Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1861-04-06
PLAIN Avn o8NA4fN4AL paiNrIad.



Fast and Future Palloy.
The theory Of SEnelish utatssnanahip Is tenn
porary szpe6isncy. That which seems at the
monent the best course for the emergency is
adopted. Present rsliei from the immediate
embarrAsansats Of the hOur Is sought, with
but little thought Of the future eject Of the
measures recommended and means adopted.
Is there = deficiency IN ths reVennef the
income tax is Increased, or the excise duties
are raised with bat little reelection as to the
permanent eject which such increase wiz
have upon the capital and labor Of the coun-
tTy, when the pressure under which the ac-
ton was had has passed away. As with the
revenue so with the foreign relations OF
England. Ifit be for her present benefit, she
viii aid LIBERALISM on the Continent; If the
indications are thet Absolutism win ''pay
best she reinstates the monarch she had
Just helped to deposs. Guided only BY the
illusive light Of apparent self lfinterest Eng
land cannot be said, strictly speaking, to
have any policy. She shapes her course to
events, not events to her course. She drifts
where the currents and winds tend, not
breasting and subiugating them to her pur-
pose.
Now and then, We admit there have been
statesmen in control who hsd q peEcy, and
adhered to it. But generally, there has been
no f1ity Of political idsas No oonsistsncy Of
political action. Violent and vehement as
are now the English for free trade, We should
not be surprised at any moment to witness
them contsnding as eagerly and noisily for
9prOteotiOn." In the struggle between the
Monarchieal and the RepEblicsu elements Of
Europe which is now in presress We cannot
tell which side England win espouss
This English theory Of politics is vicious.
Nations, like individuals, sheuld haTs an aim
towards which to press unfAlteringly. It
wiz not do for the former, any more than for
the latter, to shift with every wind Of chance
and circumstance. Each deviation, each va
cillation, gives rise to rev occasions for de-
Walton and vsoillation. Evading ons OBJ
staole, another fully as great is met and the
poor Observation-Disclosures a man CT nstisn
moves on involved in ustRork Of snsBar-
rassments growing each moment more in
Volyed and complicated. $3.50 D, Q szs7 s-iaa
That American st4tssnGa have initiated
the English in their lack of g fixed Pslicy,
and have been content with sxpsdisna WheA
they should have adopted pofmaneneiS5, j.
painfully evident. We have had ne policy
since the formation Of the Gevsrnnent We
have looked, to be surs, to the growth Of our
nation. We have sought to promote it but
with no Wsll-foundsd plan. We have, so to
SPEAK, been gdsrilIas ana rot regnlaEss We
have had no fixed base Of operations, and
have taken no definite means to attain our
vsgus purposes We have by turns opposed
all entEngling alliances, and fsvored Monroe
doctrines and diplomacy; we have alternately
supported Rrotsction and upbeld frae trsSe--
lA1lai 1l-ll 1lo4llsa atlia5 illiti allloWed them
to fall into decay; deepehed channels and
uncOncsnedlJ seen them filed up again
We have stimulated manufactures only TO
allow them to languish, and when capital
had been diverted to other channels, have
suddenly demanded that it should rEn, OTsT
the bed We had suffered to become dry.
That cur country has fourished, despite d
this want of policy, is proof of our inherent
power and greatness, and ssass fst grsdtdde
to Providencs. AKA 6AQAH2
5Ws think the tins has come for An entire
change in this regard. There are rules Of
politics as well as Of ethics, and as i6hsxibls
Let US recognize these and proposing a dis
tinot end tO,oqrselEes, Be guided BY thsEa IL
its attainment The moment is suspicious.
The clamOr for the development Of the policy
Of the AdministrstiOn demonstrates the pop
ulAr desire that the shiRinG purFOssIsssnsss
which has characterised our nstiozal exist
snce beretofsre shall cease.
If Mr.. Lincoln and bis Cabinet, feeling the
importance Of gratifying this desire, shall
have the wisdom to discern the true policy of
this nation, and the frmnes to adhere to il,
then win they deserve the thanks Of this and
ell coming gensrations and as the .shapers Of
our national destiny, be worthy to be ranked
with the authors Of our nstional existence