The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-04-03

Of Englshmen it had become practically extinct "A
principle ofscton, except far as il occasionally
eSo1ed their view Of the everlasting perPlexties Of
the Irish question. Then came the Pope's brief and
and the Cardinals pastoral. The enemy, who had
passed into the condition of myth, assumed PAL
Pable and aggressive reality, and point and mean
ing was given to lessons which had hitherto been
sterile. aThe country seemed, for the moment, to
rally to Exeter Hail. and indignation at encroach-
ment began burning with an intensity which would
doubtless have been less violent in i'd immediate
manifestations il our contact with the usurping pow
er had been closer and more constant Just so, the
New England populations have been brought up in
conventional adherence Of negro slavery, against
which the whole economy of their society is
a standing protest Hitherto they have contem-
plated it from distance, through the obscure and
embarrassed medium Of sectional controversies ut
Washington, and they have been content to aban-
don its permanent condemnation to the abolitionist
societies. The Fugitive Slave bill passes arrest
is effected in their streets-and 10 the accused thing
is there in the midst Of them. A just has
been damaged by the excess of irritation in which
they have momentariy indugcd; and it would be
vain to deny that their turbulence contrasts very
fayorably with the dutiful, though reluctant, acqui
Of the Middle States whose intercourse with
he South has furnished due corrective to their
Judgment on the matter.
There is little room for doubt that the measures
which have convused the Boston popuace were ex-
pressly shaped to that end by their authors The
covery, under process, Of slave from New England
Involves much trouble, vexation and expense that
is morally impossible that it should be undertaken
as commercial speculation and, indeed, we believe
that the two arrests attempted have been separately
traced to the magnity Of disunionst volunteer.
As it is probable that provocatiyes will be freely
administered, the degree OF subsequent danger will
depend on the grearcr OF less rapidity with which
the New Englanders resume their characteristic
reverence for the law Patriotic counsel does not
appear to be wanting; and really among the most
ingenious, If not the most scrupulous, of the
advocates of moderation, We must class the author
Of the pacard directed against Mr.. George Thomp-
son, which printed yesterday The member for the
Town Hamlets has been perambulating the North
nairre professional tour" and we hear that he
has already had the distinguished honor Of creating
some halfdozen riots. An opponent Of less pcrspi-
cacity would have missed the advantage afforded by
MIR. Thompson's English distinctions but Lexing-
ton is down on the sore point in an instant, and,
dexterously commencing with calling his victim an
sEnglsh serf, he proceeds to argue that member
of the British Parliam ent who deyotes himself to
sedition in America, must necessarily have been
paid by his government to bring the Union into con-
tempt. Perhaps this is little too bad. Mr..
Thompsons pecuniary transactions are scrupulously
confined to dealings with Oriental despots and we
believe that it would be unfair to infer, from his
connection with the cabinets of Delhi and Sattara,
that he is stipendiary of Lord Palmerston's on
mission. We find il stated that he intends to re-
main little longer in America, for the purpose Of
living down calumny; but, for his sake and for
once; and the next time he falls into conversation
with his political friends the subject of General
Haynau, perhaps he will describe to them the pccu-
limly correct impression Of distinguished foreigner
which an enlightened mob derives from rumor and
the newspapers.