Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1860-05-10
American Affairs in Europe.


Fate Of he Imtcd States.
In the debate the new Reform Bill in the
British House of Lords, on April 10Th, Earl Grey
r'sc to move TINT u select comm ttec lie app iated
to inquire what would be the probable incracso Of
the number of electors in tho counties and Dor
oughs OF England and W ales from reduction of
the franchise, and whether nny or what change
Is likely to be made in the character of the con-
situcncies by such increase During tho course
of his remarks be said Tho experience of other
nations, tho gradual corruption of free nslitu.
tions IN other countries, in ancient and modern
times, ought TO be our beaoons as to the dangers
10 which so many seem to be 81 blind. Above all
the example Of the United States ought to be n
warning to us that we cannot lay these things too
deeply To heart. Let me remind your lordships
that the great men who brought the revolutionary
war with this country to u successful close esnb-
lishoi II federal c, institution, by which they
thought they had provided sufficient checks against
the dangers OF an unbalanced democracy. At
this tmo the constitutions of the several States
were Funded similar principles But almost
every check then raised has been swept away. and
system of the gethcr unchecked dominion OF
the mere numerical mnorly has been established,
both III the federal and the State governments
Ny lords | believe if the contemporaries of
Washington had been asked wheihcr they would
abandon the system they had established for the
one that has replaced it, they would have answer
ed unanimously, I'VE will not try dangerous
M experiment" But it has taken place. never
lhcless, and hawi BY succession of changes Mt
Inst apparently incon~idciallo IN themselves, but
all leading by II gradual, steady md certain pro-
gtesslon to that result which We now see. And
how had that chnnse worked Tor tho happiness
and wcll-being of the United States? In bring
ing tins part oi tho subject under your attention
| wish to sny nothing which can wound tho lecl-
ings Of a people Tor whom. Individually, enter
tain the highest respect & admiration; but il would
be false dclicary in me to nb-t lin from describing
tho evils which now nflct that kindred nation,
and which the best and most enlightened Of their
own citizens the first to admit And dcplore--
| will cndeHypr then. shortly to point out to your
lordshps what is tho state If things now existing
in the United States, described by witnesses of
the highest authority, native and foreign. In the
first place. it is admitted thnt the ablest and most
enlightened citizens Of the United States are nbso-
lutely excluded fran all shares in the government
They not only exercise no public functions but they
have not even the smallest influence over the acts
OF the government. They perfectly hel plcss
and powerlcss and tho whole power, both lcgsla.
tive and executive has fallen exclusively nto:thc
hands of those men who do not scruple to fnttcr
the lowest passions Of the mob. llIear hcar)
The effects Of this nro seen both in tho Executive
and in the Legislature. don't intend to dwell
upon' the topic, but we oil know IN what manner
the relation OF the United States with foreign ma
tions are carried on. Everybody is aware of the
,~lpnlon', o'e bearing tone VIII ch marks their
intercourse with foreign nations. II any one Eu.
rnpcan nation were to act in the same manner it
could not escape one single year Wo oursel-
YES have repeatedly been on tho verge Of Il quarrel
with the United States. With no divergence Of
interest, but the strongest possible interest
both sides to maintain the closest friendship, we
have more than once been the Of quarrel
and tina, great calamity has only been avoided
because the government of this country has had
the good sense more than once, to treat tho gov.
eminent of the United States much MS we should
treat spoilt children, and thought the right was
clearly our side, has yielded to the unreasona
bic pretensons of the United States. There is
danger that this may be pushed too far, and that
a question may arise. on which our honor and
our interest will make concession our part inn
possible. Look, too Mt the manner in which the
proceedings of Congress and of the State Legisla-
lures are carried on, the coarseness and vulgarity
the scenes of actual violence that occur. and the
total absence of all attempts to promote the well
fare of the nation by enlightened legislation.
Let me point out to your lordshps just one rcmar-
kable contrast between Congress and the British
Parliament In Parliament to which so much
objection is made, as not being sufficiently popu-
lar public opinion, aided by the effort Of enlight-
ened educated men, has been strong enough to
enforce the application of sound political science
in our financial aad CONNIE rcal le ,isation. 1t has
swept away nll protection, and has placed our
revenue laws on system which is admitted to
be, on the whole wise and just. But while pub
lie opinion has been able to do this in England,
contrary to the Wishes and contrary t. the sup
posed interest of that landed arstocracy which is
said to possesses undue power in Parliament,
and to abuse it for the oppression Of the nation,
Congress, on the contrary, has maintained the mar
rowest system Of exploded protection (hear,
hcar;) and at this moment the revenue laws of
the United States are Of such n character, that
man who has the slightest pretention to
knowledge of the subject. can doubt they impose
a great and needless burden ON the Of the
community for the benefit Of few Hear, hear.
But worse than this, the system has led to
corruption on tho most gigantic scale. This is
universally admitted and deplored. Not one
party, not one sot Of men alone are affected by it,
but all alike The fact have been ascertaned be-
yond all possibility OF doubt,and have been set in
the clearest light by oneof the highest authorities
to which / would venture to appeal-that OF the
President himself. ltappeared that it
was the practice to grant public land in the wes-
tern States for the purpose of encouraging the
formation of railways. Those grants were OBJ
tained from Congress- and obtained, they were
used by the independent States in the manner then
thought best, and it appeared that railway com-