American telegraph. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1851-1851, 1851-05-19

SIR HENRY BuLwER. In his late speech
before the Maryland Historical Society, Sir
Henry Bnlwer is reported to have said that he
considered there was a difference in the con-
duct to be adopted by an ambassador, between
two petty courts, and him who was appointed
to establish a telegraphic communication be-
tween two great and kindred nations, like
Great Britain and the United States. 1t did
not seem to him, he added, that the United
States presented theatre for the diplomacy of
red tape. On the contrary, he continued en-
phatically, -he believed that the Americans
would understand and appreciate the minister
who stepped out from the dark covert of official
reserve, and stood side by side with them on
the plain, broad platform of social intercourse.
Well spoken, Sir Henry! You have shown
your tact not only in uttering these sentiments,
but in acting up to them. You have done
more, in the brief term of your mission here,
to conciliate Brother Jonathan, and tighten the
bonds of fraternity between him and John Bull
than all your predecessors from the time of
Washington down. To preserve the peace of
two great nations like the United States and
Great Britain is n noble service, and you have
acquitted yourself most worthily in the task
assigned to you. We are disposed to meet you
more than half way in expressions of goodwill
The truth is, that nothing could be better
adapted than these after-dinner speeches of Sir
Henry Bulwer, to conciliate popular opinion in
this country. No one can charge Sir Henry
with neglecting Great Britain either in spite of
his hattering remarks on the United States.
While he praises the daughter, he does not for
get to do justice to the mother. lie has the tact
to see-what no British minister before has
seen-that speeches, nominally intended for
festive occasions but really designed to be read
over the whole Union, are more potent than
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speeches reach the people, who are the rulers
of the land, while the diplomatic letters reach
only the officers who are their servants. The
United States is governed through the news
papers, as Sir Henry has always perceived; and
hence the frequency of his appearance in public,
and the careful republication of his remarks.
For near seventy years British ministers have
been resident in this country, yet no one has
made the attempt, heretofore, to remove the
preiudices which, since the revolution, has ex-
listed in the popular mind against Great Britain.
Sir Henry, however, has undertaken the task
and we honor him for it.
But while this popular, conciliating policy is
in part the offspring of Sir Henry's own shrewd-
ness, it is also in part the child of the age.
Nations are beginning to see that wars, except
in extreme cases, are senseless things The
blessings of peace are valued higher and higher
with each reVolvlng year. IN Che three primer
pal empires Of the civilized world, public opinion
controls, more or less, the conduct of the gov
ernment; so that in neither France, England,
nor the United States can crowned monarch
or popular hero plunge the people into expen-
sive wars of ambition as they could once. The
masses now comprehend that in such cases they
have to pay the scot, while few feast on the
banquet of glory Cabinets, no longer able to
set the will of the people at defiance, are COM
pelled to cultivate good feelings in earnest, in
stead of endeavoring to SOW dissension. This
is particularly the case of England especially
as regards the United States The merchant,
and manufacturers of Great Britain cannot
afford to let that nation go to war with this
and as the American Republic is too mighty t.