Delaware State journal and statesman., 1862-02-04
A Friendly Voice from England
on American Affairs.
SPEECH or
M r.. BRIG HIT,
ON TliE
AM ERICAN QUESTION,
Al The 6aaquet gteea 10 Am at RocldIe on Ae
frfaipg Of Decea5Y iM, 1861.

In replying to the toast Of lis health, Mn.
BRIGnr, after some preliminary remarks, snid !:
luu have, by this Rreat Kindness that you have
done me on this occasion, given n proof that in
the main you do not di4approve Of my public
llhOrs-( -(cheers that nt least you are willing
to express the opinion that the motives by which
! have been Nctuated have been honest and hon
Ornblc tn myself; md that that course hIs not
been entirely withoat service to my country.
(Chccrs) Coming TO this meeting, or 10 my
similar meeting, always find that the subjects
Of discussion appear to be infinite, mud far more
than it is possible to treat Now in these times
in which We live, by the inventions of the tee-
graph, and the steamboat, aud the railroad and
the multiplication of newspapers, we seem con-
tnualy to stand as on the top Of an exceeding
high mountain, from which we behold all the
kingdoms Of the earth, aud all the gories of
them, and unhappily not only all their glories
hut their crimes, aud their follies and their
calamiies.
Seven years ago our eyes were turned with
anxious expectation to remote corner Of Eu-
rope, where five nations we're c0ntendiug in
bloody strife for 40 object which possibly hardly
one Of them comprehended--an object, if they
did comprehend it, all sensible mon amongst
them must have known to be absolutely imprac-
tcable Four years ago, looking still further
into the East, aud we see there q gigantic revolt
in great dependency Of the British crown,
arising mainly from gross neglect and from the
incapHcity of England up 10 that moment to
govern country which it had known how to
conquer. Two years ago We looked south, to
the plains OF Lombardy, aud saw strife there
in which every man in England took strong
interest," and we hnve welcomed rs the result of
that strife tho addition of a new and great
kingdom to the list OF European States. (aear,
hGnr) Now your eyes are turned in u contrary
direction, and we look to the West, and there
we see struggle in progress Of the very high
Cst interest to England, md to humanity at
large. We sec there nation which shall call
the Transatlantic English nation, the inhertOr
and pnrtaker Of the historic glories of this
ti0u. We sec il torn with intestine brOs, and
suffering from calamitcs from which for more
than century pAst-n fact, for nearly two
centuries pasi--this country has been exempt.
That struggle is of especial interest to us. We
remember the description which one of our
great poets gives of Rome in its condition Ut
decay. IlN Describes il as O Lone mother Of
dead empires. But England is the living mo-
/ ther Of great nations on the American and on
the Australian continent, and she promises to
belt tho world with her knowledge, her ciyiliya
tion, and even something more than the free
dom that she herself enjoys (Cheers) Eighty.
| five years ago, about the time when some oil our
oldest towusnen were very little children, there
were on the North American continent colonies,
millions Of souls. Those colonies We have seen
year ago constitute the United States of North
America, and comprising u population of not
less than thirty millions Of souls We know
that in agriculture and in manufactures, with
the exception of this kingdom, there is no conn
try in the world which may be placed in advance
with regard to those arts Of the United States
With regard to inventions, believe within the
last thirty years we have received more useful
inventions from the United States than we have
received FROM all the countries of EurOpe In
that country there are probably ten times as
many miles of telegraph as there are in this
country. There are ut least five or sN times as
many miles of railways. The tonnage of that
nation, Of ills shipping is at least equal to ours
if it docs not exceed ours, The prisons Of that
country--ior even in countries the most favored
SO far, prisons are needful--tho prisons of that
country have been models for the other nations
Of Europe; and many European nations and
I governments have sent commissions beyond the
/ Atlantic to inquire into the admirable systems Of
education established universally in their free
-schools throughout the free and northern States.
If were to speak OF them Ia n religious aspect,
should say that within that period of time to
which their short history goes back, there is
nothing on the face of the earth, and never has
been besides to equal the magnificent arrange.
ment Of churches and ministers, and of all the
appliances which are thought necessary for Il
nation to teach morality and Christianity to the
people. Besides all this when state that for
many years past the annual public expenditure
of the government Of that country has been
somewhere between ten and fifteen Millions
need not perhaps say further, that there has
existed in that country, amongst oil the people,
an amount of comfort and prosperity, of abound
ing plenty, such us believe no other country in
the werld in any age, has displayed. This is u
very fine, but still very true picture, bur hiel
has another side, to which must advert There
has been one great feature 10 that Country-onc
great contrast which has been pointed to by al
men who have commenced upon the unitel
States-as feature of danger and contras
calculated to give pain.
You have had in that country the utmos
liberty TO the white man, but bondage and de
gralation to the black man. Now, rely upon il
that, wherever Christianity lives aud 1Ourishes
there must grow up from it necessarily con
science which s hostile to any oppression nnt
any wrong and, therefore, from the hour wher
the United States constitution was formed, SC