Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1860-11-10
Poorn the London s,ar, Oct. l9th.
THE PRINCE OF WALES AT the TOMB
OF WARRINGTON

-
OF WARRINGTON.
History records few scenes more pregnant
with instruction than the visit Of homage paid
by the Prince of Wales to the tomb OF Wash.
ington. Eighty FIVE years ago the man who
ventured to predict that before century
should have rolled by the heir to the British
Grown would pay voluntary tribute OF re-
verepce to the last resting place OF the arch
rebel who was then bidding bold defiance TO
our armies, would have been indebted to bis
condem nation as O maniac for his escape from
condgu punishment as q traitor. The des.
pot and bis myrmibaUs fancied in those days,
that the world was made Cor bis exclusive en-
joymept, aud that it needed but an effort OF
their will to bend its destines according to
their selfish fancy. They might have imagin.
ed that some unexsmpled good fortune might
have secured for the remains OF the insurgeut
general the shelter Of an unknown grave;
could they have had their way, his bones
would have bleached and ratified in chains
upon the loftiest galows. How would the
obstinate and wrong.headed old monarch
have greeted the prophecy that his own great
grandson would stand with uncovered head
before the sarcophagus which the mouldering
dust of the great rebel has converted into
holy shrine?
What expressions OF iucredulous contempt
would be have deemed stroIg enough to give
utterance to his feelings il any one had dared
to foretel thut the federal provinces which
had revolted against bis rule would. almost 10
the space OF single generation, grow into
mighty nation, rvalling the mother country
in all the arts Of peace? To the men OF those
comparatively recent times such presages
would have seemed mere idle raving; yet how
brief space of time has suficed to convert
them into mere statements Of familiar truths.
When the noblest hero who has ever sprung
up, has buckled on the sword with which
be had vowed TO conquer bis country's free
dom, he took the field US o champion OF O
comparatively feeble brotherhood Of strug-
Cling colonies /; iD the ordinary course Of Ia.
ture his son might now be alive, yet already
has the emancipated dependency grown into
the foremost Of modern empires, and received
as its guest the heir to the English throne.
Is there not in this encouragement for falter.
patriots, whose hopes, long deferred, are
clouded by that heart sickness which lie too
often the forerunner Of despair? All noble
aspirations otter liberty may not be destined
to receive equally speedy satisfaction but
for the persistent soldier OF. freedom the VIC
tory, though it may be Glow is sure. The
Prince Of Wales, in bowng before the tomb
Of Washington. makes silent confession that
the day OF the autocrats is st an end, for the
man to whose ashes he does homage was the
living incarnation of the truth that the will
of the people is the only rigbtful source Of
power.
We are quite conscious that such outward
ma ai:estations Of respect for great principles
are not always followed by consistent actions.
Kings have before now preuded atrocous
crimes by solemn acts of devotion, just ss
Italian brigands tell their beads before they
murder the wayfarer to secure his paltry
store Of gold. But still we venture to cherish
the hope that our young Prince will bring
away with him from the spot which derives
! from the presence Of the dust of Washington
q conservation more sublime than could have
been conferred upon it by ecclesiastical rtu-
ais some enduring impressions. whose iufu.
ence will be perceptible throughout his future
career. The sovereign Of these kingdoms, it
is true, is politically powerless, according TO
the theory Of the constitution /; but, practi.
cally, the wearer Of the crown wieds potent
influence for good or i'll. If EnglanG, under
| Victoria, has witnessed q growth Of social
morality which places it 10 noble contrast
| with England under George the Fourth, the
change. although attributable 10 some meas.
ure. no doubt, to the spread of enlightment
and the march Of human progress, is also to
be ascrised in no slight degree to the fact
that God.feariDg and virtuous woman sits
upon the throne which was dsgrcaed by O
bloated l,bertine. In the same manner the
! popular sympathles Of the head of the State
might legltimately exercise q wholesome 10.
hueDce upon the tendencies Of our legislation
and approximate the advent OF that complete
political equality, without which there cannot
exist but shadow Of freedom. The tour Of
| of oil in ha tnI
have placed him in possession of 90 unEailng
antdote Of the monstrous fallacies with re-.
gard to the effect of democratic institutions,
which are cluug to with so much pertiuacty
in the aristocratic circles 10 which those Of
the Blood Royal move.
He has not only had his own eyes opened
but be has gained the means Of convincing
the few honest noodles who cling to such
opinions through ignorance, and of silencing
the host of crafty politicians who, knowing
their rottenuess, profess them, to serve their
own selfish ends. He has been IN land
where the two grand bugbears of the English
arlstocracy-manhood suffrage and the ballot
exist 10 full operation, not az experimental
novelties, but as tired and approved portions
of the electoral organization. He will be
able, and, as an honorable English gentleman
We trust he will be willing, TO bear bis testi
mopy that the extension Of the franchise does
not produce anarchy, ard that secret voting
does not lead either to Wholesale bribery OF
to utter political Generalization. He has
dwelt in q land where no State church lays
violent hands on the money of constellation
dissentsrs in order to swell the incomes of its
ministers, but each man is free TO give bis
voluntary support to the teachers Of the
creed which represents his own convictions
|! he be candid he will own that under such
all organization religion 6ourishes in full vigol
: and finds no check to the full development
: Of its wholesome influence on hsman conduct
Took BACK HIS PREsESrs-An exchang,