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93^ THE ^^B ^Mfc. [SaxTOd . y
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1 ' LORD JOHN ^$TSS9^ Of J)EMOCRACY. By ...
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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It Ord J^Y^^P^Llsll Has Astounded His Pl...
India Squadron . The western horizon , therefore , looks ominously cloudy . Through the cloud of falsehood and mystification , fact begins to pierce , and we learn the measure of the Moniteur ' s veracity aji < fcjie gp & s of tly ? 1 telegraphs are filled up by private lfr aers . It is evident that not only is the enthusiasm of the ' population on the passage of the P ^ ident factitious , represented by th atrical gewmjws , but it is got up by the aid of a # € xtrao r 4 i » ary pressure on the purse , the conscience , and the liberty of the citizen . Not onl y is the enthusiastic population chiefly made up of an army of functionaries , but the peasantry are dragged from their homes at beat of drum , to swell the official triumphs . In some towns , indeed , in spite of all coertion , the reception has been worse than apathetic ; and in Lyons , not unfaithful to her political traditions , the triumph had well ni gh become a rout : for there the Republic still lives ,, a watchword , a banner , and a hope . Valence , the stronghold of Legitimacy , shrouded itself in a cold'and disdainful silence , closing its windows as the cavalcade rode on . At Marseilles , the triumphal progress was not cut short by an infernal machine , which still remains for us in the domain of fable . The police , by their excess of skill , prove too much : how account for the discrepancy of dates in the fixing and the finding of the machine ? how account for the elaborate details of the cons piracy published in the Moniteur , and shaking the Bourse , in Paris , before the fleetest telegraph could have conveyed the bare news of the detection ? Still the purpose was gained . The eclat of a frightful danger escaped , and no risk encountered—the precious life preserved to France by a Providential vigilance , and the disgust which wise men of all parties feel at the thought of getting rid of a great public criminal b y assassination , rather than by a solemn vindication of justice —all these results were opportunel y hit off , as the elections of Paris ( if elections they can be called when scarcel y a tithe of the electors vote ) were approaching . But as nothing is said of the persons arrested , France and the world are still incredulous of a machine so convenientl y placed and timed . An infernal machine may be considered as a " property" in the burlesque , to complete the contrast ( in the copy ) of the Liltlc and the Great . But we reiterate our opinion expressed in December last , that the most fatal thing that could happen to the cause of the Democracy in France would be the death of the usurper b y assassination . Tyrannicide is long since an obsolete theme of schoolboys , and our practical age has extended to princes , no longer sacred , the common law against murder . Belgium is now beginning to feel the realization of threats long deferred , but never abandoned . Menace is succeeded by action : commercial hostilities arc engaged , and intrigues , fomented by u sinister and crafty Chmch , break out in the very Chamber , and drive ; the ministers from power . Belgium , free uud constitutional , is a thorn in the ; side of despotism . Shall England . suffer Bel gium to be annexed ? Ask the royal niece of Leopold , on the one hand , and the Downing-street . friend of Louis Bonaparte , on the other . The matter is rife with warnings for England . We find . Louis Bonaparte carrying out the threats withdrawn nine months ago : we find that dark encroaching Church , in Belgium , as nearer home , . standing apart from national sympathies und conspiring with alien oppressors . Elsewhere , too , thore are warnings for those who can see and hear . The President tells the merchants of Marseilles that it is his desire to see the Emperor ' s prophecy fulfilled , and the Mediterranean become a French lake . Meanwhile , the French navy leaves us drifting astern : steam line-of-battle-ships are pouring from the stocks at Cherbourg and Toulon , sham fights by day and by night are teaching j ^ umery to Johnny Crvpaud , aiul shaking the city and the sea .
93^ The ^^B ^Mfc. [Saxtod . Y
93 ^ THE ^^ B ^ Mfc . [ SaxTOd .
1 ' Lord John ^$Tss9^ Of J)Emocracy. By ...
LORD JOHN ^ $ TSS 9 ^ Of J ) EMOCRACY . By some singular c ^ ice of fortune , all the political oracles of the recessiaave been littered in the North . Not long ago , tb ^ was Lord Carlisle defending the l ^ i g party # ' ^¦ fiwjcastle ; then wjj found Sir James G ^ btarn at %£ islej ' lapt week , Lprd John Russell at Sfcij $ ing ; tb $ s freek , $ Whig ovation at Perth . With ^ he ' jexceptioiiof Mr .. Robert Lowe ' s dashing speech at K ^ erminster , all title political demonstrations of the «^ a ^ on have t > een jnade In the latitud e of tj * e black cock and the red deer . The latest occasion which gave rise to a display of Whig oratory , was a banquet , in honour of Lord Panmure , given , by the citizens of Perth , on Friday week . Killing two birds with one stone , the municipality of Perth had presented the freedom of their city to Lord John Russell in the afternoon , and in the evening that political worthy dined in the city hall , in company with Lord Panmtire , Lord Kinnaird , Mr . Arthur Kinnaird , Sir Charles Adam , several members of Parliament , and a strong gathering of local great men . The Lord Provost of Perth presided over the fete ; and Lady Panmure , with inauy ladies , looked and listened from a gallery above . Of course , the complimentary speaking of the evening lay between the Provost and his guests , especially the guest of the evening , Lord Panmure , who was toasted as a Whig , and applauded as a Whig . In reply , he stamped the character of the meeting as a party gathering , by looking on the " splendid ovation" as a tribute to the landmarks which the great Whig party had ever respected . Then , having run through his own political career , and ridiculed the position of the Derby Cabinet , he came to Lord John , and volunteered a defence , not only of his chief , but of the Whig party . " It is impossible , in this free country , to expect that any man , whether he be a minister of the Crown or a public man in any other position , will always command the popular opinion of the day ; but , in judging of public men , I would say that particular instances are not to be too harshly judged of as specimens of the whole . It is but fair to look back on the general tenor of the man ' s public life ; and so with regard to parties ; and I am sure that , if the career of that party , of which my noble friend is the great leader , be looked into from first to last , for years past , before he or any of us were born , we shall find that the great liberties of this country were due to that party which he now leads ; and that they were contended for in the worst of times , when even the people themselves , for whose liberties they struggled , were cold or indifferent , or were taught to run them down . ( Cheers . )" Not satisfied with this , Lord Panmure clenched the nail , by excluding all possible rivals to the ex-premier . " You may rely on this , that , let the Liberal party seek where they please for leaders , there are no soldiers to take the field like those that have been accustomed to lead forward armies to victory . They know the tactics to be guided by , and the ground to stand upon ; their honour ia unimpeached— their consistency is unquestioned — and they deserve the confidence of the country , rather than those who may present themselves as younger and mero raw recruits . " He then wound up with an oracular passage , which may be taken by the reader , either for a simple wish , or a political prophecy , as he pleases . " There arc , gentlemen , yet many reforms to be achieved . The Keform Bill was but the stono sot in motion ; it . never can stand still . There may be seasons of progress ; that progress niay sometimes be faster , and sometimes it may bo slower ; but progress this country must and will ; and as people become more intelligent and capable of governing thomselves , the franchise must bo extended , and privileges must bo held out to them which they do not at present enjoy . I hope ; I shall live to see the day when wo shall havo a far larger ramification of tlio franchise than at present , t hope to live to Beo tlio flay when a wound religious and secular education ( shall spread far and wide amongst tlio pooplo ; and I hope to see the day when this country will take as high Btanding for the enjoyment of its liberty , and lor the intelligence of its people , as any country can ilo on the face of the earth . In the enjoyment of liberty , lit present , I believe , nheHtandu first ; let . her also aim to stand as tho best educated und miomI , enlightened people * of tho world . To achieve these objects , gentlemen , shall be my utmost , endeavour ; and in whatever sphere or station I am placed , my whole energies shall alwayn be devoted to tlio benefit of tho country at largo , and in my own locality , as a landlord , to net ; to the comfortM and attend to tho intercuts , both sacred and nocular , of those who live around mo . ( Cheei'H . )" He bade thorn farewell . " Lord John . Ru . ssoll , and huccowb 1 o the mime of civil and religious liberty over the world . " Thin was really the toast of the evening . Lord John replied . Gradually , from tho non-success of democracy on the Continent , ho arrived at tho hucocsn of democracy at home , achieved by following' a " more sober eourHo ;" and without more ado , he took up the challenge thrown down by Lord Derby , on tlio advances of democracy , frankly juntil ' ying those advances , hucIi an they have been , and boldly advocating their acceleration . " ( JoiiMotiuui , in connexion with this subject , f muni , mention , however , an alarm which has lately boon—I wan going to nay—oxcitod , but it is not an alarm which ha « really beou oxcitotl , but au uiaxui which has boeu
at-M ^^^ Bptfr- ss & s voured to divS ^^^^ B" ?> h ° ralher end ? g ? h & 1 ^^ BE * 2 ? i ? s &»* jarful approoch ^^^^^^ K £ rese "t subject to » and cheerl . ) I h ^ democracy ( lau ^ groundless ( hear , L ^ HBt ! ls totally will not be eomidei ^^^ H ^ BH ^ . 14 ' i ' auth ° rit y of the' alarm . was th ^^^^^^^^^ HHs ? . cause part I had adopted some < fl ^ H ^^^^^^ W . ° ns -that what they were , but tbSHg ^^^^^^^ B ' exactl y ing and highly demoa & 9 p ~^^^^^^ K ™ ? alar m . to introduce measures WBfcijt ^^^^^^^ Kff aS about future time of shaking ; tfc ^^^^^^^ HP nectats ° me which I venerate ns muc ^^^^ B 5 lst ;! ulj ^ Kingdom ( cheers ) . Well ~ f ^^^^^^ B JJ" « " « - 'd that this rumour was totft &^^^^^^ H , . f * subject circumstance on which ic ^ M ^^^^^^ H ^ - * u ° that I had given in publi ^ d ^^^^^ R " ;; ;" . " ation . Whether this was 'l ^^^^^^ H . V " ^ nu . observation— ( laughter )— tfc ^^^^^^ KL 2 **? , the statement that I had oI ^^^^^^ Ew * ° was about to advance in tn ^^^^^ HPP "" ° ' « oi direction I will not say . A ^^^^ Mtf K ^ George Grey ) told me that ^^^^^¦ r " ° persons who attached some ^^^^^ K mSte ? asked him what explanation ^^^^^^^^^ Ed his ' * l nation was very simple and ^^^^^ K J &* monosyllable I will not now r ^^^^^^^^^ Ehter ) E t gentlemen , we will look to ^^^^^^^^ Etrn wl ' i ^ t , ' attempted to be created at tl ^^^^^^ KvL j ~/ f that the peeple of this coun ^^^^^^ Hgjg ^ ^™ the democracy of this countr ^^^^^ Hpf ^ own power at the expense otHj ^^^^^^^ K g ^ gouseoj Lords ? Does anyone mean I ^^^^^^^ H & fterly that the people of this country »>^^^ Hg dinlin . l , anything of the prfrogativesJ ^ H ^^^^ u be ] ieve that nobody could stand "FI ^^^^^ HIhat was his opinion , because the n ° torioa ^^^ H ^^^^ H | n 0 time in the history of this country ^^ B ^ P »|^ M peen more attached to the monarchy , or ¦¦^¦^^¦ pfectiOI ] at 0 to their Sovereign ( loud cheer ^^^ n ^^^ Bloes it mean that they are attempting 4 ^^ H ^^ HH lawful privileges which the House of Lcfl ^^ Hj ^^^^ tt deprire it of its part in the constitution ' ^ MHHJ ^^^^ Rn ' , I think I may appeal to my noble flj ^^ B |^^^ HEr entered the House of Lords , whether hf ^^ HS ^^^ HP of such an attempt , where it has becnjj ^^ B j ^ H ^ Hi impediment there has been to the lawfu ^^^ HH |^ H &) owcr or any privilege which by the C 0 4 ^^ HHttHHf | country the House of Lords possesses P ^^^ f ^ H ^^ m has been so , that at least is not the cnar ^^^ H ^^^^ Mf It does not mean that the democracy oipHmnNPmhd , be it observed , democracy has as fair a claim to 'the enjoyment of its rights as monarchy or nobility—it does not mean that the democracy of this country is in a state of discontent and disaffection , and is endeavouring to push down this constitution , and to deprive the other branches of the constitution of any powers which lawfully belong to them . That cannot be—that I think we must immediately say cannot for a moment be maintained . But it may mean something else—it may mean something else which it hehoves us all to wish—that the democracy of this countrymeaning by that term the people of this country-by increase of power , by increase of intelligence , by increase of wealth—havo increased in that weight which they must have , not only in this country , but in all other countries of the world—havo gained an increaso in that weight which is duo to a people highly industrious , and earning a corcpotenco by their labour , physical and intellectualemploying their minds in the acquirement of knowledge , and iii tho forming and fostering of that public opinion which is so much tho guide and government of tliui country . But , gentlemen , if these attempts to which i have lately alluded are attempts which , though they nine existed , ought to be discouraged and resisted— -this »" growth of tho power of democracy—this growth of _ inteihVeriee-thifl growth of wealth—this forming of opinions moro enlightened and more calculated to carry on in an enlightened manner tho government of the world---tins w an mereoaed power which ought not to ho crushec , DM ought to bo encouraged and maintained ( nnt 'J " , chewing ) . But I will say raoro-I will nay this— thn m manner of dealing with that increase ol tho posiiw democracy could not bo according to the old Ht-oiy «» ^ Htmint with which T was but too familiar during in <> j ( few years after I entered Parliament in 1817 ft "" " » t ' which , besides all the faults of an irritation promom 4 , ¦ discontent which it was intemlod to check , proven u . _ ; powerless , and had much the same effect as it per . so » ^ to attempt to dam up your mugnificont river wi ^ . ^ view of preventing an ' inundation—or , to use j ^ ^ ^ which applies perhaps more properly to the proh ' ^ ah if persons were to lock up all tho gates ot in « ( | ;„ with tho hono that tho oxpretm train would bo awy - il . M co . u-ho ( laughter and cheers ) . Well , then , I lift ' y the mode in which thin incrcano of tho power 01 au' of ought to be dealt with ; but the way in which uie i ^ democracy ought to bo dealt with in by lwtuniriL ^ - ^ complaint , by considering overy grievance , an < / li |( 1 I )( M ) a legitimate and legal organ to that power an « . . . which otherwise may bo minchiovous , irregular , ^ riowi ( loud cheering ) . That w my way ol }} " { J )( . m \ ic thin which is complained of— thin increase 01 power in tliin country . " 1 mj'H * lie stigmatised tin * attomp t to f ?«* m ) ''|| , /' ,,, io about democracy as a cry for party pni'l ) 0 M 1 «> j t , J ( JII said ho , l ' urlimuont will moot in November , ^ wo HhoJl hour what in to bo dowo . H « wi * < - wait'
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Oct. 2, 1852, page 2, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_02101852/page/2/
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