The Sun.
London, England, 1869-01-19 00:00:00

MR. R. JOHNSON IN BEDFORDSHIRE.

Mr. Reverdy Johnson has again been doing what his
opponents in New York call "spouting weak sentiment."
On Monday he attended the opening of a new Corn
Exchange and new Plait Halls, at Luton. The leading
part in the ceremony of the day was taken by Lord
tiowper, lord-lieutenant of the county of Bedford,
who was assisted by the American Minister, and by Six
J. Burgoyne, high sheriff of the county, Lord
Charles Russell, Colonel Gilpin, M. P., Mr. H.
Cowper, M.P., Mr. H. Russell, M.P., Mr. H.
Brand, M.P., Mr. L. Ames, Sir J. Sebright, Colonel
Stuart, the Rev. J. O'Neill, Colonel Wood, the Rev. J.
Rinds, &c. Both the Corn Exchange and the Plait Halls
are creditable buildings for a small town like Luton.
They have been erected at a cost of £15,000. In reply to
an address from the Local Board of Health, Mr.
Johnson returned a written speech, which in brief con-
gratulated those present on the end of all causes of
differences between the two countries, England and
the United States. His Excellency also spoke
viva voce. That speech was also laudatory
of a unity between the two countries. Having
known by experience the bitter results of civil war,
be was the more rtady to deprecate anything like
the mention of hostilities between the two nations. "Do
we differ in faith ? No. Do we differ in our intense love
of liberty? No. Do we differ in those principles of free-
dom on which our respective institution M repose ? No.
We are as free as you are. In some resObts—whether
advantageously or not the future will tell—we are, perhaps,
more free than you are. We have a larger share in our
Government than you had in the past, or have now, in
yours ; but if I read the signs of the times aright it will
not be long so. The noble lord has expressed a hope that
this town, with a population of 20,000 or 22,000 souls, will
be represented in Parliament. With us it would not have
been necessary to express that hope, for you would have
been represented long ago, whether for weal or for woe. But
that intelligent men—and I was about to say intelligent
1 women—ought to have their voice heard directly in the
1 Parliament by whose laws they are governed, would seem
1 to be manifestly intended by nature ; and nature, I believe,
never inculcates doctrines from which mischief can result.
Judging from your press formerly, you have been
under the impression that your Government is stronger
than ours ; but that is a mistake. You have been under
the impression that because you had a King or a Queen—
and the name of her Majesty ought never to be men-
tioned without honour and we only a President,
you were far in advance of us in executive power ; but
that also is a delusion. The President holds his seat no
matter what the Parliament says; the members of his Cabinet
hold their places no matter what the Parliament says ; and
both the President and the Cabinet hold their position, no
matter what the people may say, between intervening
elections. How is it with you, my lord? Can the Queen do
anything except exhibit the virtues which give a charm
to private life. Can she do anything to resist popular
opinions as expressed in the House of Commons ?
Can the House, my lord, of which you are an honoured
member stand out long against the public voice? Ido not
know what it may be able to do in the future, but it has
not done it in the recent past. The power, therefore, of your
Government, legislative and executive, is in the House of
Commons, and for that very reason, my friends of Luton,
it seems to me to be just that you should have a word
to say in it." The rest of his speech referred more to the
local trade of Luton. He expressed a hope that ere long
a new style of bonnet would become fashionable, and the
straw trade of the town thus revive.

In a speech at the banquet, in answer to the toast or
his health, Mr. Johnson replied to Lord Cowper, who
had proclaimed the superiority of England, in that here
a lady might become head of the State. "I have read
the Constitution of the United States more than once," said
Air. Johnson, "and there is nothing in it that draws a
distinction between the sexes in that particular. I know
it has been said that occasionally we have had an_ old woman
over us, but we have never yet tried the experiment
of having a young and beautiful woman elected
our President. However, in this age of progress, when
strong-minded women are abroad, who can tell what is
going to happen? If it should happen, my lord, that we
elect a beautiful, charming, intellectual woman, don't
delude yourself by the belief that we shall not cherish
her as much as you cherish your beloved Queen." Further,
Mr. Johnson noted how mistaken Chatham had been
in supposing the star of the British Empire to have set for
ever when the independence of America was acknow-
ledged. England, he said, had gone on since then more
prosperously than ever. It was a small place, but one
which exercised a mighty influence. May the United
States never learn the full power. Not that they were
afraid of it, but that it would be a sad day for both
talons.