was becoming separated into two opposite camps—the friends and the foes of democracy."[1] The fear, and, it may be added, the misapprehension of the designs of what he calls the democrats, are reflected, indeed, in Sir Erskine's own views as he describes the break-up of the Whig party. "When Mr. Grey gave notice of his motion for reform, the tone of the debate disclosed the revulsion of feeling that was arising against popular questions and the widening schism of the Whig party. While some of its members were not diverted from their purpose by the contact of democracy, others were repelled by it even from their traditional love of liberty." Again, after speaking of the failure of the attempt to reconcile Pitt and Fox, he goes on to say, "But Mr. Fox, in opposition, was encouraged to coquet with democracy, and proclaim out of season the sovereignty of the people, while the alarmist section of the Whigs were naturally drawn closer to Mr. Pitt."[2] This way of speaking about democracy as something terrible with which the Radicals were prepared to coquet it being too fearful even for them to acknowledge openly—has been the fashion with the milder class of Liberals and with all Tories, from the days of Sidmouth down to the time when the late Lord Derby declared it was his mission "to stem the tide of democracy," just before he passed the Reform Act of 1868, which gave to the people the most direct influence in the government of the country. But instead of being frightened by names, it is well to try and understand exactly what they mean. This is especially desirable in political discussions, where opponents are apt to pelt each other with epithets without stopping to define, much less to justify them. If by democracy is. meant a desire to suddenly alter the form and substance of government; to abolish in politics the influence of social and intellectual gradations; to ignore the result of national character and traditions, and begin with an old race in an old land an entirely new system, as the French were doing when Burke
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History of the Radical Party in Parliament.
[1784–
