Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1855-12-06

oplIlt luuu CudI aCtcTloco TIC lCduCto VI thC
London Times on American subjects, and our
files brought by the steamer of last week fur
nish two instances of this kind, one by the
Hon. w. Il. Gladstone, Member of Parliament,
and the other by Lord John Russell. Mr..
Gladstone was delivering a lecture at Chester,
on "the Colonies when he spoke as follows in
reference to this country:
HE called that the silver age which imme-
preceded the American war. The
notion of commercial monopoly prevailed in
those days, and the squabbles among different
countries for the possession of colonies and
their were very sharp. The history
of that war was an exceedingly interesting one,
for it taught a great moral lesson to the people
of this day. IL left US saddled with something
like l60,0 00, 900 or l80, 600, 900 of permanent
debt more than we had when it began, and
England had felt it severely, for it loaded her
with disgrace greater than she had ever been
called on to bear, in the abandonment of
America under the pressure Of American and
French armies. Before the c~olonists were
meddled with, their attachment to this country
was very great, but when they saw a DISPOSE
ton to deprive them of their time honored
hereditary privileges, when they saw English
men inclined to stint their brethern who had
crossed the Atlantic in their Liberties and rights,
then undoubtedly a bitterness of sentiment
grew up, which was not the fault of the Ameri-
cans, but the result of the circumstances of the
time and aggravated by the long struggles
which followed. When the independence of
America was acknowledged the affection Of
that country to England had received a great
blow. The name of England was allied with
nnpraaciap md commemorative tbara aroea ~,
estrangement of feeling with America, the
traces of which were not entirely removed even
by healing influences of time. He wished to
impress that fact on his hearers-that the true
value of colonies lay in the unity of character
and affection. There were 10000, 900 of people
constituting the great American Republic; it
was really very doubtful whether the influence
OF England and in Europe and in the world at
large was greater because there were 80, 600.
600 OF Englishmen in America, or less. In
some respects it took from, and in others it
added to, the value of England as a member Of
the great family of nations. But suppose,
instead of a bloody struggle and a violent LAGER.
alton of the ties that bound the colonies to the
mother country, America had continued to
grow as a colony under the benefcent influence
of England, or had separated from England if
her growth had required it as a friend from a
friend, breaking only the link of administrative
connexion, but retaining the warm affections
Of her heart and the recollection only Of benefits
received, did they not think that then the exis.
tence of an American country, allie. to us in
language and laws, would have amazingly in
creased our influence? (Cheers.")
"How, then, did that war arise, and whose
was it? 1t originated in an attempt to levy
taxes upon the people of America, not for pur-
poses exclusively English, but to defray part
of the expenses of the war into which the Eng
lish had entered for the benefit of America as
well as themselves. Some individuals thought
that the war was not the error Of the English
people. There must be no mistake upon this,
tor, If one thing was more clear than another,
1T was, that the British people almost to a man
were united in the prosecution of that war. All
wars had been popular in this country during
the hrst two or three years, but the American
war was particularly popular. This was proved
in the case of Mr.. Burke, who was elected in
l774 for Bristol, and rejected in 1880. On that
occasion he defended his conduct, and had to
acquaint them why he had not visited them in
Bristol as often as they thought he ought to
have done. In the first place, he pleaded the
business he had done for them in London, and
then that the state of feeling in Bristol with re-
spect to the American var was the reason why
ne could not visit his constituents. Before the
people knew which way the force of arms was
tending there was a difference of opinion in
Bristol, especially as that city had a large bust.
ness with America; but directly it appeared
that the English were successful in the field,
the party against the var were put down. 1t
must be recollected that when the English met
the Americans in the field they were successful
IN war, and this implied no r~eproach to their
American brethren, because they had no ad-
vantage Of a military organization. 1t was not
want Of success in the field Chat defeated us in
the American war it was that they were no
nearer to the subjugation of the country by
gaining the battle, for the great obstacle to the
English was in the heart Of every man, woman
and child and, therefore, driving soldiers out
OF the field was not making any ad~vance-they
only gained the ground they encamped upon.
Mr.. Burke's speech at Bristol, to which he had
just alluded, showed the state of public feeling
at the time; but when misfortune threatened
us, when France took up arms, and Spain fol-
lowed her example, and Russia and other
Powers Of Europe indicated their adverse dis
positions, then indeed the public mind recover
ed its balance. Mr.. Burke found the people
not disinclined to hear the common sense of
the matter, and he was able in 1880 to show
hlo a hiiobR uo touoLllutHCl. Inc case OF
the American war was one upon which they
might look back with the greatest advantage,
for it certainly read to US a lesson for all gen.
~erations and times, a most emphatic lesson of
circumspection, of moderation, and Of eau.
ton.
"Lord John Russell's reference to the United
States also occurred in a lecture delivered by
him at Exeter Hall, London, on the obstacles
that have retarded moral and political progress,
The allusion is brief but in a good spirit.
Before many years are passed, there will be
in Great Britain and the United States of
60, 70, or 80 millions of free people,
May we not hope that these kindred nations
each speaking the English language-each
deriving its pedigree of liberty from a common
ancestry-each inheriting the English Bible
each reading Shakespeare and Milon-each
into many denominations of Christians,
but each allowing complete liberty of worship
will unite in the glorious task of peaceful
conquest and bloodless ~victory2 loud cheers.)
At least let us indulge in this high hope. If
go H. - ...-- 4