THE POLITICAL CRISIS.
[To ays Earron or TER "Srscraroel Snt,—You have for many years fought unflinchingly for clean government, and for some approach to respect for moral principles in the conduct of public affairs; perhaps, therefore, you will permit me to ask these questions in your columns: "What is to be done in the present political crisis ?" "Can anything be done to stop our hasty rush downhill ? " " Must we acquiesce in silent helplessness in the passing away of freedom and truth in the government of our country " Looking back a little way, what do we see P An Insurance Act as to which the people were not consulted has been forced upon them against their will—" the insurance fraud," they rightly call it. Then comes the Parliament Act. By a dexterous stratagem the people were " jockeyed " into that. The reform of the Upper House may have been sanctioned at the polls, the destruction of the Constitution never! What are the consequences P (I) The support of criminal agitatois in Ireland (agitators who have destroyed representative government there by " The Terror") has been purchased by a measure to break up the United Kingdom which no one but these agitators desires. (2) A Robbery Bill is in process of passing to confiscate the, too meagre, resources of a hard.: working and useful religious community. (3) Ina time of much need and poverty money has been flung about in 'every direction and wasted like water. Men no . and women of n proved qualifications as Commissioners hive not been ashamed to take huge salaries for the purpose of forcing upon an unwilling people a measure they abhor. (4) " Vote-catching by extravagant expenditure and real corruption has been the chief effort of "government." (5) By the misuse of forms of law, law has been degraded. (6) A majority has been main- tained by legalized bribery. (7) Parliamentary governmene has become a farce, and the House of Commons the laughing- stock of Europe and the contempt of the nation. (8) The only evident principles of government are dishonesty, trickery, falsehood, and this has been achieved by a so-called " Liberal" Government
Must this continue ? Are we to pretend to be a democracy while, in fast, we are an oligarchy? Are some dozen (and
not very distinguished) men to override the will of the nation P Are they to rule autocratically P Is a people whose ancestors drove away their Kings for disobedience to their Constitution, to submit to the will of an un- distinguished oligarchy, whose moving spirit is a truculent Welshman ? Quousgue tandem ? "O Lord, bow long ? " Is this what our boasted love for liberty has come to P Have the English people lost their manhood, or are they paralysed P Are we to wait on the will of some three or four crafty and self-seeking politicians to see whether or not men in this kingdom must fight for their liberties, whether or not the only way for right and justice must be civil war ? There is at least one bright spot—viz., in Ulster there are men who will die sooner than be slaves. Civil war is horrible to think of, but there is something worse than civil war—viz., for free men to submit to the tyranny of self-seeking politicians, and allow any one party to settle under what Constitution English- men are to live. May we not hope that the English people will rouse themselves and insist on having some kind of Con- stituent Assembly, elected ad hoe by the whole nation, to rebuild a Constitution fit for free and self-respecting men, so that any and every Cabinet may learn that they are the salaried employees of the nation, not its autocratic masters; that national funds must be no longer wasted for party purposes; and that an effectual check may be put to the encroachments on the liberties of Englishmen by any party or Government whatever P—I subscribe myself, Sir, A Liberal, when "Liberalism" meant sincerity and truth, not hypocrisy
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