Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1867-02-28
THE FUTURE OF ENGL1ND.

He has far more incsive vision and bet
ter gifts of prophecy than ours who is able
to read the future. As the Virginian orator
hath it, we know of no way of judging
. the future but by the past" But if we
may be allowed to take counsel of our ex-
pericnce we must conclude that there is
trOublous future in store for England which
can only be averted by events so surprising
and unexpected that they would be as start
ling 10 the quiet life of the ancient King
dom rs the most severe trials and suiierings. |
England has great many people who
would like to see complete change in her
foim of government, the abolition of aristo-
cratic privileges, and the forms of royalty.
The grand success of our Republic keeps
their attention continually turned this way,
aud encourages them in their disgust for the
eifcte system which broods over and preys
upon the wealth of the English nation. But
this element is almost entirely among the la
boring classes, and even its own leaders such
men as John Bright and Stuart Mill, repud-
ATE the extreme idea of abolshing the mon
archical from. They still warmly profess,
what they doubtless honestly feel the truest
loyalty to Queen Victoria, and the throne
she occupies. They hope for Reform, and
steadfastly labor in its behalf, but they ex-
pect il to come under the present system of
Government, and if they look forward to a
day when England shall be Republic they
leave it to come in the inevitable course of
events rather than by any excrtions ofthcirs
But in opposition to these two classes of
Liberals there are tremendous elements in
English society that laugh to scorn all prop
ostions for Reform. The aristocras who
possess the privileges of their class; their
scions who iatten in sinecure offices the cs-
tablisbed church and all its pensioners the
landed gentry; and all the hosts who pre-
fer old things rather than new, and cling to
rotienness because it is old, are opposed to
any change that will give the people more
rights. They are opposed too, with dead
ly and inveterate resolution, such as had lis
parallel, when the storms gathered which
burst in the French Revolution.
These opposite opinions are arrayed against
each other 1t is Change against Inertia
Justice against Power: Progress against
Reaction and the battle is as fierce as tho
tenacity with which Age cngs to lis trad
tons. But while the fight goes on popular
feeling swells and rolls around in hun,
waves of Indignation. The immense meet
ings and professions whose banners declar
that laborer without vote is serf. who's
music plays only the John Brown Hymn
and Hail Columbia, and whose voices chce
only the American flag and its representa-
tives, all urge forward the revolution Thu
far the change has been pcaceable but it ha
had great advantages in the fact that til
aristocratic party has had no head Once
Victoria has been monarch only in nam,
and her sympathies have been MI that sh
added to the ranks Of her class.
But change is coming and cannot he IA
away. Queen Victoria is not only in leehi
health but her mind is still less vuorou
and its entire decay is imminent. Her sn
cessor is her son, and the Prince of Wales
utterly unlike his mother. So far from beii
Liberal he is a bitter tory, and instead
msullied and unqucstionable purity of pl
vate life, he equals if not surpasses the wo,
qualities of Charles II or George ".
What will England be when sncl, prin
''comes to his own y What will he tbe II
tory of England with her awakened mass,
illumined by new intelligence, neryed
higher aspirations, glowing with new Ii
and encouraged into heroic resolution by /
example of America; when corrupt XII
throws his puny form in front of their RIGHT
Will there not be danger then for the En-
lish throne? And yet are not all these eye
probable, If not inevitable, reasoning fr,
the present situation of aT4irs?