The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1871-07-27
DEMec.atYaYE VERSES ARIsTocRAeY.

in the recent bold movement of Mr.. Glad
stone, the Prime Minister of State Of Eng.
land, in relation to the abolition of the pur-
chase system in the English army. His whole
army bill had been virtually tabooed by the
House Of Lords, aud the prospect was that
the Ministry would utterly fail in carrying
out the proposition to abolish the purchase
system 1t was in this desperate straight,
that Gladstone. assuming the Grown to be
the representative of the People, announced
to the House Of Commons that the Queen, by
the advice of the Ministers, had cancelled
the royal warrant legalizing the purchase of
commissions in the army. The scenes in
both Houses upon this announcement were
almost ndescribablc In the House of Com
mons the news was received with vehement
cheering Mr.. Disraeli aud the Tory mem
bcrs generally were unable to dissemble their
anger, and bitterly denounced the arbitrary
course Of the government. Mr.. Gladstone
was defiant, and challenged the opposition to
move a vote of want of confidence. Earl
Granville in the House Of Lords announced
the determination of the Ministry, and de
Tended their policy. London is very much
excited over the course of the Ministry, and
anticipates far-reachiug consequences in a
democratic sense. - fel
This is only one evidence, but very signif-
cant, of the progress of the leveling spirit in
England Another is, that Democratic
mass meeting was to have been held in Hyde
Park on last Sunday; and another, that the
London Common Council has rejected mo-
tion to give grand banquet at the Guildhall
to the imperial and royal visitors now in Eng
land. And still another, more threatening
than all of these to the political system Of
England is the Ballot bill introduced on be-
half of the::government, by Mr.. Forster. "On
motion to postpone the consideration Of this
measure until next winter, the movers were
defeated by vote Of 1926 to 232, there being
majority Of 81 against them. There is no
doubt it viii: ultimately pass. The provis-
ions of the bill establish system far more
complicated than that prevailing in this coun
try. The regulations provide that the ballot
papers corresponding to our voting tickets,
shall contain list Of the candidates in al
phabetical order, and opposite each name the
figure of square, These papers are all to
be stamped exactly alike. with device known
beforehand only to the returning officer, and
no device can be used twice within the peri
cd of seven years. The ballot paper thus
stamped is handed to the voter, who retires to
compartment of the election booth, and
concealed from curious eyes puts his mark IN
the square against the name Of the candidate
for whom he votes. The ballot paper is next
to be folded up SO as only to show the official
device, and then placed in the ballot-box in
the presence of the election officers. The
boxes are to be sealed up when the election is
over. In counting the votes, papers without
the official stamp, or which have anything
written or marked upon them except the cross
against the name, are to. be rejected The
votes are to be counted in the presence Of the
agents Of the candidates, and the result is to
be announced by public advertisement.
These are two pregnant measures in the
reform which is now going on in England
The revolution will not end here. The abo-
liton Of the purchase system in the Army
will be followed by the abolition of the pur-
chase system in the Church. The Church
will be ultimately disestablished. The Dis
senters are already very FESTIVE.
/ Other measures in contemplation are said
to be universal manhood sufrage-then the
redistribution of seats in Parliament-and
even female suffrage"
These radical and revolutionary measures
having for their purpose a progressive inno-
walton upon the established customs and ideas
Of the Aristocracy of England, but foreshad-
ow the strides which the Democratic spirit
is making in the Old World. 1t is the
spirit which animated the French Com
mune, developing itself under peaceful
forms, and aiming to assert the equality Of
Labor with Capital Ito proclaim the inherent
rights aud privileges Of true manhood, and
the destruction of castles and birth prcroga-
tives. sE
Had not the purposes of the Commune Of
France been signalized by bloody and vandal
excuses, the popular idea which lies at its
base, would have spread with such sweeping
and overwhelming rapidity, as to have shaken
ere this the entire superstructure of Aristoc.
racy in the old country.
AS Time rolls on and Mind develops in its
progressive aspirations tc its legitimate sphere
and its rightful relation to the social and pc
litical systems, the exclusive assumptions o
Birth and Capital to superiority over Labor
and Mind bend before the tide, and are hav
ing swept from under them the fiimsy prop
which false and shallow. political and socia
economy have erected. The world moves
Revolutions are but the evidences Of the up
heavel of the chained and oppressed Intel
lect of the laboring classes. Capital has ST
completely subsidized Mind heretofore, tina
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