The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-04-27

existence of millions of her people is ignored
whenever a new Parliament is chosen, those
millions Of white EngliAh being OF less political
consequence IN the country than the negro
slaves were IN our Southern States. \ How
much longer can this be tolerated III an intel
lepnt agef That is the question. The Govern
ment, being national ano not too blind to profit
by the histories of other Governments in the
same oston, is disposed to concede gracefully
now what otherwise Will be forced by-aud by,
and therefore oilers plan Tor the extension OF
the suffrage.
In sustaining this Government proposal to
bring Encland nearer to The level OF popular
government, 10 modify the aristocTacy, Mr.
Gladstone said live have arrived at a critical
point in the history OF the nauon.n This is
true; England has reached that point in her
history where there must be q change in the
character Of heIt Parliamentary
and peaceful, or violent and bloody. The set
Element OF 1858 and the funding system have
had the same effects as the ieudal 81 lstem and
have finally put England exactly IN the situa-
tion that France was in Just before the revolu
tIon.- All The real property of the nation is
concentrated in q few hands, and the people
exist practically as the slaves of the few.
All other distinctions between parts OF the
population are lost in che one great distinction
OF rich and poor. In France these evils were
perceived, but no intelligent attemptto provide
remedy was made. Every act OF the Govern
ment made matters worse, until the evils were
n longer endurable, and thus was forced the
great natural remedy OF volcanic destruction
thence an entirely new departure. The attempt
in England now Is TO provide against such an
event by concession oil political privileges that
ii is expected will sufficiently modify the evils
10 prevent trouble. Such proposed notifications
have become chronic.
Frequently made, they have been rejected for
various reasons; but now the Government goes
further than ever before, and IN this we see the
result of the great trial of popular institutions
on tins side OF the Atlantic. Such is the lerment
in the English mind on this subject such is the
demand that the people shall be admitted to a
direct influence in the Government, that il
would be deemed utterly puerle to offer to the
country now measures that in former years
were deemed very satisfactory staple for bills
OF electoral reform; and so evident is the influ-
ence OF our struggle that the Chancellor of the
EXchequer holds up our war as che grandest
example OF history that the institutions OF q
country may safely be trusted TO the wisdom,
energy, and patriotism of its people. Against
the upholders oil the old system und opponents
OF the new he quotes their own declarations OF
dozen ears ago that popular institutions were
q failure in the United States, and then asks
| them il our conduct of the greatest war OF
modern times has proved that failure.
Thus the people of England, assisted by the
| comparison OF Mr.. Gladstone, Will see that we
have been fight ng their battle, and the struggle
| on our side against the same elements that they
| have to contend with; and the more they see
| and feel that our battle was their battle, the
more they will draw their encouragement from
| our triumph, and the furtlIer they will carry
| their requirements, until the change OF system
shall be absolute, radical, complete.
But 1t is a far Cry to Lochiel, and it is doubt
full ii tie present bill will even commence the
change. This bill, in all probability, will not
pass the House OF Lords, and that will mark dis
tlnctly the issue between the people on one hand
and the ar1stocracy on the other. That will
make the struggle on this question more positive,
and Will fix it as the topic that is to divide Eng
land ior many years. with all privilege, wealth,
| exclusiveness, and bieotry on one side, and all
liberalty, progress intelligence, and the spirit OF
the age on the other. The world cannot go
backwards, and the victory cannot be with the
| system OF the past, the system that every day
becomes more impossible in the present But
the strength of that system in England may
defer the victory Tor many day. So much the
| worse tor England, for the longer the remedy Is
| deferred the more desperate II must be when II
| comes.