The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1861-11-01
Bulwer ON America.

In recent after dinner speech, Sir Bulwer
Lytton remarked that he "cou!d not see
how any thinking man could conceive that
the whole of the american continent could
remain under one government, but that
separation must sooner or later take place."
"and | now venture to predict
that young men will live to see, not two but
at least foul, land probably greater number,
seperate independent communities arising
out of the American population, whose
legislation has been hitherto directed by a
single President and whose commerce has
been defended by single flag ; aud so far
from thinking with the Emperor of Russia,
that this separation will be injurious to the
future development of America, OF infict
any blow on the great principle of self>gov-
ernment-the only subsistence for freedom
it is my conviction that it will be attended
by happy results to the safety of Europe
and to the development of American civil
zatiOn.
ask you to reflect on this for l am
going to say what has not, think been said
before. Just reflect, if wealth and population
continued to increase 10 America with the
same rapid strides as hitherto, whether it
was possible that the whole of that continent,
with its immense seaboard and the fleets
which its extended ambition would have
raised and armed could long remain under one
government with an executive so feeble that
it was unable to control an excitable and
adventurous population. Why, America
would have hung over Europe like an over.
charged and destructive thunder cloud, for
no nation would be able to resist the vigorous
demands of nation able to consolidate the
resources of a continent. But, then, that
upwieldIy empire would have been de.
structive to public freedom and virtue. 10
the universal experience of history such
empires as are too vast for the circulation of
the liie.blood of the people fell TO pieces
Hear, hear 1t was so with the Babylonian
and Assyrian empires-despOtisms, and
with that of Rome-a republic.
"The same fate in later days befell the
empire of Charlemagne, and the pieces into
which it fell are now the great kingdoms of
Europe; and America could be no exception
to the truth OfhistOry and the laws of nature
Subdvided she is less formidable to Europe,
less dangerous to England; but in the
wholesome spirit of competition there is
likely to spring up rivalry between the
divided states favorable to the progress and
interests OF humanity. From what have
said you will see am not one who sees in
the separation of America the failure Of
democracy, for the same thing would have
occurred under any form of government, as
the states had no single interest in common.
But when we see how liberty and law broke
down in the moment of danger and Of
warfare, and how printing presses were
invaded by lawiess mob, legitimate public
opinion stlaed by government, and how the
President, despairing of his own generals,
offered to Garibadi the command of the
Italian patriots without vanity 10
ourselves and without offence to America,
we may say that in the art OF good govern
ment, by which liberty is maintained in the
midst of danger, America has more to
learn from England than England from
America"