The Sun.
London, England, 1859-07-25 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVE TIN' JUL vi 25, 1859.

GEAT WESTERN RAILWAY.-
CHEAP EXCURSION to BATH and BRISTOL.—On
Saturday, July 30th, a Train will leave the Paddington Sta-
tion at 6 40 p.m., returning* on Monday, August Ist, from
Bristol at 5 30 p.m., and Bath at 6 p.m. Fares there and
back: Bristol, 14s. and 7s; Bath, 12s and Gs.

aREAT WESTERN RAILWAY.
VA CHEAP EXCURSION to OXFORD, HUNGER -
FORD, &c. On Sunday, July 31, a Train will leave Pad-
dington at 745 a.m., for Reading, Theale, Aldermaston,
Woolhampton, Thatcham, Newbury, Kintbury, and Hunger-
ford (Fares, ss. Cd., 45., and 35.) ; Pangbourne, Goring, Wal-
lingford-road, Didcot, Culhain, Abingdon, and Oxford (Fares,
6s. &1., 55.. and 45.), returning the same evening from Oxford
at 7 o'clock, and intermediate Stations as per handbills.

GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY.
Notice is Hereby Given, That the next HALF-
YEARLY' GENERAL MEETING of the Proprietors of this
Company will be held, pursuant to Act of Parliament, in Lon-
don, at the Paddington Station, on FRIDAY, the 12th day
of August next, for the general purposes of business ;
And for the appointment of an Auditor in the place of
Richard Atkinson, Esq., who has notified his intention to re-
tire from that office.
The chair will be taken at One o'clock precisely.
SH KLBURNE, Chairman.
BARRINGTON, Deputy-Chairman.
The transfer books will be closed on the 28th )uly instant,
and will not be opened until after the said Half-yearly Gene-
ral Meeting on the 12th August.
London Terminus, Paddington,
22d July, 1859.

LONDON & SOUTH-WESTERN RAILWAY.
To ADVERTISING AGENTS, &c. The Directors
are prepared to receive tenders from parties willing to agree
for the use of the Surface of the ROAD ARCHES on the
Metropolitan :Extension of this Railway, from the Bridge
over the Wandsworth-road, to that over Westminster-bridge-
road, for the-purpose of exhibiting advertisements and pla-
cards, subject to conditions, the particulars of which m"y be
obtained upon application to the undersigned, on and after
the 30th inst.' who will receive Tenders up to Wednesday, the
10th August, 1859.—8 y Order. L. CROMBIE, Secy.
Waterloo-bridge Station, July 23, 1859.

INTERNATIONAL LIFE ASSURANCE
SOCIETY, 142, Strand, London. _
.luly 11, 1859.

Notice is Hereby Given, That the half-yearly interest on
the capital stock of the Society, at the rate of Wive per Cent.
per annum, to 30th June last is now due, and in course of
payment at the Society's office, between the hours of 11 and 3.
EDMOND S. SYMES, Chairman.
142, Strand, London, W.C.

THE LONDON.—The attention of Gentlemen
is especially drawn to the advantages offered in these
elegant and spacious Saloons, which fulfil all the require-
ments of a West-end club of the most aristocratic and exclu-
sive character.

3,•0n trouve dans la Salle de Lecture non senlement les
meillenrs journeaux Anglals, macs aussi Allemand, Francais,
et Beige. _

F. SAWYER, Proprietor, 191, Fleet-street.

THE LONDON.—S AW Y E R'S famous
LONDON DINNER, consisting of two soups, two
ash, two entrees,joints, two sweets, cheese, and salad, at a
fixed charge of 2s. 6d. (attendance, 3d.), is served from Two
till Eight in the spacious Saloon.
In the Coffee-room, Dinners from thejoint, with vegetables,
cheese, and salad, ls. Gcl. (attendance 3d.), and soup, fish, en-
trées, &c., a la carte, are served from One till Nine o'clock.
Ladies' Private Rooms and Dining Saloons. Spacious and
well-ventilated Wine, Coffee, and Smoking Saloon.
An extensive and carefully selected stock of Rhenish, Mo-
selle, and other Wines, imported expressly for the London
Dinner. Open on Sundays from Four till Nine.
F. SAWYER, Proprietor, 191, Fleet-street.

THE COMMERCIAL, 73, Cheapside.—This
Establishment is now RE-OPENED, under the 1119-
nat;ement of Mr. R. Glover, from the London, Fleet-street.
Dinner off the Joint, in the Coffee-room, with Vegetables,
Bread and Cheese, ttc., ls. 6d. the Commercial Dinner of
SOUP, Fish, Entrées, Joints. Sweets, and. Cheese, 2s. 6d,
Ladies' Dining-room, with Female Attendant. Smoking
Saloon, The best of everything at prices to suit the temper
of the times.

NTINEGAR. Patronised by her' Majesty's
Government.—CONDY'S PATENT PURE CONCEN-
TRATED MALT VlNEGAR.—Families, by using this de-
licious Vinegar, insure purity, and effect a saving of 50 per
cent. See Report of Dr. Letheby, City Officer of Health ;Dr
Hassan, of the "Lancet" Commission, and others. Sold by
the Trade, in bottles labelled and capsuled. Whalesale, 63,
King William-street, London-bridge, E.C.—Six Quart Sample
sent free to any Railway for 3s. 6d.

ORNAMENTS for the Drawing-room, Library,
\-1 and Dining-room, consisting of a new and elegant
assortment of VASES, Figures, Groups, Candlesticks, Obe-
lisks, Inkstands, beautiful inlaid Tables, Paperweights, &c.,
in Italian Alabaster, Marble, Bronze, Derbyshire Spar, &c.
Imported and manufactured by JAMES TENNANT, Mine-
ralogist to her Majesty, 149, Strand, London, W.C.
Mr. Tennant arranges elementary collections of SHELLS,
MINERALS, and FOSSILS, which will greatly facilitate the
interesting study of MINERALOGY, CONCHOLOGY, and
GEOLOGY, at 2,5, 10, 20, 50, to 100 guineas each.
PRACTICAL INSTRUCTION in GEOLOGY and MINE-
RALOGY is given by Mr. TENNANT, at 149, Strand.

ference for either. Under tlese circumstances, my
Lords feel it to be impossible for them to give any
pledge at the present moment of, recommending to
Parliament an advance of piblic money, either by
way of loan or grant for tle purposes of Galway
harbour. At the same time my Lords would wish
to assure the memorialists of the deep ',interest
which they feel in this or triy other undertaking
promoted by Irish enterprise, and c; nsidered likely
to benefit Ireland ; and the present inevitable post-
ponement of any decision mist hot be taken as in-
dicating any indisposition on the part of her
Majesty's Government to give the application as
early and as favourable a consideration as circum-
stances will admit of.

" I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
" GEORGE ALEXANDER HAMILTON.
" To the Rev. Peter Daly, Imperial
- Hotel, Dublin.

COOLIE 4NI) CHINESE IMMIGRATION

TO THE I,VESI

A deputation frOm the British and Foreign Anti-
Slavery Society on this subject was received by the
Duke of Newcastle at the Colonial-office on Satur-
day last at 1 o'clock. The deputation was intro-
duced by Lord Broughain, and consisted the fol-
lowing gentlemen, viz. :—Mr. E. Baines, M.P., Mr.
F. Crossley, M.P., Revs. Dr. Carlile, H. Richard,
Dr. Burns, W. G. Barrett, W. Owen, Dr. Hodgkin,
Dr. N. Shaw, Mr. Consul NPLeod , and Messrs. J.
Candler, S. Sturge, T. Harvey, Geo. Thompson, S.
Bourne, W. Janson, W. Allen, J. Jowitt, jun., F.
W. Chesson' Jos. Cooper, J. R. Birchett, Josiah
Forster, B. Miles; T. Norton, Thos. Clark, J. H.
Gladstone, A. K. Isbisten4iForster, J. Fitzgerald,
and L. A. ChamerovzoW:—

Mr. CRAM EROVZO V', secretary to the society, said
that the memorial which it was his duty to read to
his Grace was passed at a public meeting held on
the 13th of this month, Lord Brougham in the
chair, when a, resolution was also passed that his
lordship should sign the memorial on behalf of the
meeting and of the Fritish and Foreign Anti-Sla-
very Society, which originated it.
Mr. CHAMEROVZOW then read the memorial.
Lord BROUGHAM said he need not enter further
into the subject than to remind his Grace of what
passed in the House of Lords both last session and
this. The object was inqu:ry, because there were
many things asserted by one side and denied by
the other, and until there was an investigation it
was impossible to tell on which side the truth lay.
For his part he had no doubt on which side it lay ;
but there was no way of convincing the world but
by inquiry. They might be right only to a certain
extent, and inquiry might modify their opinions.
An incident had occurred at the late meeting which
had not been mentioned in the papers. A gentleman
supposed to be adverse to the opinions of the
meeting wished to be heard, and there was a dispo-
sition not to hear him ; but he, as chairman, in-
sisted on his being heard respectfully, the more so
that he differed from the meeting; and the result
was that he was not onlyattentively, but even
kindly heard. The gentleman's statement was a very
clear one, and Mr. Chamerovzow answered it ; that
fact showed that they were disposed to hear both
sides. As to the mode of proceeding, the memorial
asked for a committee ; but he feared there was no
time for it. A week or ten days would not suffice
for this inquiry, and his grace should therefore con-
sider whether there was not another course to take,
such as by a commission.
The Duke of NEWCASTLE said that before refer-
ring to the proposal for a commission perhaps he
would be allowed to make a few remarks on the
memorial, though he did not wish either to contra-
dict its statements or to express an opinion in a
dogmatic spirit, but rather with a view to elicit
truth. He thought they were misled in some of their
representations. With respect to the number of im-
migrants being unlimited, they would find, upon
inquiry, that was not so. but that the number. was
regulated by the governors of the different colonies.

If the fact were as stated, it was an irregularity of
which he should be glad to be informed. As regarded
Africans, they were, he thought, entirely mistaken;
practically the importation of Africans to the Bri-
tish colonies had entirely ceased for some years.
The statement of the immigration of the Chinese
at the public expense was also incorrect ' • it was at
the expense of the parties interested. Lord
Brougham the other Aay stated very coraectly in
the House of Lords that it WM partly.at the ex-
pense of the labourers, whose labour was interfered
with by the immigration ; but he had seen a few
days ago a curious statement from one of the colo-
nies—Jamaica, he believed—that there the opera-
tion had been a very singular one. The greater
proportion of the emancipated slaves in Jamaica,
preferring to keep a piece of ground of their own
and grow vegetables, found au additional market
for their produce by the introduction of these immi-
grants, and among a great portion of them a feel-
ing that it was beneficial was beginning to grow
up. As to the mortality, there was no denying that
in some ships it was
much greater than ought to
be if proper care was taken ; but he did not think
they had a right to charge these isolated instances
against the system. we had precisely the same
difficulty to contend with in the emigration of
labourers from this country, which had been at-
tended with almost as fearful a loss of life as had
attended the immigration into the colonies. He
thought they w Juld find that the mortality upon
an average did not exceed 5 or 6 per cent. on board
the ships, and the amount was not so much in the
islands. As to the disproportion between the sexes,
that was a most important point, and required
further correction
; but in many of the ships which
had gone out of late the proportion would be some-
thing like eight to ten. He did not mean that that
was like the proportion of the whole, but only that
the evil was in
Progress of correction. There was
another very important charge, that those immi-
grants received no moral or spiritual instruction.
If that was tl e case practically it was certainly not
so legislatively, and so far as the information of the
office went a very different state of things ought to
exist. He knew that ordinances had been sent out
instituting schools for those immigrants, and, if
they had been dead letters, there was a very strong
argument indeed for the suppression of the system.
That her Majesty's Government could hardly re-
monstrate with other Powers was an argument
that would hardly hold good, for surely there
was a great difference between the immigration
of labourers into the British colonies and into
slave colonies such as Cuba. He was not aware
that the charge against British ships was correct,
but, if so, it had nothing to do with the British
colonies or the system, thought it might be a matter
for the interference of the Legislature to stop it.
The introduction of labourers, however, into free
states and slave states could not be compared, be-
cause in the latter they must necessarily become
slaves, and can never return, whereas from our
states they certainly do return, and the regulations
by which they are returnable have been rigidly
enforced. As to the question of inquiry, it would be
impossible to have a committee at this period of the
session, but, apart from that, he had great doubts
as to the utility of inquiry by a committee. It would
be impossible to bring over the governors of colo-
nies, while still more important would be the evi-
dence of some of the planters themselves, who would
not come, or, if they did, it would be at very great
expense and inconvenience, which would not be
justifiable if the information could be obtained in
any other way, We had a great deal of information
already. Nothing was concealed from Parliament,
and the Emigration Commissioners, he knew from
his own personal knowledge, were most anxious to
prevent any abuse in connection with the scheme.
We had, then, very considerable power of supervi-
sion and an immense amount of information, which
was annually laid before Parliament, but if further
inquiry were necessary he thought it would be far
better that it should take place by a commission.
But what he thought would answer every purpose
still better was, if some of the gentlemen present
would assist him in kirawing up questions which
would be sent out, and he would undertake that
they would be answered by persons of authority in
the colonies, and they could also be sent to other
persons to whom it might be thought proper to send

liem.

Mr CHAmEßovzow, on the part of the deputa-
tion, replied that it Would be seen from the enact-
ments that the number of Indians, Chinese, and Af-
ricans was unlimited. These enactments did not de-
fine the number to be introduced, but left it to the
discretion of the Governors ; therefore, practically
there was no limi▪ tation, inasmuch as the governor,
with the consent of the planters, might introduce
as many as he thoughts proper. With reference to
A
his grace wasin error, for reference to the
Bill Africans
would show bei▪
n tig lat
Jamaica
which Africans were permitted to be imported.
cs not imported, there, he believed,
there was a clause in it by
The Duke of NEWCASTLE said what he meant was
that no Africans had been introduced. He would
not undertake to say that it was not authorised by
the Act, but he would state positively that for five
or six years none had been imported.
Mt CHAMEROVZOW said that 300 Africans had

been introduced two years,ago upon the capture of
the ship Arab; but the objection of the society was
that African immigration was thrown open to our
colonies while the Government strenuously opposed
it on the part of the Emperor of the French. Chi-
nese had been introduced into British Guiana, while
the expense was defrayed only to a certain extent by
the planten, as appeared from the proceedings of
the Court of Policy; the planters having to pay two
thirds and the public one-third. With regard to
Jamaica, £30,000, or one-eighth of the entire re-

venue, was absorbed in the interest on the guaran-
teed loan and the. sinking fund for immigration

np ue
ar
rpl oys eosn,
eouth f,
ha a dde
be et
eonf
foo, r
i.£ll4lmooi
g,toa3t ,i on r.
And as the labouring coloured population was as
i
24 to 1 of the white, they had to pay largely towards
rfc9ulr3r 'eOdo
defraying the amount of the sinking fund and the
burden of the debt. The bulk of the coffee produced
in Jamaica was grOwn by the people who were for-
merly slaves ; a great part of the sugar and other
commodities were also grown by them, and so far
from its being correct that they were not taxed for
this immigration, 12 per cent. of their small income
was taken from them Supposing them to be em-
ployed every day at ls. a-day, it was as though
the planter put his hand into the pocket of those
people and took away £2 out of the £l6 which
they earned. With regard to the mortality in the
immigration from China, it varied from 17 to 60
per cent. So long as immigration was perfectly
free, as from China to California, the mortality was
almost nothing. But in China it' was the slave
trade in disguise, as appeared from the published
statements o Sir John Bowring. With regard to
the mortality in the islands, it was stated to be 35
per cent. in five years by Sir E. B. Lytton, while
the society set it down as 50 per cent. ; but even
admiting the statement of Sir E. B. Lytton to be
correct,-it would "-be found that Coolie labour was_,
more destructive to life than the slave labour of
Cuba. With regard to the proportion of the sexes,
his grace was right to a certain extent ; it was true,
he believed, with regard to Mauritius, but he would
refer to the blue-book to show that it was not true
as regarded our West India colonies. It appeared,
too, from a discussion in the Court of Policy. that
the Governor stated that unless the proportion
were corrected he would not permit the continuance
of the immigration. He did not see how, so long
as our Government sanctioned a system of fraud
and violence, we could remonstrate with the French
Government for attempting to carry out a similar
system. With regard to the mode of inquiry, it had
appeared to the committee that it would be a very
desirable thing to have the evidence of many pet sons
now in this country, such as Lord Elgin and Sir John
Bowring, and thit much good might he done, even
though the committee sat but a short time. But he
had not the slightest faith in a commission sent out
to the West Indies unless one member of it should
b ) appointed by the Government, another by the
slavery party, and another by the society. It had
been found almost impossible to obtain accurate in-
formation. so that unless the commission was armed
'with extraordinary powers he could scarcely hope
much good would result from it. But with respect
to the suggestion of his Grace, he thought it de-
serving of their best consideration, because, if they
could obtain replies, they would be put into the
position of obtaining what they wanted, which was
a fair and impartiarinquiry.
Mr. J. COOPER called his Grace's attention to the
fact which he had ascertained, that the freight and
passage-money of Coolies from India to Cuba were
frequently insured in British ships.
The Duke of NEWCASTLE desired that Mr. Cooper
would send him some facts, though the matter did
not properly concern the Colonial-office, nor had he
any power over the Government of Cuba.
Mr. J. COOPER also said it was believed that it
was to the introduction of the 500 Africans into
the Mauritius in 1856 that the origin of that
French scheme which was so much regretted in
this country was owing.
Dr. HODGKIN said that the mortality which took
place in the ships and when the labourers arrived
did not represent the whole; a very great deal of
it took place before they left their own country.
He had been informed by a gentleman who had re-
sided in China that parts of the rivers were ren-
dered offensive by the number of the bodies of these
poor creatures. That was so lately as the year
before last. With regard to the Chinese, at least,
he had heard that it was almost impossible to ob-
tain a proportionate number of women. With re-
gard to_ the immigration from the West Coast of
Africa, the experiment had been carried out as far
as it could, and the Liberians complained bitterly
of the attempt to obtain free labourers from that
interesting pa::t of the country.
Mr. T. 11. GLADSTONE could bear testimony
with respect to British ships being employed in
taking labourers to Cuba, for he was in that island
two years ago. In
1856 British ships were fre-
quently
seen entering the ports -
e labourers
on board ; but the ships principally employed were
American. He could also speak as to the length of
service obtained from the negro population and the
Coolies. The slaves did not live on an average
longer than ten years after being set upon full
work, but with the Coolies and Chinese the dura-
tion of life was still less. Almost the entire of
those introduced ten . years ago were now dead.
Again, as to the disparity of the sexes in Cuba, he
did not see a single Cainese woman there, while he
saw, perhaps, some thousand Chinese men.
The Duke of NEWCASTLE said that he had al-
luded to the Indians. He was quite aware of the
fact as regarded the Chinese.

Mr. GLADSTONE made inquiries as to what had
induced them to come to the West Indies, and some
of them said that they were told they would go to
a country where there were rivers of gold. A Cali-
fornia was pictured to them. All this referred
simply to Cuba.

Mr. G. THOMPSON said that, from what he had
had heard, it was likely that the Coolies in India
were duped in a similar manner. Two years ago,
when in Calcutta, he had some conversation, with
respect to the mode of obtaining men from the
country above Calcutta, with a person who had
some years before been engaged in shipping Coolies,
and who had made some £17,000 by the trade. He
employed persons to bring them to town and keep
them there, and had also a profit on the kit which
the Coolie took with him. The impression left
upon his mind by what he had heard was that the
Coolie was totally incapable of understanding the
nature of the contract which he was invited to
make. He knew nothing of geography—even the
Brahmin knew. nothing of geography ; ke knew
nothing of the value of the money of the country to
which he was going ; knew nothing of the distance,
nor of the nature of the labour he would have to
perform. It was represeuted to him that many of
them when brought down to Calcutta, got some
idea of the matter, and, if in consequence they
manifested any disinclination to go, then substitutes
were found to pass the emigration agent and
answer all the questions, and subsequently, by
some manoeuvre, the real men were shipped. This
personation was carried on by the same individuals
as long as it was considered safe, and then new
substitutes were found. It was, therefore, neces-
sary to have such supervision at the place of ship-
ment as would prevent this practice. Then, when
the Coolie reached our colonies he had no one to
communicate with him, and many of them became
subject to the most frightful diseases, of which we
had no idea, arising from that mental state to which

they were reduced:
Mr. J. FORSTER, as a member of the Anti-Slav-
ery Society, must observe that he was a little shaken
at seeing the memorial so much called in question
by the l)uke of Newcastle, but if the case was
made out with regard to the 500 Africans ad-
mitted into the Mauritius it would be acknow-
ledged that the committee was borne out. The
committee, the Duke of Newcastle, and the Govern-
ment stood pledged in heart to the fair carrying
out of the abolition of the slave trade in the West
Indies. It was their moral duty with reference to
the liberated Africans, their clients as he might
call them, to see whether their interests were suffi-
ciently protected by the admission of the Coolies ;
also, whether the plea of want of labour was fairly
and adequately made out:; *and whether the whole
system, if fairly and candidly investigated, could in
a moral point of view be justified.
It was then agreed that Lord Brougham should
communicate with his Grace before the session was
over with respect to drawing out questions, and the
deputation withdrew.

Having retired to the waiting-room,
Lord BROUGHAM said, that he should give to his
Grace the names of some 14 or 15 gentlemen now
in this country who were prepared to tender im-
portant evidence, and recommended his Grace to
appoint some person to receive it, with a view to
putting his Grace in possession of the information
which they might otherwise, from circumstances, be
unable to give at a future time,
It was moved by Dr. CARL/LE, seconded by Mr.
G. THOMPSON, and carried unanimously, that the
secretary to the society should make a communica-
tion to the Duke of Newcastle to that effect.
The proceedings then terminated.

13%,'1CE 4D. STAMPED, SD.

.E.AI GLAND AND EUll PPE.

The followinz article appeared in the literary
columns of the Journal des Debuts of Saturday last,
introduced by a few lines: ,respeeting the new
"Histoire d'Anglettere," by" M. Emile de Boom:-
chose. The article is signed by M. Prevost-Para-
dol

England has just caused a strange surprise not
to Europe only but to those statesmen who fancied
they knew her best, to those among her great
citizens who thought they were perfectly certain to
lead her. For the first time perhaps in lin history
she has allowed a great war to commence and con-
tinue, a re-arrangement of territory to be an-
nounced and accomplished not only without taking
part in it, tut with the firm resolution of having
nothing to do with it. She has imposed this reso-
lution on her statesmen ; she has watched
them with jealous, atten 'ion, lest they
riiglit be tempted to disobey her ; .she has
forbidden them to entert,in the slightest inten-
tion of mixing up with this conflict the name
and arms of the English people ; and so well has
she succeeded in this difficult design, that the war
was brought to a close, and peace re-:established in
Europe, without. England's taking any greater part
in it than Portugal or.ammark.
The Ministers who, true to the tradition of their
country, formed a different idea of her interests and
duties, no more succeeded in moving her than Don
Quixote did in carrying off that celebrated wooden
horse on which he fancied he could travel through
the vast fields of air. It was in vain they let off
crackers near the ears of the peaceful animal, and
put squibs under his tail ; nothing stirred tds in-
flexible immobility, and after all this alarum he
found himself in the same place us at first. But
the question is, whether England finds herself, at
the end of this episode; in the same place as-at the
beginning, and whether she comes out of the trial
as intact as Don Quixote's steed.
First of all let us inquire what were the chief
causes of England's taking so net- and decided an
attitude in the great crisis we have just passed
through. Above all, it was that increasing disgust
for war, which in the 19th century is both the
glory and the weakness of civilised communities.
It must be admitted that Engiand never- manifested
greater repugnance to war, or greater attachment
to peace, than during the first months of this year.
It is not only, as people are too fond of saying, the
immense development of material interests, that
makes nations, when they have the control of their
own destinies, so slow to have recourse to arms ; it
is a general sentiment of humanity ; it is a greater
respect for human life, a livelier consciousness of
the manifold evils brought about by war, and of the
responsibility attaching to those who let loose such
a scourge upon the world without absolute neces-
sity. If these ideas exercise-at the present day a
great influence upon the continent itself, if the
most warlike nation in the world has felt their
constraining power, what action must they not
have upon, England laden, as she indeed is, with
the most genial blessings of modern civilisation,
accustomed more and more to internal peace, to
labour, order and liberty, and the peaceful enjoy-
ment of-the greatest blessings that nations can de-
sire?

Not only are the English inclined in these days
to consider war barbarous, but a considerable part
of the English public, deeply imbued with Christian
ideas, regards it as a sin. They hesitate long, they
weigh all the circumstances before admitting this
right of drawing the sword, which a short time back
gave such little trouble to the conscience of nations
or sovereigns. This tolerably numerous portion of
the public have come by degrees to apply to the'
conduct of nations those absolute maxims that con-
stitute the ideal of the Christian life. They do not
go so far as .to say that the duty of a iee.,ple, like
that of a martyr, is to suffer itself to be immolated,
nor even to turn the cheek to the smiter ; but they
concede to a people nothing beyo..ad the right of
defending its existence, and they deny its right of
raising itself as formerly or maintaining itself by
arms amidst the recurring conflicts that agitate the
world. They have thus invented a sort of cate-
chism for the use of 'nations that was utterly un-
known to Elizabeth, Cromwell, and Pitt, and which
Louis XIV. and Napoleon, if they take an interest
about such things in the other world, must bitterly
regret not to have seen disseminated and put in
practice earlier among the English people.
It would be wrong, however, to attribute solely
to the progress of civilisation and to the influence
of Christian sentiments this attachment of Ergland
to peace—this altogether novel passion for a strict
neutrality. Pride and contempt, self-esteem and
the disdain of others, have a large share in it.
Right or wrong, the English public has accustomed
itself to regard the greater part of the continental
nations as irrevocably devoted to anarchy or
slavery, and consequently it takes less interest
in their trials or quarrels so long as England's
security does not appear to it to be directly
threatened. Elated, moreover, by the progress of
her race over eve..y part of the globe, by the won-
derful development of her new colonies, by the
foundation of those distant empires where her
customs, freedom, industry, and all the germs of
her own peculiar greatness, live again together
with her language, England has insensibly been
led to give to continental nations a less considerable
share in her affairs, and to attach less import-
ance to the events that change the face of Europe.
She boasted, not long since, of being the first
Mussulman power in the world; she is also a great
oceanic power, anti she is a great American power,
and anticipating, the future in this part of the
globe she refuses to consider Europe any longer as
the sole arena where at all costs she must acquire
or preserve'the first rank. Less concerned about
the progress of her ancient rivals, she is also less
jealous of upholding the balance of their power,
and of wathhing their mutual encroachments, and
this turn of mind is the more advantageous to her
since she finds a pretext therein for sparing her-
self great sacrifices and vigorous resolutions.
From all these sentiments, good or bad, exalted
or selfish, has resulted the conduct of England in
the present crisis. The future alone will show
whether she has not erred in her instincts and cal-
culations, and whether, in adopting a policy similar
to America's, she has not forgotten it is not the
ocean, but merely the Channel, that separates her
from a continent filled with soldiers. If the peace
party (which in England is the dominant party as
the war party is with us)—if the peace party has
been right—if it has actually revealed to England
the admirable secret of preserving her influence
over Europe without taking part in its quarrels,
this party has rendered its country an immense
service; if, on the contrary, it has been mistaken,
if. in prematurely disengaging England from her
continental ties it has deprived her at the same
time too soon of her supports, it has placed in ex-
treme jeopardy not only the greatnesS of its
country, but its very existence.
In fact., the aspect of Europe must awaken now
very different feelings in the breast of a French-
man and in that of an Englishman, and may give
to the former as many hopes as to thel 'latter just
sources of uneasiness. England can say to her-
self—" I have never been much liked- upon the
Continent; but I was feared there; now they fear
me much less, and do not like me more on that
account. I had not long since before me a
nation powerful and jealous, but isolated and
surrounded as it were by my natural allies; now
I see in Europe only old enemies who have not
pardoned my successes, only old friends who at-
tribute to me their reverses. I was accustomed to
fight against one slime, with the help of several ;
I may have to fight several, and can no longer de-
pend anon the aid of one. Those whom I have
left to defend themselves alone would see me with-
out disp.easure undergo the same trial, and would
calmly represent t:) me that it is for the general in-
terest to localise the war, What boots it me if
sheltered by my ships I can defy the whole uni-
vere ? But it is very expensive to have for the
future to guard one's self against the whole uni-
verse, and incessantly to be in expectation of a
great day when all will be saved or lost. Perhaps
I was not wrong to have had formerly allies in the
world, and to have accustomed them to depend on
me, in order that I myself might depend on them.
I have changed my system ; the event will teach
me if I have done right." On her side, France can
consider Europe with some security; and even some
hope ; she may say
to herself :—"
notraise mFormerly I could
y
arm aeminst any one withoimmediatelyut being
forced parry the blow of another ;
now, if I have
seeany quarrel of this kind to settle,
they willingly me at it, and there will be some
to applaud me,
whoawniaxim,
dthllnhea.ve-Pdae; er
de sgurbifelertemtiaesdr y would have fought
ivsarnetaalgelysafgrorematitm.
If I
see an occasion of necessity for it, I shall willingly,
apply the second
half of the verse, and shall there-
by please everybody. But whatever may
happen
here
I have ant surrounded with old adversaries, to whom
ve proved that I possessed rather the power
than the wish to injure them, and that I desired
less their defeat than their friendship.
and hope," Let us wait
Such is pretty nearly for us and our neighbours