TOPICS OF THE DAY.
TORYISM versus UTILITY.
Fsw months have elapsed since it was almost an insult to call a man a Tory. The breed of Tories seemed to be extinct; they REFORM OF THE HOUSE OF LORDS.
the laws be good or bad. It is characteristic of the canaille to ask
what use there is in paying Lord ELLENBOROUGH 7000/. or 8000/. These motions undoubtedly indicate a determination on the part a year. His Lordship is ornamental—is not that sufficient? Lord of the present House of Commons, no longer to acquiesce in the MELBOURNE wishes the Irish working clergy to be paid, and the imperious domination of the Peers ; who, as Mr. GROTE justly remarked, have managed by means of a race of sinecurists to be cut off—what a charlatan! Can any minority in the House of " punishment" be invented equal to his crime! To inquire into Commons to maintain that ascendancy which they formerly the " utility" of any thing, is highly unbecoming, not to say inde- possessed through their rotten boroughs. But the notices on the licate. It is sufficient that it has existed, and that Tories have pro- paper which we have specified, are not the only symptoms of the fited and expect to profit thereby, to justify the maintenance of spirit of resistance by which the Movement party will be actuated any custom or institution. This has always been the doctrine of next year. The principal members of that party do not conceal the Tories; and, fortunately for them, the People (so says the their determination to make redress of grievances go hand in
hand with votes of money. There will be no occasion to alarm the Morning Post) have been converted to the same reasonable way of thinking. They "do not want to know the pourquoi of all timid by stopping the Supplies ; but to every bill of Reform a their laws and customs;" for "the reign of charlatans (how like vote of Money may be tacked. Let the Municipal Bill and the Army Estimates be sent together to the Peers, with the alter- you that, Sir ROBERT PL A USI BLE !) is over." Henceforth we shall
bear of little but gratitude to our rulers—submission to the laws— native of taking both or neither. They have their free choice,— Heaven forbid there should be any compulsion! only, if they re memory of Pirr and CASTLEREAGH—and our glorious Constitu- fuse to do away with corporate abuses, they must disband the - lion ; unless, indeed, occasionally it may be necessary to give Army. In the same way, the Navy Estimates may be joined to the masses a touch of vigour, and lay the dust of Manchester in blood. If this is not done, the modern resemblance to the good the Irish Church Bill, the Miscellaneous to a measure for improv- ing the Reform Act. Our Representatives, this session, have old times, the palmy days of Toryism, will be incomplete. Strange as it may seem, we really believe that not a few among hardly kept pace with the spirit and the desires of the country; the Tory Oligarchy imagine that what the Post asserts is not next year they will be better prepared to act with vigour.
arrant nonsense : they are deluded with the notion that the This is the prospect the Tories have in view—unless by a change of Ministry, and another dissolution, they should secure country is ripe for the restoration of the CASTLEREAGH system. a majority in a new House of Commons. They must, however, The peaceful disposition of the masses misleads them. It is the misfortune of those whose rank and fortune exclude them from he conscious that there is no such good luck in store for them. frequent intercourse with the middle and working classes, to Last year, when, after assiduous preparation on their part, they imagine that the People never feel deeply except when they are took the Liberals by surprise, they were defeated. Now, in all violently excited, and the "steam is up." When that is the case, parts of the country, the Reformers are ready for the conflict. The old spirit which carried the Reform Bill is again awakened. the Oligarchs are terrified, and anticipate all sorts of unjust vio- lence. But at present the country is generally prosperous, and It will not go to sleep during the recess—of that the Tories may be free from the irritation inseparable from distress. The People are fully satisfied. The chance, therefore, of diminishing the ma- jority in the Commons, by a new election, is so small as to be in- therefore content to resort to the means which the law has put visible. Of this the Tories seem 0 into their hands for the redress of grievances,—with a full deter- be convinced themselves; for Initiation, when the proper time arrives, to use, if not to strain, that - power. The increase of political knowledge which the masses BOURNE and dissolving Parliament without a day s warning, they h have succumbed to the overruling influence of public opinion; have acquired since November last, is immense ; and it is ex- and, as the Premier has more than once thrown in their teeth, tremely foolish to imagine, that any people will be content to support acknowledged by their conduct, that although a majority in the at a vast expense institutions which are useless,and which without House of Peers, they are a minority in the country. It is in vain risk or convulsion of any kind they can utterly abolish. All that is, to convince the People that an institution of any
is required to say that they waited until after the new registration in the ex- kind is costly without being serviceable, or that a custom is per- pectation of increasing their forces; for it is notorious that the activity of the Reformers inspired them with just alarm nicious, in order to give them the desire to put it down. They roused for the result of the struggle in the Registration Courts. will not passionately set to work, regardless of private claims or It appears, then, it is vain to expect that the present House rights, to accomplish their desiie : but point out a way in which
the reform can be managed peaceably, lawfully, and fairly, and of Commons will next session retain the too acquiescent attitude, suffered to exist. Now will not long be
most assuredly the abuse which has somewhat damaged its character in the country during it is plain that the House of Peers, as at present constituted, is the present. It is also as nearly as possible a matter of certainty, looked upon as a nuisance by the great body of the People. Con- that a new election will not augment the Parliamentary force of beginning to dis- the Tories, but the reverse. It follows that the Peers must yield; sequently they desire to reform it. They are perfectly aware— that they have the for the Commons will not, and it is impossible that the present 'cover— they will soon be power to effect a thorough reform of the Upper House peacefully equilibrium in legislation can last. and by due course of law. What must follow'? We leave it to the Morning Post to answer the question, with a recommendation that, if it loves its patrons, not to sneer at " utility," or mislead the Oligarchy into the notion that the People regard it not.
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