The New York herald., 1870-03-08
ENGLAND.

National Progress Towards Democracy
Sketches In the Reformed Legislature
How Queens speech is Read Nova
dnys--The Gladstone Program mud Its
RadicnIis,n.
LONDON, Feb. 20. 1870.
On the sth inst the second session OF the House
hold suarage Parliament was opened at West
munster. In the good old times when royalty was
name to coniure with.-when the toiling millions Of
the British isles believed devouty in the doctrine OF
the divine right of Kings-when the ponp and cir
cumstance OF courts occupied much larger space
IN tho public mind than at present-it would have
been considered ominous OF evil TO have conyoked
the imperial Parliament without the customary
blare OF trumpets foOtmen IN livery arisocracy In
ermine, and the ostentaton and gilded show OF the
royal procession. Bells were wont TO ring forth
their merry peals upon such occaslons IN those
privileged times OF monarchy: the poputace Of Lon
don were wont TO turn out In their thousands anu
tens Of thousands to toss their caps and cheer the
occupant OF the throne; the members oi the naughf
est nobility Of Europe were won't to reveal tieir
rcnes and blazing dgnites to the greedy eyes OF the
sghtscers; and the interior OF the House Of Lords
during the reading OF the royal speech was wont 10
present spectacle or impressive spiendor and Of
brilliant auractveness, such as one Is accustomed
only to associate with the baroarc oDuence OF
oriental courts.
But as the character IN Molieres comedy mas it, we
have changed all that. Nowadays the Inauguration
OF OF Parliament Is one OF the tancst and
dullest OF spectacles devoid Of interest or OF show
and perfectly stale and HAT 10 those upon whom
harsh necessity has devoved the duty of taxing All
acIye part IN the proceedings. We're the mother
country republic instead OF monarchy less dis
play could not be exhibited tnan we have OF late
been accustomed 10 at the opening OF the supreme
legislature. Could any OF our much venerated King
Georges but be made conscious OF the ominons
change mat has taken place would shrink
aghast In their regal shrouds and predict times o.
evil and the outpourinz OF wrath upon the present
i,ackslidng generation Strange to say. tins great
aud significant change mas been brought about BY
,ne conduct OF Queen Victoria herself who. ever
snce the death OF the Prince Consort has resontey
shut herself out from public life ana the discharge
OF those duties OF courtesy and or parade which are
the tnseparable concomtant OF royalty. PersIstenty
she has immured herself within the walls OF Windsor
Castle and OF Osborn, has turned deaf ear to all
exhortations N come forth and show herself among
the people, and has left the nation follow its own
course unfettered by any actve interference Oh her
part either in the shape OF advice remonsLrance.
Shopkeepers. whose craft mas been endangered by
The cessation OF the State banque's and balls: West
End tradesnaen and court milltnefs, VINO nave been
compelled to stand Idly az the receipt OF
custom: statesmen, who have haa to mourn
which they hoped might have helped To give tempo
rary popularity to their measures nave IN their turn
turn which events have taken, but without effect.
Even the press loyal as II IL acknowledged 20 De 20
faut has not scrupled to bewail the practical ab-
dicaton OF her Majesty and the effects IL il likely 10
produce. Unheedful however, Of everything that
mas been said and OF much more that has been
limited and implied the Qneen continues IN ner Sc
clusion and people notorious for heir foolish vcne-
ration for ceremony and tradition have been COM
PEELED TO forego what 70 them was one or the dear
Alnnfa nr " tpn co--fn
carriage the beef caters In red and the clustering
footmen In their yellow plush which OF yore signal
ized the opening OF the British Parliament.
From tins within, whatever else 1t may be called,
the part OF the Queen are likely TO arise conse-
auences that, In some respects at least may perma
nenty affect the condition and innuense OF royalty.
III the Old ffty pound franchise times, when George
the Third was KING" taings could DE done that are
not possible In these radical DAYS when every man
who il n householder on however small scale,
can caim share in moulding the constitu
tion and guiding the dcstinies OF rhc country.
Hard-neaded mechanics, and generally that
large class which goes under the de-
nomination OF "workng,n are consequently
commencing 10 put what are called ugly questions
They are asking themselves what Is the use OF this
cumbrous paraphernalia OF monarchy. with liz enor-
nous saaries Buckingham and other palaces m
perlal Yachts well groomed studs and outrilers (a
OF which are kept up out Of the aricvousiy oppres-
sive taxation OF the country u 1t do fun tho
primary object OF It's existence--that Of ornament
and perodicM popular dspay. Deprived Of the
.g.s ra0 were wons ano ,s ,na ho
Their hearts upon h0lldays-these same working
classes beginning to feel that tney get along
nj welt without them and that they are in no wise
necessary to the progress existence o the nation
Her Msjesty has, iact, for the last eight ten
years, been dong neither more nor less than show
Ing the people how well they can 90 without her
and how altogether useless royalty has become. A
Parliament eected by household suffrage will judg-
ing from the signs or the times, come IN lfs turn TO
be OF the same opinion; aud then we may expec,
either That monarchy sna, as tho French say, give
its reason OF being, or depart with many Other
anings that have served their day and generation
OPENING PARLIAMENT BY ROYAL COMMISSION.
This f0rmaitty is one OF the oldest and In many
respects the most amusing spectacle5 that can bt
imagined. Lovers OF form, generators OF authority
worshppers OF antiquity stickers for precedent and
decorum, Engshmen nowhere more iuly display
these particular characteristics OF their nature than
IN the suinmoning to business of the imperial Legis
iature. In seme respects the ceremony oui-Herod.
a scene IN pantomime. Given, law, dun day
20 begin with, such as frowned upon the exhibition
ofast tuesday and the affair Is oniy redeemed IRON
being iaughable on account OF its inelancnoiS. the
barbarlc nagnifcence OF the interior or the House
0ll<ordsh fretted and richly pauel!ed r00l, DaAlns