AIDE-TOI.
THE irritation among the numerous classes runs high, as well it may. An administration commits an exceeding folly, when it gives into an iniquity that goes direct to the sensations of the rank and file. There are always men enough for pivots; the diffi- culty is to get them somebody to fill up the skeleton of their bat- talion; and this is exactly what the present Ministers have done. It would be an excellent time, for a few well-informed men, in and out of Parliament, to lay a plan for ousting the defaulters when they shall attain the power; on the declared principle of pro- curing justice to the multitudinous classes, and doing every thing their rivals have treacherously declined. The difficulties about such a plan are much fewer than might at first appear, and the fa- vourable chances much greater. How long it might be in coming to maturity, must rest with Providence; but the acorn can never be planted earlier than now. There is a disposition to assume there is some superhuman difficulty about taking charge of the watch on deck. Look at the men that have got through it. What, for instance, have the actual Ministry to boast of? One in-
• dividual of more than ordinary powers, if he chose to make use of them. Two or three of good average talents, improved by having held very favourable positions during longish lives. But in all this, there is nothing but what without candle may go to bed. For any real knowledge of the public good or zeal to further it, they have been principally indebted to those they have made their ene- mies. Any good the Whigs have done, has only been the light of other people shining through a horn lantern. What istrequired for the purposes of government at the present moment, is intelli- gence to see the causes of the people's wants, and honesty to remove them. It is no nice fence, or dandy waving of the toast-
ing-iron ; but • the simple energy of saying intelligibly to the people at large, "You are here; you ought to be there; fol- low us." It is true that the people are just now a good deal scattered. Four " unclean spirits like frogs" might be enume- rated in apocalyptic phrase, as typical of four great dynasties of error who are distracting them north, south, east, and west, front the requisite concentration. But before the acorn has put forth a branch that would hang a dog upon, all these will have been washed away in the great river Euphrates of the public intelli- gence, and mighty will be the force of the collected stream. And for the aid of men of name, there is not the hopelessness that some might think of. Foreign affairs, too, may give a prosperous turn : this is not the only country where a pretended Piste milieu has had rope enough to twist about its own neck. The plot is a good plot. Aide-toi, et le del f (lidera. The seed is planted; let Apollos water, and God give the increase.
More on the subject next week.
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