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resisting the further enfranchisement of labour . The consequence of this half-hearted timidity is widely disastrous . Labour , the true source of the wealth and strength of a nation , continues unhonoured , untrusted , unrepresented . The feeling and intelligence of the workman still lack the healthy sustenance of public aspiration . Industry lias no conventional dignity , and that frank and invigorating public spirit which should ( and would otherwise ) animate the national heart , subsides into private selfishness , or actively and sullenly conspires against the common blessing of public peace .
The perpetuation of this state of things the Whigs call " temperate policy" —the Tories call it " principle , " and the Magistrates , echoed by the large number of the unreasoning or the idle , whose political education consists in chanting the few cant formulas of a false and narrow conservatism , call it the " preservation of social order . " The elevation of the disowned people and the security of the public welfare therefore alike depend upon the dismissal of the Whig party as unprofitable obstructives , the titter abolition of Toryism as an antediluvian monstrosity , and the creation of a wiser and broader element of government in the State .
A country which has long consented to be hoodwinked by Whig negatives is naturally at the mercy of any more positive party that will boldly relieve it or boldly delude it . Such a party have now attained to power—and they mean to keep it : they at least have that one strongly developed intention . And with a desperate tenacity , added to an unscrupulous licence of tongue and purse , they may give the feeble race of our current political make-believes some trouble to dislodge them . Like political pedlars , they offer to the country
a set of universal principles , and you may select which you please . They have no preferences . They will govern the country on their own peculiar doctrines , or , says Lord Derby , on yours if you so please—but govern they will . There was therefore , a clear and resolute policy to be pursued by the constituencies—namely , to provide a body of representatives of popular sympathies , of definite well considered principles , endued with the power of concerted action ( ever indispensable ) and a strong will . They would then be able to push the governmental factions forward—or push them out .
It matters little who the rulers are , so that they rule well . Ifwcareto have a government forced upon us—let us make them do the nation ' s work—and if not , compel them to make room for those who will . In the present aspect of things it is likely that other elections will succeed the present , at a brief interval . The Electoral virtue may have other exercise , and hence the discussion of its duties may be timely beyond tin ; hour . A Government without public views is a somewhat immoral and , we trust , a rare spectacle . The English people have usually had to decide between contending principles of national policy . Now they have to select ; principles for themselves : and if Electors could Ije made to understand their position , we might get some new blood into the national council .
Agitation is now an open question in every borough . The old warning , " Do not let in : i Tory by dividing the Liberal interest ^ " is now no more than an empty . sound . The " Liberal interest" is not worth much more than the Tory interest , and the Tory interest is worth ¦—itself . We have everywhere to struggle for a new in ( crest , namely , the ' People ' s interest . Hence , in Westminster , the Tower 'Hamlets , and other places , the Coninghnnis and Newtons represent a new and vital clement ) which must have exercise in our coining Legislatures . It is on this account that the election of
such men is of importance . To press forward their claims at the certain cost of admitting Tory competitors would , undoubtedly , be a censurable mistake . Let the friends of the people ' s intercut take cure what , they are doing , —but . not to take no much cure ; us to do nothing . The alarmists about Tories gelling in are not to be attended to , unless they show good evidence of being in the right . Whigs and Tories have so merged iind faded into each other , that they need not wonder that the people cares little for either of them . The people will not he so unwise as not to distinguish them so long as a jot of difference remains , but . the people will run some risk to supplant both parties by a
more true , u more decided , mid n , more uatioiiiil party tlmn either . To this end , many plnces will find , n . the City of London will yet , that , its electioneering arrangements oniist be disturbed , and ouyhl to be disturbed . If , as in Westminster , ( here exist u body ol Reformers , who wufch the interests of Reform , and advise the Electors , such bodies must , dike care to watch in the right , quarters , and advise in the right sense . They must , think of flic national and popular , as well us of the local interest or convenience . If they bestow the prestige of their association upon timid Whigs , or indistinguishable Reformers , the peop le will , and the people ought , to fuke their alliiirs into their own hands , and contest the borough for themselves , if a Tory
succeed , it will not be the fault of the people , but the fault of those feeble and unfaithful Reform Associations , who bear a name of which they have lost the true spirit , and who seek to drag constituencies at the tail of a decaying and emasculate party , instead of securing chivalrous , emphatic , and well-informed representatives of the onward movement . The result of the elections will show that we are still lamentably far from obtaining such a House of Commons as would be collected , if the competition ( held to be so salutary elsewhere ) were open to the nation . The rarity of working-class candidates at this
election is a matter of remark and regret : and even those elected , do not always adequately personify the cause of their adoption . It is possible that better men might hav § . been , in some cases , found . But , where the pecuniary difficulties are so great , the choice must be limited . Besides , when a principle has to be asserted , those have to be chosen who can be secured . Whereas , if our Constitution opened the field to the candidates of the working-class , that large section of the population would show as much discretion in the
choice , and ( without great difficulty ) quite as much purity , as any other party now in the exclusive enjoyment of the franchise . Let the man who consents to mutilate the Suffrage , include these facts in his estimate , before he condemns the principle of its fullest extension ; and let the heartier advocates of the people ' s cause gather new assurance of the soundness of that popular enfranchisement , which would give us all a more energetic political vitality , and , through the awakening of better men , endow with a more national spirit a nobler Parliament . Ioif .
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LINEAGE OP FKANKLIN PIERCE . In a recent number , we mentioned that the democratic candidate for the Presidency , General Franklin Pierce , is descended from the Percys of JYorfcliumberland . His ancestor , the Honourable Mr . Percie , who settled in Virginia in 1806 , was the brother of the Duke of Northumberland . He was a Member of the Council , and a man of much activity and influence . It is well known that the Percys have spelled their name in various ways , and that it has often been pronounced " Piercey . " We suspect that if the pedigree wero investigated , General Pierce would prove to be the heir of the House of Northumberland in the male line .
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Modkrn I ' itakihaihm ' . —How offensive is it to hear some pert , sell-approving personage , who thanks ( Jod that he is not as other men are , passing harsh sentence on his poor hard-worked heavily-burdened fellowcountrymen ; including them all in one sweeping condemnation , because in their struggles for existence they do not maintain the same prim respectability as himself . Of all stupidities there are few greater , and yet few in which we more doggedly persist ., than this of estimating other men's conduct , by the standard of our own feelings , ' / 'here is no more mischievous absurdity than this judging of actions from the outside
as they look to us , instead of from the inside as they look to the actors ; nothing more irrational than to <• rit . ici . se deeds as though the doers of them had the Niinic desires , hopes , tears , and restraints with . ourselves . We cannot ; understand another's character except . " by abandoning our own identity , and realizing to ourselves his frame of mind , his want of knowledge , his hardships , temptations , and discouragements . And if the wealthier classes would < lo this before forming their opinions of the working man , their verdicts would savour somewhat more of that , charity which covcreth a multitude of sins . —Social Statics .
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THE VALUE OF OUTSPEAKING . ( To the Editor of the Leader . ) Dear Sik , —Permit me to express how entirely T , as one of your readers , acquit you from the charges , on account of inconsistency in your religious views , to which reference is made in the last number of the Leader . I hold your views to be large , sound , and consistent . That of all Philosophy , History , and Art , Religion is the essence I profoundly believe . That it is the one
important matter in life , I equally believe : as I do that it is distorted and alloyed by the societies of men , in their endeavours to adapt it for current use . Let me also express my humble admiration of the ability with which you are expounding Comte ' s admirable views of physical p hilosophy , and of the courage and skijl with which you endeavour to furnish the complement of faith , love , and devotion—the negation of which invalidates his whole system . I allude especially to your defence of the line— " The Heavens declare the Glory of God . "
I hoped from the biographical sketch you gave of Comte , that he had at length gained experience of those chords in the heart , whose vibrations assure us of the existence of such things as Faith and Love . I am , faithfully yours , Wynduam Hakdixg . Nowland , Wimbledon Parlc , Putney , Juno 19 , 1852 .
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( To the Editor of the Leader ) Sin ., —It is perhaps but fair to inform both yourself and your friend A . K ., that you possess a class of readers who by no means participate in the doubts and regrets which he has expressed . The path along which the Leader has moved since its commencement , is clear enough to those who have the skill and patience to trace it out . 1 believe wo should have the truest reason for regret , if we saw you warping aside from this independent orbit , and twisting yourself round , what geometers call , " singular points , " merely to suit the private wished of your friends .
For my own part , I differ from you m many respeets . Jmt as lon # as I see you striving to infuse more manliness into man , and proving , as you ever have done , your appreciation of honesty , courage , and endurance—regardless of the accidental stamp which these qualities for the time have borne—so long will you have the support , of my class—a ela « s , I may remark , which , though usually quiet and silent , are probably animated by as deep a , radicalism , and as free habits of thought , us A . K . himself would care to kuIjseribe to . T . Juno 22 , 1 H 52 .
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662 THE LEADER . [ Saturday ,
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ADULTERATION OP BEEE . In touching upon the Parisian calumny about that bitter ale which is so brilliant and world-famous an ornament of British institutions , we suggested that somo medical commission should be instituted , after tho fashion of the Lancet , to explore the amber and dark ocean of tho national beverage in every variety of vat , and to report upon its condition . Our suggestion lias been taken up by the Medical Circular , which introduces tho subject in the number for June the 00 th ; beginning a general investigation of " Food and its Adulterations , " witli " Malt Liquors . " Wo shall watch the progress of tho investigation with great interest .
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TITE MODERN MAHOEKY DAW . Who always buys in the cheapest market ?—The Englishman . Which is the cheapest market?—The British retail trade . What , is sold there?—The Englishman . JJy whom is he sold ?—By himself . In what , market does ho Hell himself?—In tho dearest market—Iiirnwclf .
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There is no learned man but will confess he hath much profited , by reading controversies , his senses awakened , and his judgment sharpened . If , then , it be profitable for him to read , why should it not , at least , be tolerable for his adversarv to "write . —Milton .
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[ in this depaetmekt , as all opinions , howeveb extbbhk abe allowed am" expeession , the editor necessabilx holds himself besponsible fob none . ]
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Tim two lrtl . ci'H , nigncd respectively " I ' rrvonl . ion " and " Kiiifc JuHl . it . ia , " iiro under consideration . Wo cordially concur in ho liiiiiiy of tin * HcnI . iiiK'iilH exprcHHod iu Ilio hitler , that , wo Hindi Itii Horry if \\ n rxlremo length iiliould prevent . iln in - Hurt . ion .
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tSOKi'TioiHM in I' ] n < ii . and . - - We have beard it quoted us the reinurk of a , distinguished foreigner , conversant with the choicest society in several of tho capitals of Kuronc , flint nowherois the alienation of tho higher and professional clashes from nil religious faith so widespread and complete as in lOnglnnd . That , i . ho masses at , the other end of the social scale are indifferent , or disnll ' ccted to the institutions which visibly embody the Christianity of our age , can be no secret , to any observant inlnihifnnf of a large Knglish town . If is on the middle claws alone that the various torn is of Protestant worship have any real hold . —From the Westminster Jicvicw for July .
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Leader (1850-1860), July 10, 1852, page 662, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1942/page/18/
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