NEW TRANSPORTATION MOVEMENT.
le transportation is to be renewed there is at least one party in the country that will highly approve of the measure—will, indeed, most probably pass a vote of thanks to Ministers. We may infer as much from the meeting at Farringdon Hall, on Tuesday last, under the presidency of Lord Carnarvon. It was a
"Mr. A. was affected through the means so well known now to be em
1aloyed in the great parties in London—Mr. A. was affected through Mrs. A. Laughter.) Oh, I have seen it, sir; I have known it so often. (Renewed ughter.) Mrs. A. wanted to go to the Queen's ball, and the way to get there was to make Mr. A. vote with the Ministers, and when he voted with the Ministers she received her invitation. (" Hear, hear ! ") I am not speaking, sir, without my host in this matter—I know well what I am saying."
We should like to know who was Mr. Roebuck's "host" on these occasions ? In the case of the "corrupt compromises" he mentioned instances. Now we have some belief in the Queen's ball; but it would be interesting to know what were the specific cases in which the prospects of dancing or lounging in the Royal drawingrooms led Members away from the path of duty? "Name, name!" as they say in Parliament. Thus far the charge is sufficiently vague. It falls greatly short of the statements made with respect to corruptions in foreign countries. In France, we all know the statements that members of the Government speculate in the public funds or other enterprises, having ascertained the prospects beforehand. We see an assertion circulating in the papers of a practice that judges arc "called upon" before hearing a cause. In the American Congress, accusations are made that members are open to be purchased ; that there is especially a sort of gambling in the concession of lands for railway purposes. We all remember the old practices in Canada, where the hope of obtaining a road or a bridge would induce a district to be very pliant in supporting any Minister, or the members of any other place, who would subserve the local purpose. But the United States charges are much more specific. Mr. Paine, a member of the House of Representatives, asserted that he had been offered 1500 dollars if he would vote for the Minnesota Land Bill ; other members made similar assertions ; 'and whether the laughter which silenced them was the effect of incredulity, or of too painful a consciousness, who can say ? It is affirmed that "the lobby" is the place in which these negotiations are conducted ; exactly the place in which negotiations used formerly to be conducted between Ministers and English Members of Parliament. The United States are making progress ; they are on the high road to have wealthy politicians, men of higher rank than others ultimately perhaps to be distinguished by titles. The peculiar kinds of corruption which Mr. Roebuck alleges are less tangible. If the English Member of the present day is no more corrupt than he is painted by his censor, he might say that comparatively he is incorrupt ; that, according to the French, Colonial, American, or "good old English" standard, he is independent. The worst charge against him specifically is, that be is anxious to go to the Queen's ball. Well, who is not anxious to go to the Queen's ball ? There is no crime in taking part in a quadrille, still less in looking on. Our system of politics has softened into a system of politeness—that is the accusation. Manners make the man— of consequence. But these are only the " ingenute artes" which soften the manners and prevent men from being fierce. After having been invited to the Royal presence, unquestionably the independent Member will not be so rude as to oppose the Minister. What then? In being thus amenable to softening influences, he does not diller from the constituencies that sent him there. Mr. Roebuck complains that a man of experience "who brings to bear a mind trained in the exercise of great consideration, trained to the management of men, and thoroughly imbued with the great principles of legislation," is put aside, in favour of "some empty jackanapes, who comes up from college or his mother's drawingroom, struts up the House, and is made at once a great man." The wrong is the corruption of Ministers, says Mr. Roebuck, aided by the corruption of the House of Commons ; but is it different with the constituencies? Does the man "imbued with the great principles of legislation" carry the day either at the hustings or the poll, if the "empty jackanapes" is well connected, has a title, or is very wealthy ? Mr. Roebuck's charge of corruption amounts to this—that the English people have a servile veneration for rank and wealth wherever they are found, from the Queen's drawingroom to the hustings ; a statement hardly to be gainsaid. Men are governed through their
weaknesses ; and when we have statesmen who can govern men through their desire for admission to a Queen's drawing room, we may expect to see Income-tax, Parliamentary Reform, Naval and Military Estimates, Ecclesiastical Courts, and any other reform in the great list of public measures, arranged, settled, postponed, in accordance with drawriagroom views, and not in accordance with our own interests, convictions, or pockets. But the corruption is our own. If the man of rank or of wealth is actually before us, our own servile awe prevents us from being so rude as to refuse him the vote he asks. We vote, and he votes, but we pay the penalty. Mr. Roebuck is right, but he proves too
much : if corruption is the universal majority, how can the in
corruptible even obtain a hearing ? His satire fails because it is too sweeping, and too unsympathizing. The satirist who in fluences society is he who enters into the feelings and temptations of those he reproves ; and as a censor morum Thaekeray will do more than Roebuck. The Member for Sheffield, however, is a man of action ; he is not the satirist but the leader : he has set out on the right principle, in beginning to form a party, by looking out for half-a-dozen incorruptibles ; and he says that he has succeeded. He is only on a recruiting-tour to beat up for "Roebuck's Own."
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