, 1861-05-20

The outbreak Of civil war h lmsr1ea hss
been the signal and pretaIt tor al outcry in
this country against popular lnstit7tlons. We
are hidden to look across the Atlantic, at the
IN pieces by treason, and IN the ieonies Of
bloody conflict, and we are askedFhether an
hereditary monarch and an hereditary uistoc-
facy would not have averted this gBat ualamf-
~: The eyes Of tories gllsten with delight
as e they point to the disruption Of he United
the franchise, and timid politicians a.o content
to panse, in order to see how matters will end.
The jubilation of political reactfoptsts Is sur
pr1sing. In the midst Of those marvellous
events which hare taken place In Europe, and
especially ell n Italy, during the Int two years,
control of which the multitude is csoab!e.
the dissensions In the United States aus vel
coined almost 'as an fnte1po6itio1 Of Pfovi-
dence. Hitherto they have had to iuyant the
facts uon which Popes and Empesors rested
the superiority Of their merit over republics
and constitutional governments. Now there
Is some faint hope that the admitted condition
or America may furnish an argument IN their
faVor. Il, indeed, history had supplied m ex-
ample OF any government which Tas securs
from the possibility Of treason, here might
g. some tEnth II II he charges made against the
claim has never been set up or even suggest
ed. No Government, indeed, the world has
ever seen, 1as had to deal with elements 81
disco1dant as those Of America, has shown so
much wisdom and forbearance IN dealing
with the difficulties to which those elements
have naturally given rise, or has marnged TO
ward of that catastrophe which to most men
las long seemed inevitable. When tie East
India Company Wa5 abolished, its ad7ocates
justly claimed for it the merit Of having 60.
Verned with SUCCESS vast territory tcenine
With men for more than century; nor vas
the s9f Frornu$3r
to obnterate all remembrance OF the past,
Let only the same justice be done to American
institutions. It is impossible to deny that for
nearly century the Government Of the Uni
ted States, complicated es it undoubtedly, Is
has maintained its authority over heterogene.
ous population recruited ffom evefy corner Of
the earth, without impairlng local 1eH govern
mabt, or curbing that spirit Of f'axeansIon.
which has peopled the continent from the
shores Of the: Atlantic to the slopes Of the
Rocky Mountains. Up to ths ti1ns mhen air.
Lincoln Was elected President, 1t would have
been the mere6t paradox to assert that popu-
lar institutions had failed. Nor is the obser-
Vation less absurd now inst tha civil war has
broken ont. To hea7 people ta1k, IT. would
seem as il such Q crisis had never occurred
under any other form Of Government, Have
Kings, Or Popes, Or Emperors never lest any
land lose these very Statess DID not Spain
lose Mexico? Did not Austria lose Italy acd
Hungary? And has not France experienced
the like disasters? At what period Of the
Te11o's history have such disasters heen deem
ed conclusive evidence against the form of
doubt the conduct which President Lincoln
and bis Cabinet adopt will fnt1isa cogent
proof Of the wisdom and energy which can be
obtained in the American Republic. It is o
favorite maxim with some, that the present
Iolittcal system Of America excludes the best
men from the highest offices; and the opinion
Is not unsupported by plausible reasons. Tho
present crisis will test this theory. Few viii
dispute that more difficult task never was
Imposed upon any ruler than that which ia
now imposed upon Abraham Lincoln. To many,
p:rhars to most, 1t seems impossible. In this
respect it forms a strange contrast to the task
which vas imposed on the Ministers Of
George Ill 1t the cad Of the last century, OF,
the other dag, upon the Government If
Austria or Naples. 1t is universally admitted
that II these moaarehs had conducted them
selves With ordinary common gcuse and
justice, they might, instead Of losing pro7ln-
ees, hare long ruled over contented people.
There is not . man of reflection, scarcely
foreign Minister, who Was not ready to
pro1er advice to the benighted sovereign,
which, If it bud been followed, would have res
cued him from ILLS difficulties. Yet there is
not statesmen in Europe who does not con.
g5asulate himself that be Is spared the respon,
Washington o: the present time. Bnt whilst
every man Of the least political experience
foFbears to offer advice to the American Gov
eminent, it is remarkable thntsince the acces-
sion Of Dir. Lincoln to oftlce,no p1as4 has been
mooted, no oct has been done by the Govern.
ment Of tho o. s. which has not been diets
ted By moderation and political wisdecn. DIE
hcult as the gftuatloh has hit1'A.teE@H1 has
now become much more complicated. II the
Cabinet at Washington succeeded in restoring
harmony to the country, Or In terminating the
contest with satisfaction to the people, they
will not only cover themselves with glory, but
will exalt popular institutions.