| CHAPTER I. | |
| Introductory—The "Condition of England" Question | [13] |
| CHAPTER II. | |
| British Cabinets from 1770 to 1830—Summary of the Efforts ofthe Reformers, from the War of 1793 to the Formation of theGrey Ministry in 1830 | [20] |
| CHAPTER III. | |
| Treason Trials of 1794—Societies for Reform—ConstructiveTreason—HorneTooke—Mr. Erskine | [31] |
| CHAPTER IV. | |
| Constructive Treason—The Law of Libel and Sedition—The Deanof St. Asaph—The Rights of Juries—Erskine—Fox—Pitt | [41] |
| CHAPTER V. | |
| The French Revolution—The Continental Policy of Mr. Pitt—ThePolicy of Mr. Fox and his Followers—The ContinentalWars—Mr. Sheridan—Mr. Burke—Mr. Perceval | [51] |
| CHAPTER VI. | |
| Pitt's Continental Policy—Mr. Tierney—Mr. Whitbread—LordCastlereagh—Lord Liverpool—Mr. Canning | [62] |
| CHAPTER VII. | |
| Abolition of the African Slave Trade—GranvilleSharpe—Wilberforce—Pitt—Stephen—Macaulay—Brougham | [76] |
| CHAPTER VIII. | |
| Law Reform—Jeremy Bentham—His Opinion of the Common Law—His"Felicity" Principle—His Universal Code—His Works—TheFruits of his Labors—His Talents and Character | [87] |
| CHAPTER IX. | |
| Law Reform—The Penal Code of England—Its Barbarity—TheDeath-Penalty—Sir Samuel Romilly—His Efforts to Abolish Capital Punishment—His Talents and Character | [98] |
| CHAPTER X. | |
| Law Reform—The Penal Code—Restriction of the Penalty ofDeath in 1823-4—Appointment of Commissioners to Reform theCivil Law in 1828-9—Sir James Mackintosh—Brougham—RobertHall | [107] |
| CHAPTER XI. | |
| Religious Toleration—Eminent Nonconformists—The Puritans—OliverCromwell—The Pilgrims—The Corporation and TestActs—Their Origin—Their Effects upon Dissenters and others—TheirVirtual Abandonment and Final Repeal—The first Triumphof the Reformers | [117] |
| CHAPTER XII. | |
| Ireland—The Causes of its Debasement—Dublin—Mementoes ofthe Captivity of the Country—Movements toward CatholicEmancipation—Its Early Champions—Mr. Grattan—Mr.Plunkett—ReverendSydney Smith | [125] |
| CHAPTER XIII. | |
| Catholic Emancipation—Antiquity and Power of the Papal Church—Treatyof Limerick—Catholic Penal Code of Ireland—Opinions of Penn, Montesquieu, Burke, and Blackstone, concerning it—Its Amelioration—Catholic Association of 1823—The Hour and the Man—Daniel O'Connell elected for Clare—Alarm in Downing Street—Duke of Wellington's Decision—Passageof the Emancipation Bill—Services of O'Connell andShiel—The latter as an Orator | [134] |
| CHAPTER XIV. | |
| Movements toward Parliamentary Reform—John Cartwright—The Father of Parliamentary Reform—His Account of theTrials of Hardy and Tooke—Lord Byron's Eulogium of him—His Opinions of the Slave Trade—The First English Advocateof the Ballot—His Conviction for Conspiracy—His Labors forGrecian and Mexican Independence—William Cobbett—HisCharacter, Opinions, and Services—His Style of Writing—HisGreat Influence with the Middling and Lower Orders of England—SirFrancis Burdett—His Labors for Reform—His Recantation | [147] |
| CHAPTER XV. | |
| Parliamentary Reform—Old House of Commons—Rotten Boroughs—OldSarum—French Revolution of 1830—Rally for Reform—Wellington Resigns—Grey in Power—Ministerial Bill Defeated—New Parliament Summoned—Commons Pass the Bill—Brougham's Speech in Lords—Peers Throw out the Bill—Mrs. Partington—Riots—Again Bill Passed by Commonsand again Defeated by Peers—Ministers Resign—Are Recalled—The Bill becomes a Law | [164] |
| CHAPTER XVI. | |
| Henry Lord Brougham—His Life, Services and Character | [176] |
| CHAPTER XVII. | |
| Charles, Earl Grey—Advocates Abolition of the Slave Trade—HisRise to Power—His Aid in Carrying the Reform Bill—SydneySmith's Eulogy—His Two Great Measures, ParliamentaryReform and Abolition of Slavery—The Old and NewWhigs—The "Coming Man" | [193] |
| CHAPTER XVIII. | |
| Abolition of Negro Slavery—Canning's Resolutions of1823—Insurrectionin Demerara—"Missionary Smith's Case"—ImmediateAbolition—Elizabeth Heyrick—O'Connell—Brougham'sCelebrated Speech of 1830—Insurrection and Anarchy in Jamaica,in 1832—William Knibb—Parliamentary Inquiry—Buxton—TheApprenticeship Adopted, August, 1833—Resultof Complete Emancipation in Antigua—The ApprenticeshipDoomed—The Colonies themselves Terminate it, August 1,1838 | [199] |
| CHAPTER XIX. | |
| Notices of some Prominent Abolitionists—T. Fowell Buxton—ZacharyMacaulay—Joseph Sturge—William Allen—JamesCropper—Joseph and Samuel Gurney—George William Alexander—ThomasPringle—Charles Stuart—John Scoble—GeorgeThompson—Rev. Dr. Thomson—Rev. Dr. Wardlaw—Rev.Dr. Ritchie—Rev. Mr. James—Rev. Messrs. Hinton,Brock, Bevan, and Burnet | [213] |
| CHAPTER XX | |
| British India—Clive and Hastings—East India Company—ItsOppressions and Extortions—Land Tax—Monopolies—ForcedLabor and Purveyance—Taxes on Idolatry—Amount of RevenueExtorted—Slavery in India—Famine and Pestilence—TheCourts—Rajah of Sattara—Abolition of Indian Slavery—BritishIndia Society—General Briggs—William Howitt—GeorgeThompson as an Orator—Lord Brougham's Opinion—Mr.Thompson's Anti-Slavery Career—His Visit to India—HisDefense of the Rajah—Advocates Corn-Law Repeal—IsElected to Parliament | [227] |
| CHAPTER XXI. | |
| Cheap Postage—Rowland Hill—His Plan Proposed in 1837—Comparisonof the Old and New Systems—Joshua Leavitt—Money-Orders,Stamps, and Envelopes—The Free Delivery—LondonDistrict Post—Mr. Hume—Unjust Treatment of Mr. Hillby the Government—The National Testimonial | [246] |
| CHAPTER XXII. | |
| Disruption of the State Church of Scotland—Its Causes—TheVeto Act of the Assembly of 1834—Mr. Young Presented tothe Church of Auchterarder—Is Vetoed by the Communicantsand Rejected by the Presbytery—Resort to the Civil Courts—TheDecision—Intrusionists and Non-Intrusionists—The FinalSecession of 1843—The Free Church—Dr. Chalmers—Dr.Hill | [254] |
| CHAPTER XXIII. | |
| The Established Church of England—Its Revenues—Its EcclesiasticalAbuses—Its Sway over Political Parties—Rev. Dr. Phillpotts—Rev.Dr. Pusey—Rev. Mr. Noel—Anti-State ChurchMovement | [264] |
| CHAPTER XXIV. | |
| The Corn Laws—Their Character and Policy—Origin of theAnti-Corn-Law Movement—Adam Smith—Mr. Cobden—"Anti-Corn-LawParliament"—Mr. Villier's Motion in the Houseof Commons in 1839—Formation of the League—Power of theLandlords—Lord John Russell's Motion in 1841—GeneralElection of that Year—Mr. Cobden Returned to Parliament—Peelin Power—His Modification of the Corn Laws—GreatActivity and Steady Progress of the League during the Years1842, '3, '4, and '5—Session of 1846—Sir Robert Peel and theDuke of Wellington—Repeal of the Corn Laws | [271] |
| CHAPTER XXV. | |
| Notice of Corn-Law Repealers—Mr. Cobden—Mr. Bright—ColonelThompson—Mr. Villiers—Dr. Bowring—William J.Fox—Ebenezer Elliott—James Montgomery—Mr. Paulton—GeorgeWilson—The Last Meeting of the League | [281] |
| CHAPTER XXVI. | |
| National Debt of Great Britain—Lavish Expenditures of the Government—ItsEnormous Taxes—Will the Debt be Repudiated?—Willit Occasion a Revolution?—Plan of Mr. Ricardo toPay the Debt—Mr. Hume's Efforts at Retrenchment | [290] |
| CHAPTER XXVII. | |
| Defects of the Reform Bill—Origin of Chartism—The "People'sCharter" Promulgated in 1838—The Riots of 1839 and 1842—TheVengeance of the Government falls on O'Connor, Lovett,Collins, Vincent, J. B. O'Brien and Cooper—The NonconformistNewspaper Established by Mr. Miall—Mr. Sturge—Organizationof the Complete Suffrage Union—Character of theChartists | [302] |
| CHAPTER XXVIII. | |
| Chartists and Complete Suffragists—Feargus O'Connor—WilliamLovett—John Collins—Henry Vincent—Thomas Cooper—EdwardMiall—Reverend Thomas Spencer | [311] |
| CHAPTER XXIX. | |
| Ireland, her Condition and Prospects—The Causes of her Misery—TheRemedies for the Evils which Afflict her | [322] |
| CHAPTER XXX. | |
| Life, Services, and Character of Daniel O'Connell | [333] |
| CHAPTER XXXI. | |
| The Temperance Reformation—Father Mathew | [343] |
| CHAPTER XXXII. | |
| International Peace—European Military Establishments—BritishEstablishment—Mr. Cobden—Peace Party in England—PeaceCongress in Paris—Elihu Burritt—Charles Sumner | [346] |
| CHAPTER XXXIII. | |
| Mrs. Elizabeth Fry—Mrs. Amelia Opie—Lady Noel Byron—MissHarriet Martineau—Mrs. Mary Howitt | [348] |
| CHAPTER XXXIV. | |
| The Literature of Freedom—The Liberal Literature ofEngland—Periodicals—EdinburghReview—Its Founders—Its Contributors—ItsStandard and Style of Criticism—Its Influence—LondonQuarterly Review Started—Political Services of theEdinburgh—Its Ecclesiastical Tone—Sydney Smith—Declineof the Political Influence of the Edinburgh—Blackwood'sMagazine—Tait'sMagazine—Westminster Review—The Eclectic—TheNew Monthly—The Weekly Press—Cobbett's Register—Hunt'sExaminer—Mr. Fonblanque—Mr. Landor—TheSpectator—Douglas Jerrold—Punch—People's and Howitt'sJournals—Mr. Howitt—Chambers' Journal—Penny Magazineand Cyclopedia | [359] |
| CHAPTER XXXV. | |
| The Liberal Literature of England—Poetry—Southey—Coleridge—Wordsworth—Burns—Rogers—Montgomery—Moore—Campbell—Herbert—Byron—Shelley—Keats—Hunt—Pringle—Nicoll—Peter—Barton—Hood—Procter—Tennyson—Milnes—Elliott—Horne—MaryHowitt—Eliza Cook—Mackay—Novels—Godwin—Holcroft—TheDrama—Bage—Scott—MissEdgeworth—Mrs. Opie—Miss Mitford—Mrs. Hall—MissMartineau—Banim—Lever—Lover—Bulwer—Dickens—Essays—Jeffrey—Smith—Brougham—Mackintosh—Macaulay—Lamb—Hazlitt—Carlyle—Talfourd—Pamphlets—HollandHouse—French Literature and Louis Philippe | [374] |
| CHAPTER XXXVI. | |
| Conclusion | [392] |
REFORMS AND REFORMERS.
CHAPTER I.
Introductory—The "Condition of England" Question.
The People of the United States must ever be interested in the history of Great Britain. We have a common origin, and an identity of language; we hold similar religious opinions, and draw the leading principles of our civil institutions from the same sources. Reading the same historic pages, and while recounting the words and deeds of orators and statesmen who have dignified human nature, or the achievements of warriors who have filled the world with their fame, we say, "these were our forefathers." The sages and scholars of both nations teach the youth to cherish the wisdom of Alfred, the deductions of Bacon, the discoveries of Newton, the philosophy of Locke, the drama of Shakspeare, and the song of Milton, as the heir-looms of the whole Anglo-Saxon family. The ties of blood and lineage are strengthened by those of monetary interest and reciprocal trade; while the channels of social intercourse are kept open by the tides of emigration which flow unceasingly between us. And such are the resources of each in arts, in arms, in literature, in commerce, in manufactures, in the productions of the soil, and such their advanced position in the science of government, and such the ability and genius of their great men, that they must, for an indefinite period, exert a controlling influence on the destiny of mankind.
Nor when viewed in less attractive aspects, can America be indifferent to the condition and policy of her trans-Atlantic rival. She is enterprising, ambitious, intriguing. Whitening the ocean with the sails of her commerce, she sends her tradesmen wherever the marts of men teem with traffic. Belting the earth with her colonies, dotting its surface with her forts, anchoring her navies in all its harbors, she rules one hundred and sixty millions of men, giving law, not only to cultivated and refined States, but to dwarfed and hardy clans that shrivel and freeze among the ices of the polar regions, and to swarthy and languid myriads that repose in the orange groves or pant on the shrubless sands of the tropics. With retained spies in half the courts and cabinets of Christendom, she has for a century and a half caused or participated in nearly all the wars of Europe, Asia, and Africa, while by her arrogance, diplomacy, or gold, she has shaped the policy of the combatants to the promotion of her own ends. Ancient Rome, whose name is the synonym of resistless power and boundless conquest, could not, in the palmy days of her Cæsars, vie with Great Britain in the extent of her possessions and the strength of her resources. Half a century ago, her great statesman, sketching the resources of her territory, said, "The King of England, on whose dominions the sun never sets." An American orator, of kindred genius, unfolded the same idea in language which sparkles with the very effervescence of poetic beauty, when he spoke of her as "that Power, whose morning drum-beat, following the sun, and keeping company with the hours, encircles the earth daily with one continuous and unbroken strain of the martial airs of England." In a word, she embodies, in her history and policy, in large measure, all the virtues and vices of that alternate blessing and scourge of mankind, the Anglo-Saxon race.
Britain, once a land of savage pagans, was, long after the Norman Conquest, the abode of ignorance, superstition, and despotism. And though for centuries past she has witnessed a steady advance in knowledge, and civil and religious liberty—though her men of letters have sent down to their posterity works that shall live till science, philosophy and poetry are known no more—though her lawyers have gradually worn off the rugged features of the feudal system, till the common law of England has been adopted as the basis of our republican code—though her spiritual Bastile, the State Church, long since yielded to the attacks of non-conformity, and opened its gates to a qualified toleration—though all that was vital and dangerous in the maxim, "the King can do no wrong," fell with the head of Charles I, in 1649—yet it is only within the last fifty years that she has discovered at work on her institutions a class of innovators, designated as "Reformers."