Northern Times. — 1857-09-10 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

EDITOR OF TIDE NOETII2RN TIME I.  . - Sir,—ln these days of European peace, however superficial, and of English strength, however undermined, it becomes no matt to be an alarmist : I do but forecast a possibility, and suggest a move to meet it. We shall soon find ourselves permanently, for all Acoidental purposes, denuded of a standing army, in being ne tallest to all thinking men that our Eastern empire must be maintained by us as a huge colony dependent upon military occupation. No confidence can henceforth be given to the native, whether soldier or civilian ; caste must be trodden out, idolatry abrogated; and if the population will net quietly obey our rule, they must feel upon their necks the iron heel of the conqueror: Our standing army is henceforth.' virtually an Oriental pelice, after it shall have accomplished its first duty of retributive re-conquest. Meanwhile what is our condition westwards? Has Russia forgiven us? Dees Austria love us? Are we not detested by the national heart of France ? Is there a people or a potentate who is cordially our friend, and not rather a jealous, indignant. or vindictive rival*? So far as other nations are -concerned, in spite of diplomatic management and philanthropic courtesies, we are a people isolated in oar envied grandeur; and the jackals of all Ciristendom would be gladly down upon the lion in his sickness. Internally, what is our moral state? Crnmercial inflation ever at the bursting point of a.collapse, and all manner of speculative successes (Heaven be praised for them !), liable, notwithstanding to mundane change, and dependent, under Providence, upon the annual corn crop and cotton crop. None can ever tell what a season may bring forth. Ct,rinth and Carthage were as prosperous and as secure—as corrupted by contentions oligarchs, as defenceless in the day of visitation. Our rulers are now bagging ;grouse upon the moors, after having expended their utmost energy in relieving certain powerful adherents of bad wives at a reasonable figtire ; and to do them justice, they have east at parting a momentary glance upon our winter defenceleisness so, far as to propose calling out the militia, end making it a wetnurse for the army—a good move to a certain extent, but amendable in the view that both for agricultural and factory purposes we are by no means overhanded ; and in the further view, that what we ohidlt want is not a nursery far our armies abroad, bat an armed people living fearlessly at home. tjAnd this,7sir, is the point I come to.. What wo now are most in need of, as a permanent institution of the country, is (under good and well-considered regulations) a local and national system of self-defersee—the RVfle Club in every parish. Details (for lam purposely short to save your space) are obvious, easy, and open to all manner of alteration to suit neighbourhoods. It is utter nonsense to inaagiae that poachers are thereby encouraged, or murders made easy; you sheet pheasants with any tool rather than a Millie, and a cobbler's knife is handier than a bayonet. But, in fact, our universal rifle clubs should be the picked good men and true of all neighbourhoods ; their gatherings the met'rym tking of united classes ; their shooting and drilling ground the fresh downs or broad unreclaimed heaths of a county; and their prizes: the pride of each English yeoman descendent of the whilome archers of Agincourt and Cressy. Why do not our governors encourage this Idea? A People disarmed, and guarded (against as welt as for) by the centralised forces of soldiery or police—this is modern wisdom in statecraft—this is the fashionable foil y of our partisan rulers. Any notion of ennfilence shown in England's sound true heart. is despised by OUT wordy debaters; and the good Alfredian principle of local selfgovernment is denounced n 1 if it wore not (as it truly is) the great cure for all Boris of disaffection, and the real strength of an independent people. Sir, through your good favour I place now again before the public mind, after long interval, an idea often heretofore urged by me ; and though thus crudely and curtly thrown out, for your space sake, end my haste, and your readers' patience, I do hope that you and others wit forthwith recommence a wholesome agitation to get up National R Clubs.—l am &e.,