The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1882-05-20
Ghe Gnueller.
THE RURALLIFE OF ENGLAND
From, the n ]. Tribune.
nY cArrAIN MAYNE BID.

Many Americans have told me they
would like to know more Of our English
rural life than can be learned in hurried
run through the country The american
visitor to England, usually sojourner in
large cities. or rushing to and fro on rail
roads, has little opportunity Of becoming
acquainted with such life, least Of all in
London. the realm of King Cockayne,
whose subjects are fer the most part as IL
norant Of it as might be the average New
Yorker or Bostonian with that Of your own
backwoods and possibly more 50. Famil-
lar with this life from having long lived 1t,
| viii. with your permission, lay before the
readers of The Tribune such Of its seefies,
customs and characteristics as | conceive
NAV be new or of interest to them; and for
their better comprehension Of it, | would
ask indulgence while giving some rather
dry details relating to It's political organiza-
ton which come under the heading Of the
county.
In England, the county Is term of
important significance, much more 20 than
on your side; and the name of each county,
or shire as it is iudiferently called, is as.
familiar to Englishmen as the names Of
your states are 70 Americans Politically,
an matters Of administration relating spe-
cially to the shires are in the hands Of the
county magistrates, otherwise called jus
tees Of the peace. with the Lord Lieuten-
ant at their head; he appointing. or what l.
virtually the same thing, nominating them
for appointment by the Lord Chancellor Of
England; from which source comes his own
commission. Thus it viii be seen that the
people have neither act nor part in county
administration, nor elective voice, nor even
whisper of it. Slsch excepted matters As
are controlled by their votes are confined
to the local government of towns and vii
lages-affairs municipal and parochial-
but even over most Of these the county
magistrate. er oficio, wields an influence.
The English justices Of the peace, the
Lords Lieutenant also, hold office for lite,
none of them receiving any pay. And as
the service entails considerable amount Of
labor. with loss of time, it may be thought
strange their thus giving il gratuitously.
1t has its c0mpeusations, however, IN the
honor which the Office confers, and the
poioer; though patriotism and a sense OF
duty may be doubtfully added as influencing
motives Whatever the true motives, it is
an Office greatly coveted and eagerly sought
after. especially by men Of the middle
classes who have acquired wealth, and are
aiming to enter the ranks Of the gentry,
into which it gains them admission. In
deed. so much is it regarded by these, that
some would even prefer beingon the Com
mission of the Peace to having seat IN
Parliament since the latter is often due tC
a mere caprice of popularity, and may not
be permanent. while the former lasts fOI
life. Besides, the one honor comes from
above, and has a spice of Royal favor about
If. while the other is but bestowed by the
people. Now, as the Lord Lieutenant him
self. the grand figurehead of shire admins
tration. is always a titled nobleman or Other
county magnate, and as a rule either rank
.sTory'' or aWhig' with Conservative in
elinings, it need hardly be said that tho
magistrates SO appointed are rarely of mid
dIe-class belonging. Cases do occur, anc
more frequently now than in times past
for even the social prejudices Of Lord
Lieutenant give way before wealth. Bu
the truly eligible are the large landowner
of the gentry class, not including some o.
their poorer relatives who may not own al
acre the clergy (Episeopalian alone), witt
naval and military officers retired from ser
vice. and settled down in the shires Law
yers are disentitled by reason of their pro
fession; while doctors, though eligible, arr
rarely justices of the peace, save in remote
out-of-the-way districts, where other eligible
persons are not to be had A merchant
even a wealthy one-in the Commission o
the Peace were rdrd dris; while the
holding of it by farmer or Nonconformis
minister is a thing quite unknown.
Of these nc,,-elected and irresponsible
layers-down of the law, each county ha
more or fewer according to its size, popula
ton and other necessities; though in thi
there is no exact symmetry Of proportion
many receiving the appointment as mucl
through favor and for distinctions sake a
for any duties they may be called upon t
discharge The average county will hav
two hundred of them, of course scattere'