The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-05-27 00:00:00

TUESDAY, MAY 27, 1856

WE do not know of anything in the celestial
or tersestial phenomena of Europe which forbids
the peace, prosperity, and general refinement of
its inhabitants. On the contrary, the diversity of
its soil and climate, the variety of intellectual
tastes, which are only equalled by the uniformity
of mental capacity, leave nothing to be desired

- -
to render a more limited region of the world

perfect in all that belongs to human greatness
and happiness. Ages have rolled on without wit-
nessing earthquakes, or other physical irruptions
to lay waste our rich cities, and bury whole com-
munities in their ruins. Comets, after a sup-

posed absence of thousands of years, do appear in
in our planisphere, but they leave no visible
trace of their devastating influence behind them.

The Heaven and the Earth preserve an Edenit(

harmony which favour nations in their efforts to
benefit our species. The opportunity thus
afforded of ameliorating the condition of the great
family is not wholly lost. There are good men

always ready for the immortal work. War alone
interrupts their labours. Each epoch of
peace has added millions of wealth, and
inestimable strength to the stock of those
who have diligently applied themselves to
the duties of national advancement. A glorious
triumph has crowned the struggles of all who have
laboured rationally for success. Man's industry
and intelligence could never boast of such
trophies as those which Western Europe possessed
at the close of the late forty years' peace.

In that short space of time how many men have
fought their way from the plough to the peerage—
from the loom! to the Senate ? The exhausted
means of nobility have been replenished by the
earnings of the artisan, the successful student of
science, and the enterprise and perseverance of
the trader. The word, aristrocrate, can scarcely
be applied with propriety to the amatory union of
nobility and plebains e see in these times.
Those fueds which at former periods dated from
the sticklers for cast, have passed away with
that mare unequal distribution and vast increase
of wealth which we have seen within the last few
years. The long cherished animosities which
existed between the people of the several European
States, have nearly all vanished as international
intercourse and enlightenment have progressed.

Every nation which belongs to the family of
the Old World would gladly be left at this
moment to purify their own institutions, and
manage their affairs more in accordance
with those of their more tolerant and civilised
neighbours. They ask only to be left to them-
selves, to effect those changes in the laws under
which they live, which would entitle them to be
ranked among the nations of Europe. Those who
still retain an independent existence, ask for a
constitution that they may be released from the
persecution of despotic and irresponsible rulers.
To justify this demand of the minor Continental
States, we need no more than the current history
of the day. But why should they appeal to Eng-
land or any other Power on such subjetcs?
Is it because they know we are interfering, and

will continue to interfere, in matters which do not
concern us, except as philautrophists and
Christians? What right have we to intermeddle
politically in the affairs of any other people ? We
took part with the Turks against the Russians,

but that was for high moral objects, and not
merely for the sake of having to say, we induced
the SULTAN or his subjects, to adopt a form of
government which was likely to remove all further
complaints. Wheu we went to war for the Otto-
man's, we knew what we were about, and showed
the world what the popular opinion of this

country is, with regard to foreign en-
croachments on the territory of the SULTAN, and
shores of the Black Sea. But once we embark in
talking of plasters for all the chronic sores of the
Continent, who will venture to say where we shall
be able to stop ? Let other States interfere where
they please, but let Great Britain never lay herself
open to a charge of the sort, except it is forced
upon her by some gross breach of friendship, and
disregard of international obligations. We know
pretty well the fate that awaits those who will
take the concerns of others into their hands.
There are luminaries who show themselves in
the great European Constellations, and who bode
no good to our race. They burst suddenly in upon
our system, dazzle their beholders with their
vividness, and then disappear, leaving th;
historian to describe their eccentric orbits in the
blood they cause to be shed. Whether the nine-
teenth century is to witness more than one of
these sub-lunary meteors, is purely a diplomatic
speculation, which appears to be bAsed on calcula-
tions quite as abstruce, and as far beyond an
ordinary understanding, as those by which astro-
nomers laid down the movements of Heavenly
bodies. Of this, however, there can be no doubt,
namely, that Great Britain cannot follow, with
safety, any Continental government, in schemes for
the remodelling of courts and countries. We have
quite enough to do with our own Chtrch and State
affairs, without risking the peace of the world a
second time, by undertaking what conflicting pas-
sions, and antagonistic interests, will not allow us
to effect, except at the point of the bayonet. Let
a MURAT take any Italian throne his supporters
may choose to give him. Let all the Continent
become BOUNAPARTIST, but keep England out o f
schemes of personal aggrandisement, and all
attempts to extend the Imperial sway of any par-
ticular State.

By what we have gained in peace we may mea-
sure what we have to lose by bloodshed. We have
shown our strength to all nations, and Europe may
ask herself where the power of Southern Russia
would have been to-day had the war been continued.
The British know their strength better than any
other people can understand it, and we can afford
to rest satisfied, and leave intriguers to embark in
projects of political humanity, and diplomatic
justice, without claiming a participation in the
post of honour, simply to share.its dangers. We
have felt constrained to fix public attention closely
on the tendency of our foreign policy at this
critical moment. England can have no locus
standi by the side of France in matters relating
to Rome or the Papal States. The spirit of our
institutions forbid us either to prop up the Pope
or trample down the people of Italy ; while that
delicacy, which ought to guide the actions of
nations as well as those of individuals, enjoins us
to decline any interference whatever in questions
where we should not be looked upon as impartial
arbitrators. Give Rome and all Italy to France,
and if the French can keep their church, and if
the Italians can support French rulers, Europe
will lose nothing by the transfer ; but are these
speculations in which this country ought to take a
part, while the United States 'are preparing for
hostilities in which we may be involved sooner than

we expect?