30 DECEMBER 1837, Page 10

PROGRESS OF DEMOCRACY IN FRANCE.

IT seems to be understood that the present tendency of the middle classes in England is towards Conservatism. Their Democratic ardour has cooled. During the struggle for the Reform Bill, it was a common saying, that "Lords were at a discount ;" now, Peers seem to have risen to a premium. The Movement party consists of the masses beyond the electoral pale, and of the small and not energetic section of well-educated men, who have been styled " philosophical Radicals." The constituent body is for the most part, and for the time, Conservative Whig, or Conservative Tory—the distinction becoming every day less marked. It is curious to observe a contrary process at work in France. Politicians in this country examine the composition of the French Chambers with reference to the numbers who may vote with or against the Ministry. Generally it is taken for granted that, as long at Louis PHILIP retains his present vigour of mind and body, the J uste-milieu, or Conservatism, under one combination of parties or another, will prevail in France. But the narrow con- stituency of France, protected by the secret vote, has declared against the Doctrinaires; not only against GUIZOT and his ft iends, who are personally unpopular, but against their principles—against Conservatism, and the means by which it must be upheld. This seems to be well understood in France ; and it causes much un- easiness among a certain class of politicians, who, without being candidates for office, or selfishly interested in resisting the progress of Democratic opinions, regard the Juste-milieu as the only safe policy. The intelligent correspondent of the Times writes from Paris, in reference to the opinions predominant in the new chamber of Deputies, as follows— Whilst many are congratulating themselves upon the modifications which the late general elections have brought about as to the present composition of the elective Chamber, and as to the tendency of that renewed assembly towards more democratical feelings and opinions, others deprecate and deplore such a result, and see nothing in it to inspire security or confidence in the future. They observe, that at each successive infusion of the electoral spirit, the standard of the elected seems to get lower, and that at least the members of each successive Legislature are chosen front a lower class than the preceding one; that the feeling of levelling, so pi era/nit among the middle as well as lower orders of Li /s country, seems to obtain more marked advantages and more numerous tri urnphs. According to them, a rope of sand continues to bind (if such a term may be used) the elements of the constitution ; the seeds of dissolution are making their way underground; and should any serious crisis suddenly, and certainly unexpectedly, befall the country, they see with inward dread and alarm, nothing prepared to withstand the shock or to weather the storm. The supporters ef that opinion, not weighty by their number, but important by their social situation and their political influence, disturbed about the fate of society itself, look consequently upon the destiny of the present Ad- ministration as a question of secondary importance. They have resigned them- selves to its existence as a pis.aller, and accept its duration as a truce."

It would be well for our rulers to take note of the progress of opinion in France. We know that some sagacious Tories in this country regard the existence of a Whig Ministry " as a pis-aler, and accept its duration as a truce," with similar feelings and ex- pectations M those of their brethren in France. They have no hope of a permanent Tory Ministry ; and are aware that success- ful resistance to the Movement cannot very long be maintained by either section of the Aristocracy. The opinions of these poli- ticians will be strengthened by observation of the Democratic ten- dencies of the French electoral body. The Whigs, too, might learn that small reliance can be placed on n restricted constituency for preservation of the oligarchical and landed ascendancy in the Legislature. It is a shortsighted and perilous game that they are plii■Atiss. The staff on which the French Tories leaned is crumbling—is theirs quite firm ? That the masses are Radical, is not denied ; but, say the Whigs, the electors are Conservative, and we must look to them. Admit that the constituencies are Conservative now—bow long will they remain Conservative? Is it prudent—relying upon the assumed support of the restricted constituencies, frail and wavering as it may be—is it prudent to act in defiance of the feelings and opinions of the masses ? The Whigs say " yes ;" but there are thinking men, as little enamoured of change for its own sake as either Whigs or Tories, who deem the policy to be most hazardous. On the other band, desponding Reformers may gather consolation in their disappointments from the fact, that among our neighbours, in spite of the systematic efforts of an experienced and artful monarch, aided by statesmen at least as able as the MELBOURNE Whigs, the cause of the People, as opposed to that of Oligarchy, is gaining ground in a quarter where superficial observers had imagined it would be steadily re- pulsed.