The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1862-03-26
The Change III England.

Wendell Phillips said in q lecture in New
York shortly after the surrender of Mason and
SlideII, that what the English nation most re.
spected anywhere, was success, and the changed
tone of the British press and people toward our
Government, since they received the news Of our
uninterrupted successes, commencing at Mill
Spring, furnishes evidence of the truth of Mr.
Phillips assertion. About the time of the dis
cussion relating 70 the Trent affair, it seemed as
though the language of sneering and sarcasm
WAS the only one which the British public could
use, in speaking of our country, and John
Bright stood almost alone among Englishmen
as the defender of the Federal Government. The
administration at Washington could do nothing
that was net, in English eyes, an exhibition
either of cowardice impotence, folly, rashuess,
heathenisn, or lunacy. The stone fleets that
were employed to stop some rat-holes along the
southern coast, were worse than savage style
Of warfare. The blockade of the Southern ports
MAS wholly inefficient, and could not be much
onger respected by anybody. An immense army
vas IN the field, but was doing nothing 1t was
only a mob Of which the Federal Government
s,o0d Ia mere fear than did the rebels The I'M
1nens3 expenditures of the war furnished text
Tor dreary prophecies of speedy collapse and ut
ter bankruptcy. In short, the Federal Repu bic
Was Just ON the verge of ruin, and would, within
thirty days, 60 to everlasting smash, while upon
its Yuins was to be erected a strong, stable, ne
sroe-dYiving government, that could stand the
buffets Of outrageous fortune, and furnish for
history type Of q nation which had recedcd
IRON. Topublcanism to a rule based on the power
Of the few, instead Of the votes of the many.
The news that is now reaching us from the
other side Of the water is OF quite different
character. Englishmen have heard of Mill
Spring, Roanoke Island. Fort Henry, and Fort
Donelson. They begin to zee that the Stars
aud Stripes are floating over Southern soil, car
ried there by the brave soldiers Of the Union
They begin 10 appreciate what an army Of 600,
0O0 men, led by brave and skillful generals, i.
capable Of accomplishing. They are coming t.
understand the power OF Democratic institutions
ana the stern endurance, the patient self-denia
yhe steady courage, of free people fighting fol
iheir institutions and their Government. Wher,
they propheSiod utter insolvency they find Govern
men. stocks at pa. Where they foretold defeat
lney learn Of victories. Where they anticipated
MOB law, they find the quiet of a peaceful, ODE
'llent and law-abidiDs people, And the nation
chat they seemed to look upon as so weak, de-
moralized and shattered, as to be only pre-,
lor every greedy European power that wished K
establish itself on this continent, they find to b.
yhe first war. like power on the face of the earth
with more fighting material in the field and il
DetteT condition than was ever before seen in til,
present age, or than has made any record IL
history. This knowledge. SO emphaticall,
brought home 10 their minds as 50 render !
impossible to be mistaken or misunderstood, i
having its natural effect upon the tone of public
opinion in Eng land.
1t IS not to be supposed that tie English vii
~ once drop all their superciliousness Of ton,
in discussing the affairs Of this country. lha
IS 50 much an element of the British mind tina
1T viii appear any way. It's the natural growt
of their institutions, and if Englishmen ceases
to indulge in it, they would cease TO be English
men They will yet be otGcious in profern
their advice as to the best way to settle the dill
segcaces of their cousins on this side the water
and, in doing SO, will undoubtedly manifest tn
same ignorance of the stern and settled deter
minatlon of the North to fight for and conque
a peace, as heretofore. But they have already
and will hereafter, drop their clustering, bully
ing braggadocio, and their insolent assumptio
OF y right to dictate to US how we shall put dow
rebellion in our own borders. As an example
the changed tone Of the English press, we civ
below an extract from recent number of til
London Times, the most malignant and bitter
and envenomed of the British papers at til
time of the Trent affair, in its discussions
American affairs. The article was occasione
by the debate in Parliament on Mr.. Gregory
motion relating to the blockade
A blockade must be intermitted under IL
pressure of weather, or when ship after ship