The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-12-31

CURED Between three and four hundred years
for Christianity to permeate the minds OF maI
and upset the Roman empire. Despite th'
change of circumstances il would seem that il!
progress is no faster now. Full three centurie,
have elapsed since the first missionaries set foo
on Chinese soil. Their teaching has only begur
to bring forth practical fruits during the pas
year. Christianity has germed for three hundred
years and more in the Sunday schools and Tho
churches on the coast; and nov it burst!
forth, just as it did in Europe, assumes poll
tical character, and meets idolatry and in
tolerance with the sword. The aged Roman
rent his beard with grief at the spectacle Of the
broken statues Of Jupiter and Diana-we car
well imagine the horror-strpck countenance
with which some noble Chinaman watched his
disgraced idols float down the stream Of the
Yeang-tseKeang Twas but the repetition O
tale we have all learned at school. Christian.
ity freedom of conscience morality, social
liberty, commercial prosperity, are all borne
in the womb Of the Chinese revolution. MOI
does it stand alone. Japan awaits in fear and
trembling similar CONFUSION; and the Bir-
mese ard Afghan races, thrust accidentally
into contests with civilized nations, are prepar-
ing unconsciously ior changes of full equal sig
nifcance. Chinese. japanese, Birmese and
Ahghaps, have all alike struck the first blow
this year, for freedom and the rights of man.
Europe has been the chief theatre of the Sc
cond class Of rey olutions-those in which civil
lized races have sought higher degree of po-
litical freedom than they previously enjoyed.
Their outbreak has assumed purely accidental
shape The masses of Europe had, apparently,
nothing to do with Russia's demands respecting
the Holy Shrines but out Of those demands
has sprung a quarrel which must ultimately
bring the friends Of liberty to direct issue
with the established despotisms. Napoleon II |
has already assumed the title Of leader of the
democratic host and Lord Palmerston's resi- 4
nation, which is obviously based on a difference
of opinion between him and his colleagues on
the Eastern question, shows clearly that Eng
land will eventually assume the same ground
The ultimate issue of the Turkish war, so far
as the interests of humanity and civilization
are concerned, can be nothing but the overthrow
Of the established despotisms. and the coz:
quest, in some shape or other, of practical lber-
ty by the masses of Europe. The war in Wal
lachia is a far more direct step towards this
consummation than any number of outbreaks
at Milan Berlin, Vienna or Paris. In like
the incessant rebelliOns and petty
wars which the past year has witnessed in South
America, are mere symptoms of a fermentation
which must eventually result in the establish
ment Of free governments throughout that con-
tnent. Just as the present dispute in Europe
seems to invoke no higher interests than the
sovereignty of the Porte and the dominion of
the Principalities, so the disturbances in Vene-
zuela, Bolivia, Peru, and the Argentine States
on a superficial! glance, appear nothing more
than personal or dynastic controversies To
the eye Of the statesman these unimportant
forms vanish, and the real issue and the real
result looms out in imposing significance.
Of the first class Of revolutions witnessed in
1853 the United States and Australia afford the
most striking examples. A year ago we chron-
icled as cheering events the election of General
Pierce and the unparalleled unanimity with
which the people of this country had resolved
to sustain the integrity Of the Union against its
enemies. + At that time not voice was heard to
disparage the President elect. Twelve months
have elapsed, and now not voice, save those
Of hirelings. utters syllable il his praise. He
has forfeited the esteem of whole people,
broken every pledge he gave, violated each
separate promise Of his inaugural, trampled on
MI oh al TOD ~
country into disorders whose issue appals the
most stouthearted. and for all this has earned
the indignant reproaches of an injured nation
His government has fallen lower after ten months
OF office than any of its predecessors ever
fell in four years A complete revolution, that
will be terrible in its effects on the President
and his advisers, has been effected during the
past year. There has been no bloodshed, no
popular rising but as is the custom in highly
communities, each man has peace
ably and quietly made up bis mind and resolved
to act at the next election So in Australia.
No sword has been raised, no shot fred but
the colonial authorities have been simply or
dered to obey the voice Of the people, and, with
unusual good sense they have submitted with
out a murmur. In both countries the bloodless
revolution will succeed, and the popular will
prevail The state Of Mexico and the Sandwich
Islands approximates more closely, perhaps, to
that of Europe and South America than to that
Of the United States and Australia But the
issue Of the transition state in which they are
now placed will raise them to the level of the
latter,
So eventful year. on the whole has not
passed over our heads for many century. 1t
opened with bloodshed in China and at Buenos
Ayres. Directly afterwards the President OF
Mexico resigned, and the king Of Ava was de-
throned War ragged in Montenegro and Turkey
was reluctantly forced to accept the terms
forced upon her by Austria. An insurrection
at Milan again smote kings with terror. Out
breaks at Venezuela end Bolivia distracted the
continent. Great Britain gluttonously swal