Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-01-24


when threatened by the " foreigners of continental
Europe This is what we all feel mean those
who have tried to raise themselves above the low
level of prejudice bat here it stops, and practical
considerations soon put an end 10 It. Let men O
cultivated intelligence such as Mr. Walker is known
to be, feel and reason as they may, they cannot
ignore the existence of prevalent popular feeling
in this country against England. Not only have the
constant railing of politicians, from the days of Jays
treaty downwards not been fruitless, but history
has not preserved its records entirely in vain The
memories OF 1776 and 1914 are not extinct Part
of the procession in homer of NJ. Kossuth IN this
city, at the time he was urging alliance with Eng
land, grotesquely enough van carrying all thai
remains of the Dartmoor prisoners. Time and for
getfuness have done something to soften these bitter
memories but the popular mind here is adverse tc
England and this without making allowance for the
influence of Irish sympathy, no small element of po
ltical excitement always and every where. This may
be very wrong in the view of the generous christian
statesman, but such the fact ndispuably is; and nc
public man dare openly and for uncertainty defy
the popular temper on this point | honestly be
eve such my conviction Of the extent of popular
delusion and prejudice on this point, that the
news to come that NJ. Bonaparte either as emperor
or in disguise, were now to assemble army under
the shadow of his uncle's monument at Bouloge,
and, with the backing of Austria, Russia, and the
Pope land on the coast of Kent, march a victorious
army into London, and, putting Cardinal Wiseman
on the archiepiscopal throne of Westminster, have
mass celebrated in the Abbey, believe American
demagogues, and perhaps American crowds and
some American statesmen, would rejoice and have
jubilees over the victory. The vicious Bonapartist
enthusiasm of thirty years ago, fomented by the
poisonous literature of the day, could easily be
aroused. This is stating the facts potential
tissiaaa) strongly, but repeat truly Popular pre-
judiee and sentiment would thus prevent such an
utilization as is talked of so fippanty
But, further still. The sagacious public man, who
is conscious of such prejudice, sees difficulties of
practical nature in the way of this eonsummation
The policy of England has always been, is now, and
forever will be, naturally and properly selfish. Those
who are known in England as liberal statesmen are
especially So There now lies before me little
pamphlet, published originally in the National In
telligencer of September 10, 1927, but written by
Mr. Rush, on the death of Mr.. Canning in which
he speaks Of that statesman words which, with more
or less force, apply to every British Minister and
statesman Of modern times "Then, SAYS this
writer, Gin 1929 sprang into being the liberalism
of Mr. Canning. Then, on motives of his own,
and for objects of his own was he first seen in these
lists. 1t was not in him an individual selfshness.
1t was British seifshness. This was its beginning
and its end; this its inspiring influence and only
AIM lie Hldue IL Ills DOasI ana III was cause or
boast TO him, that British policy British interests
the hope of British sway, were ever uppermost in
his aspirations and his schemes" And so prac
tically it is with them ALL and 50 should it be and
extreme indeed must be the Sanger-far more so
than it yet is-when England, in an alliance even
for her protection, would forget her commercial
and manufacturing interests or omit TO make
penny at our expense. Sharp as Jonathan is re-
puted to be, he will be very apt to be outwtted if
he goes out of his way TO embrace too closely and to
sustain John Bull, even when he is getting old and
infrm. If free trade is to be the settled policy of
this country if any and all sorts of favorable discri
minaton, not TO the word protection" is to be
rejected as an obsolete idea; if Mr. Walkers notions
of the abolition of customhouses and imposition of
direct taxes are to be the fashion and the SYSTEM
then indeed, but not till then, can Mr. Walkers
other idea Of entente coridle with Great Britain be
practicable The close embrace of Great Britain
would be to our interests literally the embrace Of
death This is sober unpcturesque unsentimenta
truth, and there Is 10 use Of Disgusting it. Hence
it is that, practically alliance or closer connexion
with England-any other relation, repeat, than
that Of cautious business-ke independent friendli
ness-is out Of the question. How then, are we TO
steer on the yesty of current foreign politics!
A liberal English journalist speaking ct the
course Of Great Britain in relation the continent,
anu tIidl 100 tnc pstuuO III
thus boldly defines it The part Of this country is
clearly noninterference with the internal affairs of
France, and acceptance of any settlement Of the
Government without scrutiny Of its origin or of
the method however fraudulent, by which the ar
rangement may have been effected. The moral
Judgment upon the actions of the last month is
matter cutie apart from the international relations
and the terms upon which intercourse must DC
held between the Government Of this country and
France. Cordiaiity cannot be- and quarrel must
MT be. Both to be deprecated. 1t is for the
II sense Of honor and the prudence of eur Govern
ment TO find the middle point between the two."*
An American journalist might hesitate, in the SYM
pathetic atmosphere that just now envelopes him,
to speak 50 freely and SO boldly yet here, in one
phrase, arc our true relations defined to all the
absolutisms of Europe" cordality cannot be- quar-
rel must not be-"
The pilotage Of an ancient day, depend on it, is
the safest yet, and the country thinks 80 There
was time ago a little eruptive pustule, which
seemed to indicate that the infection had seized the
body polite but IT turns out to have been healthy
symptom, a sort Of vaccine for the future. But all
is now healthy again. NJ. Kossuth's meteroc fight
through this our Eastern sphere, at which we all
looked with wonder, and some of US with alarm, is
over 1t will no doubt illumine the West with as
bright blaze but when the fight is done, some
where will be found lying TRANQUILITY on our soil
(this we venture to predict the aeroite that has
caused all this wonder and excitement. Nj. Kos
suth, duly naturalized Of courses may in our day be
distinguished delegate in Congress from some yet