The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-06-03
From the Philadelphia hquirr.
THE OLD WORLD AND THE NEW.
THE pRooREss OF REyoRM.

attention, mol only IN Great brltain, Dut III rfdnco
and other monarchies The work of DE Tocquevllle
opened the eyes of many, and the spirit OF reform,
which is now apparent among the masses oil Great
Britain and which has had sensible effect even upon
the Peel ministry, is pregnant with mighty results
The world is undergoing great moral and civil re-
youton. The sword and the arm are quiet, COM
peratvely speaking, but not so the moral and mental
energies of man. The advocates of the old system
of government and of the errors OF that SYSTEM con-
tended against changes and reforms successfully Tor
years. But they were compelled TO give way and,
not unmindfu of the signs Of the times, the DISPOSE
ton now is not to resist dogmatically and tyranD-
cay but yield gradually step by STEP and by this
apparent compliance TO satisfy the appeals and pas
sons of the multitude The New World too, we
repeat is beginning to excite enlarged attention
Democracy, Republlcanism, or Liberalism, for they
are nearly synonymous are on the increase through
out the civilized world. The recent bold and extra
ordinary policy of Sir Robert Peel may be pointed
to as one of the strongest facts in illustration That
Minister was appointed Immediately after the defeat
of the Wings, leading question, the Chief cause
being the Corn Law billiard yet, notwithstanding
his majority in the House Of Commons was and is
very large he that he could not stem the popu
lar current without yielding something to the princ
pie of reform and thus he determined to tax the
rich by way of revenue reduce the duty on foreign
corn about half and further, TO diminish the I'M
port duties nearly all other foreign articles Sure
" this must be regarded indirect triumph on
the part of the great Masses and an indication that
no ministry can be sustained in England against the
will of the people, even under the present limited
plan of suffrage.
But we must not forget the article in the Review.
1t audes pertnenty enough TO our foes, but does us
Justice in its general features 1t describes proud
of institutions, of the general wealth and lntel
gence Of population OF our rapid rise and vast
prospects The writer nevertheless sees much TO dis
approve in the institutions of America, regards them
as better fitted for her earlier than her present con-
dton, but STILL prefers them TO those OF any other
great country, except his own. lie gives US very
| far hit in the following passage:
again, we may think that she boasts too much OF
the happiness and intelligence of her people we
may taunt her with her three millions of slaves, and
with the mobs of her towns, and the ruiians OF her
b rdcrs But no great community must be Judged ny
lis least fortunate psrons. Ireland Is not sample
of the British Islands, nor Connaught OF Ireland
And after making all the deductions from the general
average prosperity which required by the vices and
miscres OF comparatively small portion, We must adj
init, that the fourteen millions of Anglo Americans
| form community enjoying more comfort ana more
intelligence than any other equally numerous popua-
| ton The rapidity of growth which America
dwels with much compacency, is statistical fact
| supported by unquestlonaDe evidence The reason
! utleness of her ancipations of further and proper
tonae advance, is of fair subject OF conlro-
Nersy. If her numerous States differing as they do
in many respects to their institutions, their feelings,
and their interests, should presesec their union II
neither war, faction resistance to taxation,
should destroy their credit and arrest impoN enent
|
| slavery be gradually extnguished confined within
| limits much narrower than those over which II now
extendsif all these contingencies turn out IN her
favor the progress Of America may be as rapid and as
great as she anticipates. Those who are now living
may see heI possessing hundred millions Of people,
| irresistible in her ow hemisphere and match tor all
that could be opposed TO her in ours.
He repudates the doctrine tina, America is not ade-
quateiy appreciated in Engandi says that il is erro
neous that England thinks highly of America, al
though she disapproves of many OF her institutions
England he adds, ''admlres the energy OF America,
her perseverance her courage, he skil-ln short she
admires character naturally we may say necessarily,
IN many respects resembling her own there Is NJ
country with whom she il. DESTROYS to keep on good
| terms and certainly none with whom she won j so
1 much dread a war And with ample reason No
| two countries useful to another In peace
4 or could do one another much mischief in war ;
with the additional misfortune, that all the damage
the inflicted the other would recoll on her
self"
/ He remarks further
"On the other hand England is naturally ntole
rant OF all faults which differ from her own. She is
SO little accustomed TO swagger or to bully, that she
views such exhibitions from others with mixture OF
/ surprise and disapproha,lon. What America means
for spirit Eng nd sometimes considers rudeness
rustcity When America thinks that she must be
admired for the courage with which she vlndcaes her
4 rlgIts, England wonders that she should think 1t
II worth her while to quarrel about trfes. If America
cared less about the opinion OF England or did not
look for IL in the columns of newspapers, or know bet
ter how our respect is TO be obtalned-lt she knew
that the rlues which we most prize are equity Inte-
gritty, and noderaiian she would have avoided some
OF her disputes with US, and diminished the length
/ and The danger of some Others.
/ Compared with most OF er rations, America is not
ambitious She DESIRES indeed, to increase her pow
err but rather ty the increase OF her wealth and the
spread OF her population over the vast wilderness OF
+. which she is the un1slu edd owner than by the ex-
tension of her influence or the enlargement OF her
territory. We have alreapy stated that we do not
consider as parts of the public conduct OF nation
the Unauthorized enterprises OF portion OF the com
munity The invasion of Texas the attacks on the
Canadian frontier and generally speaking, the en-
croachments from Name ON tue disputed territory
were acts Of this kind. They were private specula-
tons for the purpose of individual gain. That they
were not e1tctually repressed by the American
Government is proof OF Its weakness, and shows
deep. seated defects her institutions but it is no
proof Of ambition.
" Now" proceeds he Review, America is one of
the q eat Empires Of the world with only one civil
lied nation superior to er in territory and only four
superior to her in population, she ought to feel how
improbable 1t is that any other power VIII wantonly
offend her She ought to exhibit, and we trust that
she will exhibit, the masnaninous candour and tor
bearance of conscious strength But though Amer-
ca is irritable, she does not bear malice defeat does
not rankc in her mind subject of revenge at the
/ distance OF halt century
! We like the spirit of this article. 1t is manly
well as LIBERAL and will do good on both sides of the
water, We oheerfuy admit our faults, and only de-
sire our position and character to be understood
The bullying tone of the London Times, the Liver
pool Standard, and such empty boasiings as those
recently made by Sir Charles Napier in the House of
Commons while they may irrltate few minds,
should be regarded with due contempt and scorn by
the nation generally. 1t is rather too late in the day
for Great Britain any other European power to
speak of this nation in other than respectful term,
and while we are anxious for the preservation of ami
cable relations with the Old World generally, and
especially with England it is but night and proper to
regard the mission OF Lord Ashburton, and such ex-
pressions of sentiment have copied above, in
liberal and magnanmous spirit, and endeavoI by our
conduct our example and the ulfilment of obi.
cations, to maintain the high character Of which SO