The Portland daily press., 1877-01-16
LECTURES.
Gen. Neal Dow i'm the Mechanic Course.

The eighth entertainment in the Mechanic
Course was given last evening, Gen. Neal
Dow giving his new lecture entitled England
and the English to a.good audience at Me-
chanics Hall. The lecture proved very inter-
estng one AMI showed that Gen. Neal Dow did
not travel through England on his recent visit
with his eyes shut The delivery occupied
seventy minutes.
The lecture began by abiding to the antiqui-
ties of the old country IF the American trav.
eller there has but short time to remain, he
will not be able to learn much of the institu-
tions of the country and nothing of the people
or of their ways of life He will devote him
self therefore entirely to an examination of the
many most interesting remains of the old time
with which the Kingdom abounds, many of
which date from tina earliest years of an era,
and some 60 far back into the shadow past
where no history has taken cognizance of them.
nor of the people by whom they were con-
structed and even their object is matter of
mere conjecture.
But the residence in the country of more
than three years afforded the lecturer most
ample opportunities of becoming acquainted
with the people-.heir ways of thought and of
life-and with their political institutions. The
England of to day is very different from what
it was in the early years of this century. A
great many changes have been accomplished
in the social condition and political institu-
tions OF the country. and other changes are
slowly and quietly in progress by which the
condition Of the country Of century hence
will h9 Unlika that Of tha dav
is now different from that of hundred years
ago,
The lecturer described the present political
condition OF the country as contrasted with that
of the beginning of the present century. Now
the people are admitted to large share in the
direction of public affairs, some working men
even, having seats in the House of Commons
the franchise has been largely extended among
the common peOple-who now exercise wide
influence over public affairs. In no country in
the world is the government more sensitive to
public opinion, and the ministry dare not per-
severe in any line of policy against a clearly
expressed popular objection. The ministry
may fairly be said to be afald OF the people, as
1t IS not an uncommon thing for members of
Parliament and even for members of the min
lstry to object TO proposed measures on the
ground that they would lead to 20 pular COM
motion.
The lecturer spoke at length of the races of
the country as one of the most prominent of its
into habits of gambling on vast scale, causing
the ruin of great many persons and to the
breaking up of great estates. Fox hunting also
come in for an extended notice, and one was
described at which the lecturer was present,
where many thousands of people on horseback
and on foot were eagerly bent on killing fox
which they did not accomplish on that occa-
sion, The land question and the legal disabili-
ties OF dlssenters were spoken of, and the great
inequality OF personal rights and privileges in
no N ATTIC nf no tl,o
wonderful difference in political influence and |
power between towns and individuals in vari-
GUS parts of the Kingdom. One member of
Parliament being elected by seventy five votes,
a majority OF the constituency, while another |
was elected by sixteen thousand votes-a vote |
in the one case having two hundred and thir- |
teen times more power than in the other. |
The lecturer alluded to that we'll known fea-
ture of the English mind. that renders it slow !
to adopt new opinions and new ways, which he |
Times, abiding to 1t, said: "The English mind |
does not kindly entertain new questions" The |
lecturer dealt largely with English homes, |
which, he said, were the mos charming in the |
world, with Eogiish home life and social Gus
toms and habits. He commented at length |
upon the attitude of the English arstocratlc |
classes in relation to this country at the time of
the rebellion, and illustrated this part of his |
lecture by many facts, and he spoke of the |
friendly attitude towards US during all that dark
time, of the masses OF the English people whose |
influence on the government alone prevented |
the recognition of the confederacy.
The lecturer dwelt at length upon the eager |
ness with which the English desire to recover |
possession of the markets Of this country for the
sale of their manufactures, and he showed that |
the extension and multiplication of American |
manufactures are affecting, very seriously, the |
most Important British interests. The pecul- |
lar circumstances which gave England the con-
troll of the worlds markets have greatly chang |
ed within few years, and are yet in process of |
change, so that other nations, especially the |
Americans, are entering into sharp competition |
with her, where formerly she had no rival.
England was formerly nearly an absolute |
monarchy, but now the crown has but little |
power in theory, and IN practice none. The |
ministers govern the country, and these are |
mere committees of the House of Commons
and this body is simply what the people choose |
to make it, Political changes are Constantly !
going on in the country-under the irresistible !
power of public opinion-and there is no limit |
to the extent to which these changes may be |
carried, peaceaby and quietly, in accordance |
with the popular will expressed at the ballot |
box and otherwise. England is closely allied |
to this country, not only by ties Of blood, but |
by the powerful bond. of interest, which must |
even bind US together in the most friendly and
peaceful relations and no well wisher Of his
country, whether English or American, no low
er of free political and religious institutions
will by word or deed or thought, promote or
suffer any dlsc0rd betw cen us.