The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-02-24

evident from the words OF Inc hing to the ge-
nerals and officers of his army" Let us not
deceive ourselves, gentlemen. If l do not
succeed in averting the contest that threatens
us, it will be one in which we must either con-
quer or perish"
Republican and MOnarchfaI Institu lions
Compared by British Statesmen.
Let those among us who are In love with
'stroDg government" instead of a strong ne, y
ple-those who have never yet felt the weight
of a military despotism on their own backs
bowling them to the earth-refect on the speeoh
of Mr.. Bright, member Of the British Parii>-
ment, published in our columns this week. and
learn lesson of wisdom from the experience
of the English people in the kind of system
which it is now sought to substitute for that
which we received from our fathers. What II
the taxation for the present year upon the i'm
poverished people of England people among
whom few are wealthy in the extreme, while
the masses are stepped in poverty The enor-
nous sum Of Ell, O00, 00O equalt to $3.50, 900 OO0-
. sum twice as great as the whole expenditure
of labor in the cultivation of the soil Of Great
Britain and Ireland, a sum exceeding the value
of all the cotton imported into England, and
oil that raw material manufactured into cloth
greater than the whole produce of the most
gigantic industry that the world has ever seen.
Now, whatare the wages oflabor in Englands
Mr.. Bright answers:-The average wages Of
the million of lab0rers who cultivate the soil in
England and Wales (and it is much higher than
in Ireland) is ten shillings sterling (S2 SOY per
week, or forty-One cents per day. What would
free born American think of having, not only
to live himself, but to support family, on
forty-one cents per day? But still more mise
rable is the condition of the factory classes.
The past year has been regarded as one Of
prosperity in Lancashire But, says Mr.. Bright,
" there are Clouds clouds particularly in the
West, and l believe that every thoughtful
man at this moment is deeply anxious as to the
future, and the question is passing from mouth
to mouth, how long will the Chancellor. of the
Exchequer be able to raise seventy millions Of
pounds per annum on the industry of the
country" The clouds in the West to which Mr..
Bright refers are clouds of war in America,
clouds which may intercept asupply of cotton,
and, as from four to five millions of the Eng
fish population are depending on the manufac
ture of that fabric, clouds which, waited by the
winds over the Atlantic may burst in the
thunders Of revolution over the British empire.
1t is no wonder British statesmen feel anxious
now. Mr.. Buxton, whose speech our readers
have recently seen, consoles his audience wifi
the thought that they may perhaps get one-third
or onehalf the usual supply of cotton in the event
of war in America. But would that be sufficient
to prevent revolution in Englands By no
means; and if civil war should be kindled in
the country the Buxtons and the Broughams
cannot but feel that they and their Exeter Hall
party have greatly contributed to the result.
AS if foreseeing the coming tempest, Buxton
says:--M feel no doubt myself that in the long
run the prosperity of the world would be
largely increased by any event that would
hinder the production of cotton in the United
States, and thus stimulate its production by
free labor in other portions of the globe"
But what would be the present effect Let
Lord Palmerston's organ the London Post,
answer:-"The cotton trade will be paralyzed,
and the sword abroad and terror within
will tell with disastrous effects in Lanca-
shire" And again:-"Mancheste will feel
the effects of this state of things, notwithstand-
ing its desire to get cotton FROM India or Natal
England, therefore, Independently of all higher
considerations, has selfish motive in preserv-
ing the peace and prosperity of the United
States"
But on how weak a foundation does the pros
perity, the very existence of people rest, when
it depends on peace in a foreign country over
which they have no control, and distant from
them thousands Of miles. This could never
have been but for the oppression of the mo-
narchical and feudal systems, which prevent
agriculture from being the basis of national
wealth, and which swallow up the whole indus
try of the nation by taxation to support regal
splendor, numerous aristocracy, armies, navies
and wars, whose results are that there are three
millions of the people receiving parish relief
every year. At the time of the English revolu-
ton the taxes were less than two millions of
pounds BY wars which have made the govern
ment ''strong" in the possession of standing
armies, while the people are ruined, the taxes
have increased to seventy millions Of pounds.
Well does Mr.. Bright observe, "Therc is no
country in the world where there is a self
governed people where this vast expenditure
is incurred" How far England is self-governed
may be estimated from the fact that in the gene
raj election of 1862 the number Of vetes polled
for members Of the popular branch OF Parlia-
ment was Sal $3.50. Mr.. Bright points to tho
selfgoverned republics of Switzerland and the
United States as "the most cheaply governed
of civilized and Christian countries" How long
one Of these countries is TO be selfgoverned
and to possess cheap government is problem
which is now in the course OF solution.
According to Mr.. Buxton, abolitionist though
he is, the falling asunder of the States of our