New-York tribune., 1877-06-02

as a lecture last November before the Philosophical
Institution in Edinburgh. Ii was reported and pub
Esbed at the timc and moro or less noticed IN
American newspapers. But ] refer TO 1t for the
sake of a quotation WHICH seems TO have attracted
less attention than it deserves. distinguished
American once said to Mr. Froude " Hold fast TO
such institutions rs you have left. We have none
and must do as we can without them. But do not
natteryourselves that by destroying yours you can
make England like America. We are young ana
growing. Yon are in your maturity or past IT, we
shall rise through our difficulties If time comes
when the English Parliament is filed with men who
60 there TO push their own fortunes, you will per
haps not rise through yours"
do not know who the distinguished American
was. but he talks good sense on point where some
Of his counirymcn apt to talk what is not goou
sense lie does not argue from the success OF partc-
ular political methods in new country that the
same methods would be eXpedent IN an old country
BY institutions he means institutions when nave
grown up which are the product Of centuries.
which are the result of tradition, usage continuous
action for a long period on the same lines. Mr..
Froude makes use of his remark TO point his own
protest AGAINST such reconstruction of Parliament
as should exclude men who represent the historic
traditions of Great Britain. and who serve their
country without private ends. Bat in truth they
cannot be excluded The House Of Lords as a legs-
lative body may he abolished, but the political an
thoriy of the Lords would survive. 1t IS doubtful
if il would not be increased An eminent, very
eminent and Liberal member OF the House of Com
mons once said TO me: " ii the middle classes are
wise they will leave the House of Lords as II is II
Won abolish tyou cannot refuse the Peers the right
of election to the House Of Commons. Once ad-
mitted their vast estates, local influence, social
position, and political experience would give
them a prcponderant position. Such fellows as ]
never would have chance The despondiug view Of
the future which Mr.. FrOude takes in this essay and
in that on PARTY Politics " may seem TO him too
gloomy should the opinion / have quoted he gener-
ally adopted lie declared that the real worth of
any people may he tested by the feelings which they
entertain for their foreathcrs-a test which ought
to set us Americans very high up indeed In En-
gland it was once, rs with the Romans something
like religion and Mr.. FrOude hopes il may revive,
"when the nineteenth century has sufficiently adj
mired itself for its steam engines and electric tele-
graphs" ! should say it had never died out. Moth
ing today is so strong in England as precedent.
The burden of proof is always upon him who would
alter a custom. The maxim best known 10 English
men and most often in their mouths is Burkcs ." to
innovatc is not to REFORM" and Burkes phrase the
wisdom of our ancestors" answers with most of
them for a body of political doctrine. Should 1t
cease o-and the signs that il mas cease have GER
taiuly been numerOus-it may still be replaced by
such practical views those of the Liberal above
mentioned. G. W. 5.