The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-06-13

Revolution In MISREPRESENTATION of England
and the United States.
The extraordinary and remarkable scenes which
are transpiring daily and hourly among the nations
of Europe, and which now ASSUME a form and
shape tangible and well Defined excite profound
interest and attention from every rejecting and
thinking man on both sides Of the Atlantic, and
throughout the civilized world. The whole Cont
nent is in blaze OF excitement and revolution-in
the midst of igantlc civil war, in which nations,
homogeneous in civilization, in intelligence, and in
progress, marshalling their forces in opposition
to each other, and preparing settle the most i'm
portant question, concerning the dignity and happi-
ness OF mankind, that ever occupied the attention
of our race, or was ever submitted to the arbtra-
ment Of the sword, since the orb on which we live
first revolved on its axis.
The events which have produced directly, this
interesting state ofthngs, of such recent occur
renee that they are fresh in the memory of all
but the agencies which led to it indirectly may be
traced to remote ages, and to their orign-the in
stinctve hatred of tyranny in every form, religious
or political, which is implanted in the human
breast. The workings of this instinct of freedom,
developed in the restlessness and uneasiness of
man, in all ages, under tyranny, was exhibited in
sequent history of every European nation, in pro-
portion to its advances in civilization and lntelli-
gence. The history of England Is repete with
evidences of the workings of this spirit-ths in
stinct to shake off tyranny, whether religious or
potical-and it is to Of those efforts to over
turn religious domination that we can trace many
events in modern times, which have effected revo-
lutons and changes that have astonished and cleo
tnfied the world. We refer to the reformation
under Henry the Eighth of England, and carried
out by Luther, CALVIN, and their confreres Ger
many, Switzerland, and other countries. That re-
formation had not for its origin, exclusively, de-
sire TO simplify the Christian religion, but desire,
also, to shake off the spiritual tyranny of the
Church of Rome, which, previous to the period
referred to, exercised most despotic sway
the minds of men of every degree, high
and low and controlled the fate of kings
and nations. The various sects into which the
refoImers divided themselves after the reformation
was accomplished, in their turn assumed to con-
troll each other; and the prosecutions for con-
science sake, to which one was subjected, led to
the departure of the pilgrims to the shores of
America, where they established themselves, and
formed the basis of the great nation which the
United States presents. The revolution of
the old thirteen English colonies IN due time sue
ceeded, and the first great French revolution owed
Its origin to the success which attended the efforts
of our ancestors in similar direction. That re-
volutien, however, was not destined to be durable
or lasting; but the influences which the French
republic of that day created, could not be sup
pressed. True, the republic was crushed by the
successful efforts of an alliance of despos against
her; but the spirit of liberty which 1t awakened
from the dormant state in which it had so long laid
could not and never can be suppressed long as
the instinct which we have referred to remains in
the human breast
Those influences have been at work ever since,
and, combined with the example which the Ame-
rican republic has constantly and unvaryingy
presented of their adaptedness to the promotion of
the wealth, greatness and happiness of the human
family, have penetrated the nmost recesses Of
every nation in Europe and are about to
blossom and bear fruit throughout that continent.
The situation in which Europe is now placed is,
In many respects, similar to what it was at the
period of the first French revolution, only that the
masses Of the people more enlightened now
than they were then, and political liberty is better
understood at the present day than ii was at that
time. The views of the men who figured in that
great struggle were vague, and, in many respects,
visionary. They extended no further than to an
ideal liberty, which smacked as much of licen-
tiousness as of freedom. Now, however, the case
is different hope and trust the results of the
impending struggle will be of another character to
those which succeeded the early revolution in
France Now, as then, formidable alliance is
being formed TO crush the rising spirit of liberty
in Europe. Austria, Russia, and Prussia, with
the whole OF the physical and military resources
OF each, have formed compact to overrun that
continent, TO suppress revolution and eventually
ii successful in their first efforts, TO restore the
dynasties that have fallen, and reinstate the mo-
narchs who have been dethroned within the last
eighteen months. The programme is made out.
and so plain is its Interpretation that he who runs
may read it. The great crisis is at hand The
friends Of liberty, on the one side, are armng and
marshang their forces for the great conflict and
the despot of Russia is organizing his powerful
armies TO cooperate with those of Prussia and
Austria TO reduce the Hungarians to bondage
again, and then, if successful, oyerrun all Europe,
and dictate terms Of peace in Paris, perhaps, for
second time. Great will be the shock.
This will be no t.nng struggle for principle
will be anayed against principle, each supported
by all the strength of its friends and advocates
ii will be d Struggle Of life and death. If the prn-
cipe OF democracy succeed, despstism ia the old
world will be at an end; if despotism be triumphant,
democracy will have received a blow whichit may
not Iecoverfor ages.
With these things before us, and these convic-
lions on our mlnd,as well the part which England
took in the former struggle Of the European mo-
narchs TO stlhe the aspirations for liberty, AT an
earlier period, it becomes a matter of the highest
importance into which scale that power will throw
Ler influence in the coming conflict. In the former
one she placed the whole OF her military and naval
fcIcs in opposition to The friends Of freedom; and