Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-12-04
An English Tory Minister'S Speech at a
Banquet In LOndOn-He PrOnOunces
Free Institutions Failure.


SIR JOHN PAKTNGTON,' NJ. p. (AN Ex MINIsTER.)
Sir John Pakipg'on said:
Let them look across the Atlantic and they
would there gee the sudden aud extraordinary
collapse of that attempt to promote and ia
crease the happiness and welfare Of mankind
by governing them on the principles Of extreme
democracy. [Hear.l That great republic had
fallen to pieces. 1t was rent and torn by civil
war. Some of the finest provinces ia the world
were being devastated by upjustifable blood
shed; brother was array ed against brother, pa
rent against child were fighting, and what were
they fighting for? There was one great prin-
ciple which they might have had in antago.
nism. The North might have said: "You
Southern people are the owners of slaves, and
we do battle with you to put an end to
slavery" [Cheers. But they had net said so;
they could not say so, for, though the North
erners did not hold slaves, they had sanctioned
slavery, and they were not Waging this horri-
bic war in order to put an end TO the evils of
slavery. THear His belief was that from
President Lincoln downward there was not a
man in America who would venture TO tell them
that he really thought it possible that by the
force of circumstances the North could hope to
compel the South to again join them in cOnsti-
tuting the United States. 1t was altogether
hopeless, and it was shocking to see q war
waged with so little cause, for it was his sin
cete DelleI luHJ tue real lubIRauOn IOr Lnls IST-
Iible war was the shame they felt that the
world should witness the disruption of that
great experiment. Hear, hear, He earnestly
wished-and he was sure every man present
there that day would join the wish-that that
war might be speedily put an end to- Hear,
hear He could not refrain from expressing q
wish that the great powers of Europe would
demonstrate against its continuance. He
thought the Emperor of Russia had afforded a
| Ia - h1y kha xvhioh
he had taken. They all knew that America
was very sensitive to European opinion, and he
| (sir j. PaBipgton) could n OF help thinking that
if the powers of Europe were, without attempt
ing actual interference, to offer their re-
monstIances 10 America, they might have
a beneficial effect. Hear, hear. He must
confess that he was disappointed at the Ian
guage held by Earl Russell on this subject at
the recent meeting at Newcastle. He did not
blame the policy which the Government had
adopted with regard to America. He thought
they were right in adopting the principle oi
neutrality, but he did wish that Earl Russell had
availt himself of the opportunity at Newcas-
Of expressing in somewhat warmer and more
decided language the views of England with
regard to this war. Hear, hear. He had
heard 1t said they ought not to judge Of
| American institutions by the fact of the civi
wsr-that civil war might occur in any coun-
| try, and that this was not to be considered a
any result of the democratic principle. But hi
answer to this was, that the institutions Of
America had broken down before that war had
begun. Let them ask any intelligent Ameri
can citizen what were bis views on the subject
Had democracy sueceededf Had extreme de-
mocTacy contributed to promote the happiness
| of mankind? What had been the work o
American institutions? Had the administra
tiop of justice been pure? Had the govern
ment been free of corrupdOn2 Was liberty o
person secure for the minority2 Ask intelli
gent American cit zens, and they would tel
them that which II was within his Sir Johns
knowledge they had told again and again Il
EDglishmen in America and at home; "Tak
waning from this country" they had said
"BewaFe of what you are doing in England
Beware how you copy that democracy which
unhappily, We have adopted" [Chsers.l Di
not these facts speak TO them in terms Whic
they, as intelligent citizens Of a great stat
were not at liberty to Disregard Did It nj
cay to them in words AB plain as the hand wri
ing on the wall, "Happy England, cherish Il
! institutions that you hAvsi support your moi