On this page

• Departments (2)
  • 
  • 
• Text (5)

  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.

  • 

    Untitled Article

  • 

    Untitled Article

  • 

    Untitled Article

  • 

    THE SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET. had inos't disa

  • 

    I*OBD PERMOY'S MOTION.

• Transcript

  • 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.

    Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.

    Untitled Article

    A CERTAIN order of snobbish politicians have constituted themselves special defenders of the House of Lords . Animated by the mo $ t painful flunkeyism , they can only be contented , when an hereditary peerage manages their affairs . Ordinary mortals are satisfied - when Mr . Jones the merchant , or Bbown the spinner , with hundreds of other commoners sitting in the " Lower House , " settle the concerns of the nation ; but our " fine folks" regard subserviency to Lords as the purple and fine linen of their existence , and consider their gentility elevated whenever

    they degrade their humanity into a servile worship of a few hundred landowners who have grand handles to their names . The National—that queer production , a Tory-Unitarian review—is perfectly convinced that the Lords are the greatest blessing we live under , and the most perfect representation of public opinion . Happily the country thinks otherwise ; and , without flunkeyism on the one hand , or rampant equality doctrines on the other , ean survey the scene with a rational if an angry eye . An hereditary peerage is not a thing conformable to any sound doctrine of physiology or politics . Great qualities of mind and morals

    cannot be made to descend by summons of the Crown , nor does the peerage practice of breeding in and in find itself supported by learned savants or successful graziers . Moreover , if the children of the aristocracy—^ the peer tadpoleswere really better than the progeny of Nokes and Styi . es , their surroundings are not the best suited to develop the , loftier capabilities of their nature . Legal arrangements invest them with compulsory riches , almost beyond the power of : ¦ ¦' ¦ their imprudence to destroy . They can obtain honours without desert ,, wealth without work , and eminent position in the State , without possessing

    the abilities or the industry to discharge the duties which belong to the offices they hold . They are brought up in / idlenessandconceit , andtaught t ^ at t ^ hey are fine piorcer lain , while the classes below then ! ate only crockery and earthenware . ' As a body , they contribute nothing to our science ^ pur literature , or our art . Very few of their names are inscribed upon any roll of fame , and their best apologists do not rate them higher than the heavy ballast which fs to steady ^ he vessel of" ^ the State . At the best a , peerage is a provisional institution , to adjust a balance in the absence of an overruling power of enlightened opinion . selfmterest

    It may be well that certain forms qf - connected with cotton spinning and trade should be balanced by another form of self-interest connected with land-owning upon an artificial and gigantic scale b ut we hope that society tends to soriiething better than the multual check of class interests , and that we are moving on towards the time when virtue and intellect wiTTbe the best claims to honour , and the wisest opinions will be the most certain to prevail , lio political philosopher would encourage assaults upon an old institution like the English Peerage , either for the sake of gratifying destructiveness , or of obtaining a greater conof GovernmentIt is to

    formity to a mere theory . easy see the useful work which the peers may do if they choose ; and as they have capacities for utility that are not yet exhausted , our efforts should be to make them useful , and ^ not to sweep them away . At present they are in the false position of active insurrection against the progressive principles of our time . As drags upon the wheels , checking but not stopping motion , their utility might . be admitted ; but when they attempt to reverse the engine , and carry us backwards into dark tunnels from which we have emerged , then they assume functions that they cannot be permitted to exercise , with due regard tp tho safety of the State .

    No one expects good measures to originate in the House of Lords , and the country is grateful when they permit any to pass through ,. This Ought to have satisfied our hereditary legislators , but , with abundant complicity in the House of Commons , and the faint applause of decaying newspapers and reactionary reviews , they claim to preserve all their own priviloges ^ and to share those of the Commons besides . .

    but virtually betrayed the cause which they had espoused and the party which , they pretended to lead . Not being able to get the Manchester school to agree tp anything , Lord Fermoy determined to make another endeavour to re-open the question by proposing a resolution that affirmed—as Lord Palmebston , Mr . Gladstone , Lord J . Russell , Sir Geobge Gbey , Mr . Collier and Mr . Bou-VEBrE did on the committee— 'that the conduct of the Lords

    was an " innpvation ; " and which likewise affirmed that the House of Commons ought to adopt some practical action to repel it . The Manchester party determined to oppose this on the ground that it would be lost , and the Liberal cause damaged by such a result . When it came before the House the Premier—who could not venture to deny its affirmation , and who must have quarrelled with Mr . Gladstone if he had expressly voted for doing nothing—proposed to get rid of it by proposing the " previous question . "

    The House had , therefore , to decide whether they would vote upon the question or not , and the Liberals rescued Lord PalmebS'TON from his awkward position by following his lead , while the Tories , who reckoned upon him as their Premier , voted with Lord Febmoy in the hope that at the next step they would receive his present support . Mr . Bright ' s party pretend that they have saved us froni a defeat , but , in point of fact , they have done much to the division

    ensure impunity for the Premier ' s tricks . If had gone the other way , either Lord Palmebston must have staked the existence of his Cabinet upon the carrying of Lord ITermoy ' s motion , or he must have made another pointed advance towards the Tories , and have thrown off his Liberal mask . Under these circumstances , his Cabinet must have "broken up , and we should soon have had a dissolution of Parliament , and a general election would have returned a new House of Commons in no temper to play

    the part of lacqueys to the lords . _ All through the Session Lord Pai-mebston seems to have reckoned that he could tame the Cerberus of the

    Manchester party , and his followers , hy the sop of the French Treaty . For that they mildly submitted to postpone Reform , and lest they should throw the slightest impediment in- ' the way-pfIts completion , they have submitted to his palpable treachery in sehemin ^ arid hatching the conspiracy of the House of Lords . , , It is to be regretted that Mr . Gladstone _ should have depreciated Lord FebMOy ' s motion , but he is heart and soul with the people , and if a Well-advised plan of action is concocted by the Liberals , there can be no doubt it will have his hearty support . Next week the paper question must come on . again in a new shape . The Treaty with

    France must be fulfilled , and British paper makers will have TTT ? laTmTto ~ eTTn ^ paper introduced for a duty less than the impost theyv pay . Some portion of the Paper Duty iitust , therefore , be remitted , and it would be competent for any independent member to propose that it should be entirely given up , or , at any rate , not collected for a year . There may be some advantage in the latter course , as it offers the Lords a new proposition , which is perhaps advisable . Arrangements should also be made to make it impossible to collect the Paper Duty tinder the present law , which is capricious and unfair in its oneration . and has only been submitted to in

    the belief that the duty would soon pass away . Lord Fermoy and Sir John Trelawny will stand well with the country for the important services they both performed , and the inhabitants of Marylebon © will not be surprised that their legal member did not display his eloquence or record his vote in their support . If the Manchester party have either integrity or intelligence , they will endeavour to atone for their culpable inaction by doing something next week . They should not fear temporary defeat , and if they possess no moral courage , tho sooner the independent Liberals disown them the bettor . Brightonhas shpwu its opinion . by returning Mr . wuitjs

    the Chairman of the Constitutional Defence Committee , aiid he should lose no time in consulting with Sir J . Tbelawnt and Lord Puttwoy , who have shown , that they are not airaid to ^ actv— - ;— - ~ ~ T ~——— — —— - — - --

    ———Mr . Gladstone ' s great speech indicated plainljM-mpugh tlie ^ pl-oprlety " of "Hieclongthe LoFds T ) y ^ bills of ; supply a clauee either repealing the Paper Duty , or what would under all circumstances be better , one suspending its collection for the current year . For Borne' curious reasons of incapacity or cowardice , Mr . Bttiemu aud his party did not adopt this course , but permitted votea to bo taken as quietly as if no aggression had occurred . They did not ; even combine to threaten Lord PAfcHEasTON with any epecifio opposition

    Untitled Article

    ON Monday Mr . Gladstone a disagreeable tusk ; It became his oilicial duty to provido for that China War which the , imbecility of un aristoomtic negotiator , and a rash-admiral managed to get up . No om > likes this war , and perhapa no one expeots it cun huve ti afttisfaotory

    Untitled Article

    ¦ J tHiYi-21 I 860 . ] ^ h ? Saturdayy Analyst an # Leader . 667

    The Supplemental Budget. Had Inos't Disa

    had most THE SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET .

    I*Obd Permoy's Motion.

    L . OBD FERMOY'S MOTION .

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), July 21, 1860, page 667, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2357/page/3/