The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-06-21

EDITORS CORRESPONDENCE
From our regular correspondent

10 have impressed upon the public mind, SO much
as the union Of the people Of England in any often
sive measures against this country-a state of feel
ling, ESQ say the English newspapers and parliament
ary orators,) growing quite as much from the pub
c happiness, as from the all-pervading loyalty OF
the British people TO their Queen and country.
Although it would seem if statements like this
were inconsistent, in view Of the withdrawal of the
chief staple used by the English manufacturers
result that must follow any war with America; and
although the consequences of this would be una
workable starvation among population already
ground to the last verge of restitution, yet these
Statements repeatedly made, well in the clubs
of the nobility and at Crockford's, as in the graver
arena Of the House Of Commons. A few years
Mago, parliamentary committee was raised to ex-
anime into the condition Of the poor in the nume-
brous parishes Of oyer-crowded and merry England
land such stray leaves of the report Of this
committee as found their way into the
Npublic prints, (for Great Britain is ever care
ul that her press should not babble the secrets
of the prison-hous with too dffuse generosity
were not very redolent of great happiness, or even
Ordinary comfort among the masses. Unfortunately,
8the people of England represented through
THE London Times to the American people, than
Uthrough any paper of their own; for il is fact,
3proved at every arrival from Liverpool, that the
sources of information to the people Of the United
States of the condition of the people Of England,
are the organs of Sir Robert Peel, or Lord John
Russell, or the newspapers of the middling and
commercial classes. Hence, whatever may be
our doubts as to English prosperity, il cannot be de-
nied that our proofs heretofore have been most
vague. Mr.. C. z. Lester a few years ago wrote a
book entitled "Engands Glory and her Shame;'
IN the course of which, he revealed some very un-
pleasant truths, and contrasted with much force the
relative condition of the lower and higher grades Of
English society. 1t is very possible that Mr. Lester
made some blunders in his book, and it seems to
me that he had scarcely the time to collect the ma
terials for such book the subject demanded
| remember right well that his book was most vi
olen,ly criticised by the English press, and fairly
8ridicued out of market-there being of course, no
lack Of echoes this side of the water to the cries of
the hirelings of oppression the other A new book
however, from the pen Of most able and elegant
writer, and leading and popular member of the
British Parliament, has just appeared; which, though
disguised under the name of novel, is rot the less
searching exposure of the wrongs and the suffer-
ings Of the people of Great Britain The name of
this book is "Sybil, or the Two Natons;" and the
writer is no less parsonage than B. D'Israe esq i
M. p. The history of Mr.. DIsrael is that Of a
man who has mingled much in public affairs. His
writings indicate great and uncommon genius Every
body remembers "Vivian Grey" and the high ex-
pectaons that were formed of the writer of that re-
markable novel. Some of his works were failures;
Contrarini Fleming, and the Revolutionary Epic for
instance; for he has never made much of dash at
poetry. Coningsby remember very well; 1t was
able, bold, and capitay written; rather cantering in
its style, and too meagre in the plot but it was USE
full for many of the sterling passages for which il
was chiefly remarkable. His "Runnymede Let
ters,'' "the Spirit of Whigism,n "the Vindication
of the English Constitution, ;" "the Letter to Lord
Mslbourn"--a ofthem political papers--were pro-
nounced at the time to be most powerful and con-
vincing, and produced quite sensation in Great
Britain. His career member of Parliament
has been marked with the usual consistency
Of the British statesmen but has been quite brilliant
and eventful. Some of his speeches have been of
the highest superiority His speech on the English
consular establishment was pronounced by one of
his bitterest foes to be sable vigorous, and
original" His greatest speech was that on the
Ferrand and Graham squabbles, and is said to have
been magnificent effort, and was the severest drub-
bling Peel ever got. II bold, and it attacked
wing and tory alike, and gave the fairest view of
the real difficulty of any effort either side. HIS
speech, few months ago, on the condition of Ire
land, was also most powerful one, and was (for Il
read it carefully at the time) full Of the justes in
ferences from the present and past history Of Ire
land. This able parliamentary effort drew warm
encomium from Mr.. Macauley, who is not apt to-
praise anybody, and was set down at the time the
speech Of the session l have conceived this notice
Of Mr.. D'lsraeli to be necessary, because he has
been the especial object of the attack of the govern
ment leaders and the government press over the|
water; but all that have heard of him goes
to prove that he is independent fearless and
scentious statesman. His speeches the Irish ques
ton, and the sugar question, were both great prof.
ductions, and could have proceeded from no other
than a courageous and Independent statesman, His|
last work, however, is the which, with your per-
mission, intend briefly to notice. 1t purports to|
be sort OF vindicatlon of chartism, and it certain
y presents an appalling picture Of the distresses of
the English poor The title is "Sybil, or the Two|
Nations"-the rich and the poor classes of the
realm being represented by the term 'sthe two ma
TONS" meaning distinct and hostile bodies and in-I
terests! The writer of this book is evidently not al
- H. .I..AAl ELL
length of the ultraists of that party but this makes
his testimony SO much the more valuable and dsin-I
terested. OF the story mean to take no notice;I
for it is evident to any one who reads sSyb" (andI
man who seeks after knowledge afford to read|
few novels in his short fetime) that the story isl
conceived simply to hide the personale of the author
The whole book is written Of the present day. and
the characters are Peel and Wellington, (by name,
and others more carefully disguised, whose ex-I
posure need not necessarily be plain they are, !
no doubt all portraits of those who are now ving|
! in Great Britain. This is new feature in novel;
writing, which nobody but Eugene Sue hasI
had equal temerity to attempt. But Mr. DIS!
rael does not hesitate, because his characters areI
1evdently living around him. he lays on the lash
|sparingy and he raises the curtain from the reall
condition OF the poor with a bold and unshrnking|
hand 1t is this picture which conceive to be I'M
erestng, at this Crisis, to the American reader andi
TO all who have suffered themselves be led intol
the common error, that the people Of England areI
too happy to desire change, and too well-caredfor
not to rush to arms in any in which their gov-
|ernment may embark. Mr.. D'Israei portrays their|
Condition in q manner that more than realizes MI.
Lesters assertions, and the antcipations of
those who have examined the subject with the feebeI
lights heretofore at their command. All his vewsI
|of public men and measures are clear and philoso-
phical; but it is with his reference to the condition.
1of the masses that have to do The first pictured
lis that Of the agricultural town "Marney, '-ofI
course fictitious name, but no doubt the counter
Ipart of many, very mary, OF the same description
|of towns in merry England. II is powerfully j
and vigorously drawn:
"The situation of the rural town OF Marney of
THE most delightful easily to be imagined In spreading
dale contiguous the margin Of clear and lively stream
surrounded by meadows and gardens and hacked by lofty
hills unduatng and richly wooded the traveller the
Opposite heights OF the dale would often stop to admire the
merr prospect that recalled to him the traditional cpithet
|of his country.
Beautiful illusion. For behind that laughing landscape
penuy and disease fed upon the vitas OF miserable popu
|laton
he contrast between the interior OF the town and its
external aspect striking was full of pain. With
the exception Of the dull high street. which had the usual
flat,nt