pollCN was protest against reform. he was
accepted by the Liberals as a prOvidental dis.
pensat on, better than Torylsm, pprhaps-a
leader under protest, AMI well to follow until
The time when his name would not be the SYM
bot OF the party of vigOr abroad and Of apathy
AT home. Those who followed Palmerston,s tor
tunes and who were the instruments OF his
policy Ike Lowe, for instance -di,appointed
Liberals like llorsman, who vainly yearned for
CABINET portoIos-ar aristocratlc Liberals like
the Earl OF Grosvenor, who belonged TO old
Whig houses, and merely wished a reform that
would weaken the Tories and help themselves
all sloughed off, and found pretcxts for desertion
as soon us an honest ana manly franchise system
was proposed.
The Government may stagger now from the
detection OF these classes, but, in the nature of
things, 1t was to be expected. The party which
is led by the ConsC cntious Gladstone and the
intrepid Br1ght-who boldly declare that they
consider Reform measures but temporary eXpe-
ditnts-sllces OF Loaf that must be tuer5 in
tlm' steps towards the realization of the sent-
ment That English manhood shall represent
Enollsh sutlrage-CannOt expect to have the
sympathy OF pensioners upon the OH Whig
houses, ike Mr.. Lowe. or the heirs OF those
hCu'eF, IKE GrJsyeDor; Privilege is weak
plone to 10 the wrong thing at the right tlme
Never was this more fully shown than now
As Mr. Gladstone elOQuently advised the arlsto.
cratic leaders their duty was 10 be wise in me-
AS MI BRIGHT, during this very debate, IN a
spirit OF hone>t pride which cannot be considered
egotlsm, nCbly said, The policy which have
urged upon the House and upon the country as
lar as 1t has been accepted by Parliament
Is policy conservative of the public
welfare, strengthening The Just authority
OF Parliament, anO adding from day to day fresh
rstre and dignity the crown" Aristocracy can
only be strong with the love- the confidence the
strength OF people. The lear that the posses
sion OF suffrage by the people woulu array them
against the mobiles shows Il want OF common
sense which would be surprising were it not
characteristic. II We look to America we find
the humblest classes, the men who labor and
who have no possible sympathy with wealth
ana power, voting for the men who best repre-
sent the ,arlstocrats. OF England. The lordly
planter who called his roll q a thousand slaves
and was great through the degradation OF labor
had no more obedlent slave than the poor Irish.
man who spent his DAYS breaking stone or
building turnpikes. 1t would be so in England
II the arlstocracy were to tie wise in time: for it
is in poor human nature to love ribbons and
coronets, to adore the divinity which is said to
surround majesty. The aristocrahc classes,
however, instead OF moving and in time winning
these classes, and adding from day 10 day fresh
lustre and dignity to the crown" make class
issue with the working. people, an issue which
brands them Englishmen unfit TO he CON
cerned in the honor OF the crown. They NAV
heht Tor it, pay taxes for its support, obey il as
dutilul subjects, but they cannot enter into its
couhclls nor slt IN Its Parliament, nor ever pos
sess representation there.
therefore we say, better that the Govern
ment Of Lord Russell should be weak in the
hands OF its friends than strong with the
strength OF It's enemies-a strength which would
certainly dissolve IN the hour OF its trial Better
3lS members who are willing to stand by truth
than $40 who follow the Government to serve
their turn upon ito hold office and WELD
poWer-and prevent its Advance in the path of
progress. II the small majority on the Fran.
chise bill should be followed by defeat on the
Dill Tor the distribution of seats when it reaches
the committee, we trust the Government Will
appeal TO the people. England feels strongly
on This question, and the friends of liberty
everywhere send words of comfort and encour.
agement
defeat means further publication. The
party OF progress, led by Gladstone and Bright
and Mill and Gibson, men who come from the
people and represent genius and energy, and
not the faded virtues OF forgotten fathers, must
triumph in the end. We could have hoped to
have seen satisfactory triumph in this Parlia.
ment-but perhaps 1t is for the best If the
arisocracy will not accept f7 franchise now,
they may be compelled, after an appeal 20 the
people IN a new House of Commons, to accent
unlimited tranchise-manhood sutrage-the
ballot. Men vino are not wise in time. even
when their own selfish interests are concerned,
generally learn wisdom from the Christening ex.
periencc OF the future.