The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-01-13

ton Of proposing Catholic emancipation in
Parliament, the Duke himself TO offer
the measure in the House Of Lords,
and Sir Robert in the Commons. What
ever the Duke once decided upon doing
be did enthusiastically. He resolved that
there should be no halfway insuficiency
or hesitation about the act. AS concession
was to be made, it should be made fully and
freely so as to satisfy all, and leave no rank
ling yestiges behind In proposing the bill in
the House of Peers he used these memorable
words -" My lords, am one Of those acho have
probably passed more Of my life In AGAR than
most men, and principally, I may say, in cicu
AGAR, too; and I mast sag this, that If could
cooid by any sacrifice achatever, even one mont.
Of ciuu aocr Ia the country to aohich / am at
tachsd I ,ooald sacrifice my life IN order to
do it,"
Such was, indeed, near being the sacrifice
for while Protestant societies wept over ''the
lost consistency" of highlands greatest captain,
Lord Winchelsea assailed him with such vio-
lence that the Duke challenged him, and
duel took place, which, however, had not
fatal termination
And what did Peel sacrifice. His anti-Ca-
tholic principles, which were so strong that he
was nicknamed Orange PEEL and he lost
the force Of twenty years consistency. 1t was
under these disadvantage that he introduced
the very measure Lo.hsd 80 long opposed. 1t
required great moral courage, but he was
equal 10 The emergency. "He believed, with
the Duke Of Wellington, that the danger of civil
war was imminent, and that such an event was
immeasuTably greater evil than that of sur
rendering The boosted constitution of $685."
lie held That tlie character Of public men for
consistency, however precious, is not to be
directly opposed to the common veal, and
that "principlen must give way to "expe-
diency" He did not wait for one, two or
three years.
The bill passed both houses of Parliament in
a month justice was rendered, civil war was
averted, the union between Great Britain
and Ireland was preserved by Cancellation,
and Peel's party were henceforth known,
not as tories, but conservatives" He
thus created new party, which saved the
country and ruled it for many years. 1t was
this timely measure which, twenty years after,
bound Ireland to Great Britain in lS48 The
Catholic clergy had won religious liberty, and
they opposed an armed struggle for indepen-
dence SO effectually that the attempt at revolu-
ton proved an utter failure
Such was the noble and suggestive example Of
patriotism and craftsmanship presented to Lin
coin and Seward for their adoption. The
compact of the constitution had been
violated by the North. The South was in
state of revolution. 1t demanded equality
and protection in the Union, or the alternative
of breaking it up by peaceful secession. Civil
war was imminent. The President elect and his
Prime Minister ought to have thrown party
| ties to the winds, in order to save the country
| by liberal concessions to the slave States, and
| they would have created q great conserva
tive party with a long lease of power
Lincoln occupies position analogous to thai
| of the Duke of Wellington, and Mr.. Seward
| plays the part OF oil Sir Robert Peel as adj
wiser Of the President. Had they pronounced Al
once, before it was too late, in favor of gener
Gus Cancellation, all would be well. Neither
their obligations to party, nor the sacrifice.
they are called to make, are so great as in the
case of the English statesmen, whilst the stake
is more than equal. But they have not the
moral courage and the nerve to follow the pre-
cedcnt set them by such illustrious men. Are
| they prepared TO brave the terrors OF civil
war for an unconstitutional platform?