Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1860-08-27
WHAT THE ENGLISH THINK OF OUR PEESIDEN-
TIAL CAhPAIGN.
[FrOn the London Times, August 81


From the London Times, August 81
Men OF science predict or hope Tor time when the
laws which govern tue changes OF temperature, the
cession OF fair weather and rain, Of storms and calms
will be approximately known and when great frost may
be predicted with almost much certainty as an eclipse
1t may be that similar progress will be made in polt
cal philosophy and that those who themselves
with the opinions and impulses of nations will have some
OF judging whether Ut given date their country
men will warike or phanhropical extrayagant or
saving Fictitious or united But from this period
evidently lar distant The most astue politicians
who give their whole time to studying public Affairs
aud watching the variations of public opinion, are so
continually fault that the prudent among them take
to prophecy, aud are conteno make use oi
whatever temper they find their countrymen IN, without
thinking Of nGxt year, even OF next month. We all
know that in England there is at present. dislike Of po
cal change and indifference TO party struggles
Now that feel this condition Of things to exist every
is ready to give feHsOn for a. aud 70 prove that
Just this aud other state OF feeling, must be produ
ccd by the which have been in operation Bu.
nothing is cartan than that It has taken the most
experienced politicians by surprise.
The old statesman who staked his reputation on a
form bill the clever agtator who haraugued for H. the
liberals who pledged themselves by the hundred last
year the husings for it, well for the ballot the
abolition of church rates. and various other strong popu
lar measures had hardly idea that the country had
become intent other obectand heart wished these
things to be left alone for the present What party
chooses 10 term tue CONSERVATIVE
desire OF the community TO desst from IN erna changes
ia the face OF supposed European dangers-though
easy of expauaton by 10 means oreseen by states
men on either side. When, fifteen months ago tories
and wings bidding for popular favor by scnemes of
democratic reform, assuredly neither party counted on
the indifference OF 1860.
somewhat similar phenomenon is TO be remarked on
the other side of the Atlantic. Although amospher
c conditions have been the same We having the cold
est they the hotes summer known for thirty years.
the potcal temperature OF the States is about level
with our own. This is the time OF the Presidential cleo
tion The whole country should be in fever OF excite
ment What electioaeeriiig IS in Ameried
be realized by dn ERgiiShadH than tropical rain
be imagined by accustomed only 10 London drisse.
A transatlantic mayor can hardly be elected without
display OF excitement startling to behold, and for
the Presidential election, II is pretty well known that
one Chief Magistrate is hardly installed before the
vassng begins for his Indeed, the last
occasion, Mr. Buchanan declared that, whether
elected not, he should offer himself again, poll
ticians actually speculated his successor before he
himself chosen, just the sporting world bets
the Derby for the year after Everything seemed
forete most obstinate contest in 1860. In 1856 the
Union had been cOnyulsed by the struggle between Bu
chanan aud Fremont the supposed represe natives Of
the two parties which tghung duel TO the death
in Kansas. The South threatened disruption of the
UniOn il does regularly every fur year; but what
made the matter serious was thai the North seemed TO
be prepared for this catastrophe portion OF the Tree
ruck with horror AZ III
aud the threatened extension by Jrce OF slave nstu-
ons over all the Western territory seemed to have
lde up their minds that the experiment Of joining in
one federation communities different failure,
and that il would be better for the two sections Of the
republic 10 divide what TO them and live
under independent though friendly governments. How
weak such impulses are how little the most determined
talk about disruption is be regarded how deep the
| sttachment TO the Union Is in every heart will, we
think be more clearly demonstrated every year; but in
1856 the eplraon Of North aud South as seriously
aked OF it has been since the foundation Of the
Republic.
Nothing has occurred since to lessen the animosy Of
the two parties On the contrary, legislation and the
course OF have renewed the feud with more than
its former bitterness The South has been energetic in
Congress and victory has awarded its exertons. The
Institution of slavery may be adopted in any part of
the United States territory. Communities the British
frontier in latitude nor.h of New England its IT, may
breed and SELL and work, and fog their own negroes,
and every decent in Boston aud New York is by law
bound 10 assist in the capture Of the runaways Then
the re are other and darker features Of the contest Net
TO mention the assault in full Congress by savage OF tie
one party on snatc of the other there has been the
incident of the Hapes Ferry insurrecton Life has been
taken; first the lives Of the white Vrgnans attacked by
Brown and then the lives Of Brown himself and his
ederates The Southeners have worked themselves into
an apparent frenzy against their opponents whom they
have accused of potng the destruction OF themselves
their families and their properties; while the aboitonists
through their newspapers and their chief spokesman In
the Senate Mr. Sumner have denounced the Southern
people as barbaans unfit to share the privileges of
Citizens or even the rights Of men, and only receiving
their due reward when persons like John Brown rouse
| their slaves TO REBELLION
Nov for the vanity Of all political wisdom For four
years the election OF 1860 has been looked to most
momentous crisis which should decide the fortunes of
the republic feS months ago some of our English
newspapers were full OF the impending disruption OF the
States. The hour had come at last and the fight at
Harpers Ferry was the outbreak of American civil
war. Across the Aantic the language was the same
Even Mr. Seward respectable politician spoke Of the
| 'frrepressible conflict" which was approaching. We
then took the liberty OF saving that specuations
should be based on the prevailing excitement and that
in opinion, the American people did not share the
DisunOnist principles of ether party, and fully
determined TO control them BOTH The event has usti-
fed these views The most striking feature Of the pre-
sent Prstdentai contest is the comparative Gpayof the
american public They cannot be raised the requisite
degree Of enthusiasm either for Breckenridge and Lane,
or Bell and Everett or Lincoln Douglas or any other
man pair of men. The old cossion cry Of South
Carolina raised by Mr. Ket legislator OF the Brooks
school, falls as dead the "screamers" Of the New
York Herald In fact the United States are suffering,
If it may be called So from the same political sssitude
as ourselves The overstaied attention paid great
national questions for number of years past has ended
IA reaction towards the eioymcns Of private e and