The national Republican., 1867-08-05
xEyOI,UTION m ENGLAND.

TO Delleve, tnat tne auOptlOu VI the IeloLm
bill now under consideration in Parliament
will lead to q thorough revolution in the
English constitution and government. 1t
is not thought that the revolution will be
q bloody one, but that the end sought will
be reached by complete remodeling OF
oil of Englands old and time-honored in
stitutions. The question is as well stated,
and the whole subject laid open in as clear
light as we have found it anywhere, by
Mr.. LOWE, who is one of the most able men
in the House Of Commons. Mr.. LOWE, in
q recent speech, said:
at has been the pride Of many Of us to
consider that we had no better way OF
showing our love for our country and our
respect for its history and institutions than
doing all we could to adore, honor and in
crease the power and privileges Of this
House. That, / think, has been the feel
ing which we may have carried to excess;
for now, when the hour Of trial has come,
how painfully are we reminded Of the differ
epce between ourselves and oil other Dem
ocratic Legislatures.
"Where is the democratic legislature
which enjoys the powers conferred on the
House OF Commons Our plan has been
to elect legislature by persons whom we
could trust, persons who gave some pledges
to the country that they were fit to exer
else the trust, and having done so, w
trusted nobly, generously and entirely Il
them.
"Other countries have gone upon dif
ferent plan. They have adopted the plaI
OF the right honorable gentleman, the
Chancellor of the Exchequer. They have
started not on the principle that you ough
TO put the franchise into the hands of per
sons fit to administer it, but on the plan o.
individual right; and having done so, theil
whole labor has been to endeavor to tam,
the monster they had created by snbdivid
ing power, strengthening the executive
and making ii rival to it, and by othel
devices Of that kind
"In order to make this new constitution
of yours work at all, there is one thing W,
shall clearly have to do. There is no us,
in blinking the matter ut all. You cdnno
trust the whole complicated force Of hit
country TO a single chamber. You cannot
trust to q majority elected by men just
above the status Of paupers. The expert
ment has answered nowhere, and it will not
answer here.
You will require some moderating and
counterbalancing force, as in America.
Where does that force exist Is the
House of Lords, as at present constituted,
even under the existing state Of things,
any really adequate check to q violent
popular assembly? But what will it be
under the state Of things that is coming !?
What will it be under democratic Assem-.
bly,? Why, it will be utterly useless for
the purpose for which you require it; and
every man who loves his country-the most
conservative man in this country-those
who have brought in this bill, and who, of
course, are the pink of conservatism-can-
not employ their time better than in de-
vising how we can have q senate that will
in some degree counterbalance the vio-
lence Of the assembly they are creating.
And here, again, you must do tVhat
they do in America when they seek to check
democracy. They call in democracy. 1t
will be only by second elective chamber
that YOU will check the violence OF dem.
ocratic assembly. This is language you
drive me to use, and language which your
own measures will in q short time render
familiar to all.
you will be forced to shorten the dura
ton of your Parliament; and do you be
leve that body so constituted, sitting fol
n shorter period, will be able to discharge
the duties Of maintaining and displacing
the Government Of this great Empire ?
it cannot be done in America, why SHOULD
it be done here?
You tUiH hare seriously to consider III,
question Of seeking prime minister, a.
they do an America, from popular election
and allowing him to appoint his own cab
met, not responsible to the house.
1--WE shall then have forced on us The
necessity of subdividing legislative power
and create local bodies similar to thosC
which the Government of America coulc
not get on without. All these things will
be forced upon us, not from any mad low
of innovation, but because your conduc
has made them necessary.
"1heerdmple Of America, once our udr1.
1ng, UtE become our model, and zoe shall
do '0tSety TO follow 1t under these cirCun
Stances"
Mr.. LOWE may be correct in his state
ments and conclusions, and if what he
predicts should actually come to pass we
do not see that any great harm could befal
the English nation. The gentleman ap
pears to speak with much candor and
sencerity, and VIC doubt not he believes
what he says still we think he has drawn
it rather strong to frighten all the ad
herents of hereditary government from tn,
support of the bill.
The closing remark to that portion 0
his speech, which we have quoted above
in which he says; "The example of America
once our warning, will become our model
and we shall do wisely to follow it unde
these circumstances" is an admission com
ing, as it does, from the lips of believer
monarchy of much significance. While
same people in this country are try
ing to persuade themselves that the demo