The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1867-07-25
COLUMBIA.
Thursday Morning, Jnly %. 1857.
Libcraiisna.

The advance OF the democratic
principle in the nonarchical coun-
tries of Europe, as manifested in the
gradual amelioration of the political
condition Of the people. is one Of the
most remarkable phenomena, of the
times. Even under the strong Co
verniments of Germany, where least
it would have been expected, the epeo-
pie have been admitted to the exer-
else of suffrage in the election of
members of the German Parliament.
The popular sentiment, which has
long been carefully observed, and not
often, of late, openly outraged, even
by absolute monRrchs, is now, in
many instances, formally consulted.
The military ruler of France finds it
politic to assume that he rules by the
will of the French people, and it
would be strange, indeed, if, amid
this universal progress of liberal prin-
ciples and steady encroachment upon
rank and prerogative, England-from
whom the current of constitutional
liberty first sprung, the fountain head
of the stream of free principles
should remain stagnant and motion
less. That she should at least keep
up with such q movement is what
might be naturally expected, and we
are not surprised, therefore, at tho
recent progress of the cause of reform
in that country, which has at last been
successful in the House of Commons,
a reform bill having passed that body
and gone to the House of Lords,
where we may anticipate fierce op-
position, but not strong enough to
Withstand long the force of the popu-
lar hurricane. The Tories, or at least
tho more conservative portion of
them, have found it necessary to make
concessions to this movement, and
D'Israeli, the Tory leader, has shown
the pliancy of Bismarck, once the
recognized chief of the reactionary
absolutist party in Prussia, in yield
ing principles for the preservation of
power. Mr.. Bright, in his speech
at the banquet of the Fishmongers'
Company, in London. on the 25th
ult., avowed that the very men who
opposed him in his position that the
House of Commons was built on too
narrow u basis, and that it ought
more broadly to represent the indus
try, intelligence and virtue of the
entire people, have now confessed
that they were wrong, and adopted,
without acknowledgment, his own
prescription for popular evils, and
themselves have brought the House
of Commons, with regard to all the
burroughs of England and Wales, to
establish n more universal franchise.
The present reform agitation in
England is far more peaceable and
orderly than that of the year 1882,
when the government was transferred
from the exclusive power of heredi-
tary aristocracy, in large degree, to
the people, and especially the middle
class. That was revolution which,
i'll fact, only just escaped m appeal
to arms. Most of the chief actors,
and nearly all the secondary actors,
of that exciting drama have now dis
appeared from the theatre of life.
The population of the boroughs in
England and Wales is 8,63S, $50. The
number of male householders is, how
ever, only 1899. 1893. By the adop-
tion of household suffrage, which the
English people seem to prefer, as the
best solvent of their difficulties, the
number of voters in the boroughs
would be trebled This is an i'm
mense addition to the number of
voters, and plans have already been
projected for the edistricting of the
country. What is to be the effect
upon the general politics and legisla-
tion of Great Britain remains to be
seen.
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