The national Republican., 1861-12-18
ENGLISH POLICY,


The English presses, in the interest of thu
English aristocracy, have not hesitated to avow
that they have contemplated tie troubles In
this country with satisfaction, as tending to
disparsge republican institutions. A. the sue
cess and progress of America hitherto. under
those institutions, had furnished the standing
theme Of English liberals, so would final
failure Of the democratic experiment in the
new world naturally delight the enemies of de.
mocracy in the old world All this was to b,
expected, and Is no. to be complained Of And
II is an aspect OF the case which, while i
makes us enemies, also makes us friends among
the liberal party, both in England and in
Europe.
But there is another aspect Of the case likely
70 unite all Englishmen against us, under the
came national instinct and Without reference
70 political differences The United States. il
only the entirety of its people could be pre-
served, were becoming daugerou.ly powerful
The period Was seen to bs close NJ hand when
our population W wbu'd be sixty millions, and
already masters Of one continent, we were ad
vancing to position of commanding influence
in every part OF the globe
This was chiefly felt by England. the security
Of whose vast colonial system would be weak
ened by the existence OF a greater commercial
power. IL was felt, too, although in a less de
gree, BY France, once more striving to bee m.
a maritime nation. as sl was befo.u b,r
ships. colonies, a'ri commerce - were lost in
the wars OF the first Bonsparte.
1t never should have been doubted. that Br;,.
ish politicians, representing this impulse OF
British nationality, really desired the disrup
'on OF the American Union. The shallow
>en'im 4ntaltties OF a " common religion, common
language, and common literature" avail nothing
against the promptiugs Of NATIONAL safety and
national supremacy. The American Union had
already advanced to the shores OF tn. Pacific
an unavowed but palpsble menace to British
power in India and Australia. The American
Union had become dangerous, and it is no i'm.
puation Of malice, or of special selfshness, to
suppose that the Euglish desire to see the dan
gr averLed, by the disruption of an empire,
already the object If not ira tional fears.
This disposition on the palt of England ia
something to have been anticipated and pro.
VIded tor either by such a summary repres-
s'oh Il! that was possibe) of the Southern re.
brlliou, as TO have given her no time, or op
por'unlty to Interfere, or by appealing to some
'uterest, or sympathy among her people which
would produce divisions and hold her govern.
ing politicians in check. OF this latter class
ot political expedien's, the most obvious is, to
nave given 10 our movements for the repression
OF rebellion, such distinctly anti i.slayery az.
pect' as would have attracted the friendly re-
yards OF that great and powerful middlipp
class OF England, who forced the Government
to pay one hundred millions for emancipation
III their own colonies, ami who are as tho
roughly opposed to slavery as they were a
generation ago Hostility to that institution
is, with the English, religious conviction and
= passion. Some would stigmatizs it as a
tana,icism, but that does not make 1t auy the
less formidable as a political power. Right
or wrong, rational or fsnatical hostility
to slavery so exists among the people of
England that 1t has been and still is in our
power, by enlisting it on our side. to swami
any English ministry which should venture to
take sides with our domestic enemies. As yet,
AZ fsr from using this power, we have positive
" repelled the only possible elemeat of Eug
itsh sympathy, by ostentatious procamatiops
oi our purpose to preserve slavery intact
! hi' Is "hat we have been doing b 1t it is not
what we shall continue to do, when national
necessity shall have (although tardily) su pplied
the place of national wisdom.
When the Frenchmen of the Old Revolution
were beleaguered by multiplying enemies, lhey
rose EQUAL to the occasion, appealed from
Kings to peoples, and opposing to the antagon
ism Of natiouaitie5 the potency of ideas COM
mon to the human race, created allies in the
very heart OF hostile empires. That was an
epoch OF great men and of great ideas. Such
may be found in America, before the curtain
Iails upon the drama now being enacted upon
the stage of the worlds progress.