The sun., 1882-08-20
The Reform Epoch in Great Britain.

The latest addition to the series of histori-
cal monographs. now publishing by the Scrib-
ners under the collective title OF Epochs in
Modern History" is an account Of the changes
In the British political system which took
place during the twenty years intervening be-
tween the introduction of.Lord Greys first Re-
form bill and the death OF Sir Robert Peel.
The author OF this sketch. Mr.. JUSTIN Nc
CARTHY. has become since the publication Of his
History Of Our Own Times" to some extent
an authority touching that kind Of information
which is not yet condensed in books. but has to
be collected from public documents and news
papers. Whether Mr.. McCarthy's judgment
upon public questions Is Of great value may be
open to some doubt But he is a patient and
conscientious accumulation Of facts. and he has
produced in this instance n useful manual for
which we could not easily find a substitute.
OF course there has been grent deal done
in the way Of political and social reform in the
United Kingdom since 1850. There has been.
for instance. Il second extension of the Parlia-
mentary franchise. the Anglican Church in
Ireland has been disestablished the Irish land
laws Of 1870 and 1881 have been enacted. and in
Great Britain. especially. there has been a
signal development OF the centralizing ten
dency in legislation at the expense of local
self-government Nevertheless. the England
of to day differs but slightly from the England
OF 1850. when compared with the vast differ-
ence between the England of the Crimean war
and the England of the war against Napoleon.
Mr. Mccarthy is therefore justified in designat-
ing the period which he has undertaken to
portray as conspicuously and emphatically the
epoch OF reform. We cannot challenge tho
right of such a period to occupy a distinct
place In the history OF England when
we bear in mind that Lord Grey's Reform
l., II
Kingdom the basis of popular suffrage. and
for tho first time in their history gave
Parliamentary representation to the great in
dustrial towns. besides abolishing many old
standing anomalies and sources OF corruption.
Ii was during those memorable years that the
tthe system was brought to an end in Ireland.
that slavery was abolished in the British colo
nlos, that the working OF women and children
in mines and factories was placed under whole
some regulation. that the foundation Of a scheme
of national education was laid. and that
the British penal code was made humane and
reasonable. 1t was during the same period OF
political fecundity that the Corn laws were re-
pealed-an economical change Of front which
has literally revolutionized the whole system
of productive industry and commercial enter
prise and it was. finally, at the same epoch that
the relations OF the British sovereign to Parlia-
ment, and OF Parliament to the people. were
solidly established ON a well-deilned and salts
factory principle.
In his concluding chapter Mr.. Mccarthy
points out that it was not by any means in
political affairs alone that the British Islands
were making steady progress during the re-
form epoch. Without indeed. an antecedent
improvement in intelligence and in moral feel
ing the ameioration of the political system
could not have taken place. The whole tone
and spirit of society had improved. At the
period, for instance. at which Mr., MoCarthy's
narrative begins, tho practice Of dueling was
still fashionable. Not only military men
AMI hot-tempered youths settled their quar-
rels with the pistol. butt grave statesmen and
elderly lawyers had recourse to the
same means of finishing dispute. Thus
the Duke of Wellington fought duel
with Lord Winchelsea; Sir Robert Peel was
making arrangements 10 fight duol with
O'Connell when the Interference OF friends put
an end TO the quarrel; Mr.. Disraeli challenged
one OF OConnells sons because O'Connell
himself declined to fight The author thinks
that the decay and final abandonment of the
duellng system in England is TO be ascribed in
n large measure to the influence of the late
Prince Consort 1t is true that some singularly
tragic and odlous quarrels, futile in their orig
inal purpose. had drawn public attention forci-
Dly 70 the hldeouSneSS or the practice; Dut the
intervention of Prince Albert Mt such timely
moment. and the use he made Of his influence
with the military authorities. was. probably
enough. a weighty factor in the accomplishment
of this social reform. Again. the barbarous
amusements which. down to the reign Of
William ~. were still common among all
classes ofthe English pcopc-such amusements
Ms bull-haitlng and cock -hghting-have now
ceased TO be the pastime ofeycn the rudost and
most ignorant. Nor should it he forgotten that
the shocking habits of drunkenness, which
fifty years ago pcrvaded all classes OF men In
the United Kingdom. are now confined for the
most part, to the poor and uneducatod. whose
inressant toll and hardship make temptation
not easy to resist As Regards finally. the public
health. which has u direct ana obvious bearing
upon the public morals, it is manifest that the
numerous sanitary improvements made in the
drainage Of cities, in the ventilation Of houses
in the supply Of pure water. and in the provid-
ing of gardens and open spaces for the poor
children Of large towns to play in, could not
fail to produce II decided effect upon the gener-
al well being Of the British population.