Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1857-07-25
Correspondence of the National Intelligencer.]

LONDON, June 1s, 1857.
We have met with several things lately which
have led US seriously to question whether the great
mass OF the people of England have made that pro-
gress in knowledge which, in some of our lighter
and brighter moments we have ascribed to them.
We have lately travelled good deal through one
of the richest agricultural districts of the Kingdom
where the grain and grass most luxuriant, where
the cattle are large the sheep productive of monster
legs of mutton, and the pigs cut up well where the
farmer drinks beer and eats beef until he is almost
as large of his own oxen, and his wife and
daughters patterns of comeliness and good house
wfery yet, in this country of fat beef larges bread
oaves, and strong beer have found the intellect
of the masses in anything rather than a promising
condition. There has been growth of something
snowy and promising OH the surface, but ignorance
below it. which circumstances adapted to its develop
ment could not fail to bring to light Those crcun-
stances have occurred, and the developments they
have produced give any thing rather than COM
Portable feeling. The long talked of but not yet
visible comet has been the cause of this very dis
cOuragng development An idea has found place
in the brain of thousands that this expected comet
will come in contact with the earth and provets de-
structon. So strongly has this idea fixed itselfupon
the minds of persons that thep have neglected
the cultivation of their gardens, thinking it foolish
to sow seeds OF which neither they any one else
would enjoy the produce. In many cases servants
and others who had small sums of money in saw
ingsbank have drawn out their respective depostes
too has been prodigal with pamphlets about the CO.
met ard the walls placarded with such titles as
viii the comet strike the earth?" eyes it will"
No it WON'T" &c. Lectures have been announced
and delivered upon the opposing opinions; but the
18th of June has come and gone and every thing
goes Just as usual. We do not know whether
the comet has really appeared we believe not. An
idea was industriously circulated about fortnight
ago that the comet would strike the earth on the
European side, and that consequently the American
side would be safe. 1t is said that your continent
will receive several families of emgrants in conse.
quence of this brilliant notion. The cometmongers
do not yet abandon their objects; the fuflment of
their predictions is made only matter of time
but do not know that any other day has yet been
fixed on which the affair shall undoubtedly come
off; but fear that many thousand hearts vet
beating faster than composure and comfort require,
under the fear of some dreadful catastrophe being
about to through the visitation of this cratic
stranger.
ELEGANT ExTkAcT-Every encroachment, great or
small, is important enough to awaken the attention
of those who are entrusted with the preservation of
a constitutional Government. We are not to wait
till great public mischiefs come, till the government
is overthrown, liberty itself put in extreme eop
ardy. We should not be worthy sons of our fathers
were we so to regard great questions affecting the
general freedom: Those fathers accomplished the
! Revolution strict question of principle The
parliament of Great Britain asserted right to tax
the Colonies in all cases whatever and it was pre-
cisely on this question that they made the Revou-
ton turn. The amount of taxation was trifIing but
the claim itself was inconsistent with liberty-and
that in their eyes enough. 1t was against the
recital of act of Parliament rather than against
any suffering under its enactments, that they took
up arms. They went to war against preamble.
They fought seven years against declaration. They
poured out their treasures and their blood like water
in contest in opposition to assertion, which those
less sagacous and not so well schooled in the prin-
cpes Of civil liberty would have regarded as barren
! phraseoogy mere parade of words.
They saw in the claim of the British Parliament
seminal principle of mischief the germ of an unjust
power they detected it, dragged it forth from under
meath its plausible disguises struck at it. nor did it
elude either their steady eye their we'll directed
blow till they had cxtrpated and destroyed it to the
smallest fibre. On this question of principle. while
actual suffering yet afar off, they raised their
flag against Power to which, for purposes of for
eign conquest and subiugaton. Rome, in the height
of her glory, is not 20 be compared; Power which
has dotted over the surface of the whole globe with
her possessions and military posts whose morning
drum beat following the sun and keeping company
with the hours, circles the earth daily with
tnuous and unbroken strain of the martial airs of
| England-Ddniel Webster.