, 1875-02-21

stages-Rdlcule, Argument; Adoption-raich.
accordink to John STUART Mill, il the hard
destiny. of every refo u. BY d.nt OF eudteea
petitions en and 1emonstraneea' Tie 6.ss two
Was With still moro difficulty that tho
third was accom- llshed- Viewed from
the Kings standpoint it would certainly seem =,
though these worthy represah tatives should hayo
bten tstis1ed With what they had already donn.
Having limited the money-Eaising and laH~mak-
Jug power, Why should they add to these iniu-
r1es the insult Of An invasion into the Hors,
la!ace ITSELF for the purpose Of ascertaiuing thu
disposition made Of the funds, and the charactsr
Of cottain coultiers? The answer Ii found il
times. that the rights Of man can never Do d,s.
t'nctly uncerstood from any such eieEated And
'iaofA0ed position IS thht Of the THRONE
THE FIRST COMPLAINTS
touching the Wnsteful exuendth1es Of the cart
aad the doubtful reputation borne By .ons *
the mombets OF tho Kings household, vers
couched in te1ms full Of deprecstioo, snd eyen
aersitity. yet for long time RECEIVED no a.
awer. save one which e1pxesaed determination
to abide By old customb ; ur, which Was equally
pnsa,t'sfactary, reminded tho petitioners ct tho
was the final causo: to nearly every. anarsr
Vouchsafed by the King to The petitions Of ha
subjects It was not until the last years Of Ed
ward III. that decisive action was taken ia the
matter OF impeachment, Commons protested
against tho undue influence gained by the Duks
ot lancaster and Alice Perrers over tho King.
The following ordinance showa t6s
kiud Of influence exerted by tho
latter. and calls to mind those items occasions
ally seen IN the modern newspaper concerning
fetaale lobbyists" J" Whereas, many women
prosecute the ssnts Of others IN courts of JUS
t,ee, by way OF. naiutenEncc,. which ia dis-
pleasing to tho king he forbids any woman.
aud especially Alice peirers, to do 30, On pain ot
said Alice 1orfeitlug ail her goods, And bdnetiuk
banishnaeat from the Kingdom" Comnoas
owed the greater rars of its success IN this r.
epecs to the Prince Of Yates, who distrusted
Lancaster, and improved the opportunity to
overthrow his power. The succeeding Pa.na-
ment Severed the whole proceedings, thus show
ing that tho time had not yet at1tved for such Ia
assumption Of authority on the part OF the pee-
pie towards their sovereign. However, during
sor Of Edward, this tama 1lico Perters was afafa
accused Of interrnedd6bg IN tno GonrEe lid
banlshed.
ENGLAND WAS MUCH OPPRESSED, -
Throughout the entire reign OF Richard. BY ha
iocesszn. demands for money. Altar app1 opri-
at1ns to himself portion of nearly everything
which hia bubtccta ate and wore, his final resort
was the poll. .ta1, which proved 70 be tho laas drop
IN the bucket and onn which set It oyeradwidg.
Robert Southey's dramatic poem, wat Tyler"
is a faithful picture Of those stormy times. In
1t the blacksmith hero Ia made to say, Teftrrisk
~ LIE t41-S1tucleI3s
aLook at these wolves of the faT;
Thoy cume to drain me IT my hard earhtd wafsa
hnve xtready paid the heavy tax So.
Laid % the wool that clotaes me,--on my faatha;-
On al tho needful articles Of Gfal
And now three groats {snd worked hard to earn tka1
The Parliament demands, aud / nuss p.y thSh,
Fursooth, foe liberty TO wear ny head"
4 bold attempt towards Regulating roJA be.
havior 1T this time is Shown IN the fsqueat q
Commons that two citizens be appointed, Whosa
dlties shall be the charge OF all subsidies voted
to the King and the supervision OF thair" "dlstrt-
button. This, after cor; -.derablo d4mut1inE,
was granted but as Al acs o. special favor oh
the part Of Lis Majesty. ard oae Which should
never "ho used al a precedent" Richards
tyrannous and treacherous ma3n-t Of dealing
with his people in the end pared the way to tho
safe return Of the banished Duke Of lancaster.
Arriving in England during The Temporary ab-
fence OF its master, ne found the people quit6
ready to rally round his standard, deposo the
rishtful sovereign, and proclaim him King
Henry ".
UNDER THE HoUsE or LaScAsTxh,
which occupred I1a throuie down to tha time of
Henry VI, the Constitution, through tho lire
less efforts Of the Lower House, came to IL
:lude far greater nqmber OF the peoples Gbst-
found j. ,eessxty to con6ns the right of taxa
hon to ~: own body. In order 70 make this lair
of any practical effect. it vas Obliged to mak6
others Which should preclude tho possibility Of
ia evasion on tho Part Of the King. Henry ",
knowing that he wa4 powerless to impose taxes,
cate proceeding of e1torting loans from bis mora
wealthy subjects. who naturally found Tin
means OF Increasing tic Royal revenue no leds
buidenso.ne than the CID itnposirions- It had
Ne been one Of tho Kings el!eWd De.
int,l tie last day ot tie session, whea
sn other business, Particularly that Of Ioting
supplies, should be finished Tie rdader mVof-
intarily aInllea 1t the p1aiuneea OF The melnlng,
revealed IN the request shae the aEaWef to poa-
'uppnes. The reply 70 this request mus: b
3iVan in fill. l. Is the characteristic Answbr
ahjth las ever besn given by CONSERVATISM 10
IL demands for reform It had neyar beeh
Known ih the time Of hia ancestors that they
should hare their petitions answered before they
lad dona ali their business in Parliament whoth-
IL of granting money Or any other concerhs;
sherefore the King will not alter tho good ems
oEn5 and nsaSea Of ancient siieea-" It has never
5eIora been; thefeIuIe it shall nevtr ba-thss
>rofonfa arsu ilent will be r611e5 dtIt Ii pon0ai-
JUS tones to the end Of time
What Maa kIloHa as
II tho Eing W:s etsrciked 20 ot.en, md boi hi
u, iurisIy, in the obsor1aaca OF statutGs that ii
,ecams The soii1co Of the greatest injustice 70
ho people, THIS :. dispa7ein$ power" Tas jtise
rba. ths words imply; ind eliabfed The King 10
IIspens6 With that portion OF statute which
ras unsuitod to his purposes !; and 70 answer
|etitions sith mental reservation il he chose.
This dangerous policy Was avoided only Whao
COMMONS resoT.ed TO Tho d1psdlant Of changing
lie old pesstio,ls lnto btt!., shus making t1am
complete atatutsa," which must be ratlded u
eIected withoh: qualification.
IN the time Of H6nfy Y. tho Housa u cora-
1ons had
qAixtp Syw coS11DEsct
, Itself, aid v"p:ufcd to axprehs oplhiohs ID
ettaln publ: a1ata which heretofote it bid
lmoss abiectIy declined lntorferer}ce with. Tho
sEttstahce it had rendered the kihg in his ~att
ad been only Of pecuniary. never. OF IN ID
lsoty, character. with Richard Il. the modest
utgeaees vent no far thet than TO- express shA
u they s1u!d feel II peace could b restored;
ut under Henry u their influence hAd sufa.
ently Increased to render their consent uecee-
rytn all important questions, both Of foreign
nd domestic natnfe. ... =.
Nearly every new statute framed by Parflar
tent w1s but ono more encroachmeot On the
'oyal preroga:ire, Indeed, tho mhote hatoy OF
no Constitution ia little more than
sEH1ES OF CoxF1IcT1 .
ctween the higher ana lower grades Of TIT
eopie. first between the King and tie B7rons,
hen Aragua Charta was wreeked from the M.
illing hands Of John. Then, as the number ot
ar6is Increased, there followed their inevitable
srazation Into superior and inferior classes.