The New York herald., 1862-01-01
THE AMERICAN QUESTION.
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE IN ENGLAND.
The Opt MON OF the London Times.
fFrOm the London Times Dec 1871


The style Of the American President has fallen with the
fortunes of the republic Instead of the jolly, rockng
periods Of former days each of which seemed to suggest
at its close stave OF Hsil Columbia" have got
a discursve and coloqual essay i'll arranged and worse
expressed. Nor does the matter sredeem the style.
II is really wonderful, when we consider the pre-
sent state Of the American republic, how any one
placed in the position Of Mr.. Lincoln could have
taken the trouble to produce so strange medley,
inc mposite rhapsody. There several subjects
which earnestly desire information, and one is
afforded. Atoee all things uant 10 kow ,chat
advice it has received from its legal councillors and with
what feelings ii approaches the coming controversy On
this point there is not word Then we should IKE 10
hear little OF the financial measures ty wioh the eqt
Jiun tece and erJtndite b Be Jrsserred
the fac. Of raa outlay We should like to know
what measures the President proposes to adopt h
tcth half Of his Cdbind he Ido, ruth
, ne s.r ., hGy s Of his Gss" 1ao"s ,S.,. 0nts, q @
oracle is silent But, If he tells us very little that
want TO know, he amply indemnifes US by telling US q
great many things in which havo interest. He
has plan for readusting the circuits the judges
for the codhcaon Of the statute law He is very minute
on the receipts and disbursements OF the Post oce and
the Patent Office He Is anxious to extend the District OF
Couinba into virginia. He has something say the
exhibition OF 1862 He has common with most of his
predecessors plan for getting rid of free negroes by
system Of and has for an argument TO
show not, he wishes, that labor is Independent Of
capital but how little progress the most ordinary doc
Tnes Of political economy have made in the higher circles
OF American politicians.
1t is easy why Mr. Lincoln should have omit
MS speech OF the OF the Trent
he means TO give up the persons Illegally seized one
coutd have thought rrscdution pr,pare the
pubic ,nd or such decsion. II he mans TO keep them
understand hy he does net gvdp al all the ptpu
loTy ot is b Be hod in ezchohcs for present and
future ruin, instead of allowing 1t to be picked up by
obscure members Of Congress embarking in contest
Wilkes would be best rewarded by thanks OF by
gold medal Possibly the simple solution may be that
the President has as yet arrived at no conclusion
az a and that perpexed by the divisions Of his Cabinet
he he's been content TO let the matter alone till
shall determine for him that which be Is unable or un
willing 10 determine fer himself He will have long
to wait Each successive mail brings the report Of
fresh instance which tho American nation is step
by step committing itself 10 udr policy rh England, TIL
when challenged for lis nal decision il wiz probably find
that has ge too far hare pouer re,acion The
government has received the prisoners the admiralty has
thanked Commodore Wilkes and Congress has now given
the seal OF its appreciation TO proceeding deeply often
Great Britain. II Is hardly possible TO imagine
government sunk far below its duties and response
blites to allow all this TO go and make sign
either Of assent dissent The President Ia bound TO
lend his aid in guiding the legislature to true decision
matter nearly touching the duties and the charac
Of the Executive He ought to set before IL the prn-
cpes invoy ed in the question and 10 give every oppor
tunity in his rower Of arriving at conclusion conform
able the interests Of the country But he has
of all this and has abandoned the vessel Of the
STATE to drift helpless before the gale Of popular camor.
1s President has given instead OF the information
s.ire. his opinion the real OF the present
war The North. he says, are 1ghtIg for the integrity
Of tho unionhdt Lord Russell said, for empire.
compcthe South BY force 1 arms, 10 ue under oorern-
m wh,cA ney d,fs The South, on the other hand, are
| lighting against the rights OF the people-that Is
| against the rights Of the people Of he North q
govaa them aeains their consent This dsscrip
ton ought TO put an end TO the statement st
often repeated that slavery the main matter In dispute
But the South have done still worse, and, not content
with questioning the right Of the North 10 govern thom
they have gone the extent Of questioning the wis
dom q certain Northern institutions Thus persons
actually found 10 wish for restriction OF the suffrage
CONTEND spite OF the evidence afforded by the North
the purity q election and the high moral and intellectual
qualities secured by such process that II h better cleo
ton should be confined legislators and extended
| magistrates and some have even been heard to pro
nounce the horrible name OF "monarcby." No woDde
that Mr. Lincoln, luxuratng in the paradise 10 whicl
| the will Of an unbrdled democracy has introduced
him, and looking forward 10 desperate struggle will
Englsnd brought about apparently by the cause
should feel pous horrer OF those who venture 10 thn
such experience notconcusve and the existing const
tuition of the United states little short Of perfection
We have nothing TO say for slavery but II Mr. Lncoln
description Of the South is indeed truef sho Is ghtin
| TO emancipate herself from the blind tyranny Of dc
grqSd MOB yom eeg tive Judges elective Governors
he has given his antagonists better title 10 Europea
sympathy than they have hitherto possessed and throw
upon bis government the stigma Of lighting 10 impos
upon others institutions which have already brought
| the verge of ruin
But the most remarkable part Of Mr. Lincolns speec