Year: 1867




From our latest mail advices it appears that
the Reform question in England has assumed
new phase. The meeting of the Liberal mem
bers of Parliament held in London on the Goth
of February was remarkable for two things;
first for the unanimity which we are informed
characterized the proceedings, and secondly, for
the fact that John Bright disSented from the
views of the majority as TO the sincerity OF the
Derby Government in dealing with the question
of Reform On this point the great popular
leader is at variance with Gladstone and the
rank and file of the Liberal party. He does
not believe in the Tories as political refOrmers; ;
he has no confidence in their professions of
liberality; he fears that, left in their hands,
the interests ef the people will be sacrificed
again. as they have hitherto Systematically been,
in the interests of class domination and caste
privileges. On the other hand Gladstone and
the great bulk of the party seem not unwilling
to accept Reform bill from the present Gov
ernment, provided that certain concessions are
made which will save the consistency" of the
Liberals in supporting a Reform measure COM
ing from the Tories, as well as of the Adulla-
mites, who profess that they want Reform, but
not such measure as Mr.. GladstOnes bill OF
last session for the extension of the franchise.
Ii is noteworthy that Mr.. Gladstone, who is
now the leader of the Liberal party In the
Commons. has treated the Derby Government
with studied forbearance ever since the COM
mencement of the session. His speeches have
all been of the most conciliatory character, and
his tone and manner courteous in the extreme.
Had he been disposed TO push matters
to an extremity, there can be no doubt that
the Derby Ministry would ere this have
been overthrown, in which event it is more
than likely there would have been a dissolu-
ton of Parliament, and an appeal to the con-
stituencies. Indeed, it has been limited that
the dread of dissolution has induced the
members of the Liberal party to bring re-
strainng pressure to bear upon Gladstone, III
order TO avoid crisis and the expense and
worry of a general election. But another rea-
son, perhaps quite rs near TO the truth, may
be assigned for the moderation of the Liberals.
In this matter of the extension of the fran
chse the people are clearly ahead of their
profcssed leaders and representatives in Parla-
ment. Democratic ideas, it appears, have
lately been permeating the working classes i'll
England to an extent never before known in
the history of that country. In the Reform
League and the Trades Unions, democracy
has taken body and shape, and now fairly
confronts that proud aristocracy of birth
and privilege which has hitherto guided
the destinies of England, and shaped legislation
for its own selfish ends. The people are now
demanding manhood suffrage, and they are evil
IDENTITY in no mood to take denial. The aris-
tocrats say the franchise is a privilege to be


Al. nf
class; the people, OH the contrary, claim it as
democratic right, and insist upon having that
which belongs to them. Here, then, is seen
looming up serious danger to the old order of
things, to the divine right of caste, to an
hereditary nobility, to laws of entail and pri-
mogeniture to an established church, to n spirit
ual peeragc, and to host OF kindred institu-
tons. This is danger that threatens not the
Tories alone, but the whole social class, OF
which, as party, the Tories are but one of
the political divisions. And it is easy to under
stand how, IN the presence of this new peril to
their order, Tories and Wings, C0nser-
vatiyes and Liberals. may all instinctively
draw closer together and make common
cause against the enemy. The House
of Commons, as at present constituted, pre-
sents this anomaly: that, although in theory
popular assembly, it is, as body, intensely
Above and beyond party names |
and party lines there is a community of class !
interests mt work in it; and where these |
interests are menaced, it is only natural to
expect that mere political differences will be
virtually merged, in order the moro effectually |
to combat the common foe. Might not these
account for the exceedingly
mild treatment which the Derby Government
has been receiving at the hands OF the Oppo-
sitionf Not that wo would impugn Mr.. Glad