New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1863-02-19
REACTION IN ENGLAND.

Mr.. Richard D. Webb of Dublin, ireland.
q correspondent of The An,i.Slarery Standard
of this city, says in letter to that paper,
that "TuE TRIBUNE, some time since, dis
tinctIy offered to the South 10 let bygones be
bygones, and to grant them their own terms,
or to similar effect, if tho COnfederates
would give up their efforts for separate
political existence, and would restore the
Union "a it was before the war" Mr.. Webb
further adds, that the identical TRIBUNE con-
tanning this proposition is kept at the office Of
q London newspaper where it may be seen by
whoever doubts the assertion. If they have
any such paper in London we are not sur
prised that it is kept for the satisfaction Of
the curious. If we had it here we should
make precisely the same disposition of it--per-
baps have it framed and glazed for its better
preservation. 1t would be greater curiosity
here even than in London.
Mr.. Richard d. Webb is man of great
intelligence, is specially conversant with Ameri-
can affairs, and being himself an editor would
be presumed to know something of the leading
Journals Of this country. That he should have
been persuaded to believe 80 absurd story as
this is only to be explained by the fact that
he. with many other of the old Anti
Slavery people of Great Britain, had no
better defense for the want Of sympathy that
Los hitherto existed among them for our
great and FINAL struggle with the Slave
power than that it was not accepted
as such by ourselves. However true this may
be as regards q large portion of our people
who always have been, and are still, to GER.
tain extent, Pro-Slavery, it is not true as re.
CARDS those who have hitherto been jealous of
the encroachments and the ascendency of Slave
ry. and have labored as far as they could
within constitutional bounds TO limit aud control
them. 1t has suited o certain class abroad to
keep this distinction out of sight, aud to mis-
represent THE TRIBUNE would strengthen that
position But better spirit is beginning to
show itself Some of the best minds and
most influential Journals of England and Ireland
have from the beginning, understood the real char
acter of the struggle in which We are engaged,
and have labored with zeal and energy 10 i'm
press their views upon the minds of their cOun
trymcn. The progress of events among US, and
at last the Proclamation of the LIST of January,
have aided them in their work, and the results
of their labors are beginning to be seen in the
monster meetings which are being held al over
the Kingdom. A reaction is evidently going on
in the public mind. Pablo opinion there, as
here, is the source of power, aud if, as there
now seems reason to hope, the common
people Of Great Britain shall come to
comprehend the state Of affairs in this
country, and that the establishment of free
government and the rights Of man, as the result
of the war, is their cause Us well as ours, the
British Government in whatever they do will
be compelled TO conform 70 their will. The
history of England is history Of series of
struggles between the people as whole aud
an aristocratic class. The revolution we are
engaged in is nothing more nor less than
this and it only needs that thi, be thor
ougbly understood abroad to arouse an
overwhelming feeling of sympathy for the
NUitu. iioW otiohS 'hc AhhuOhN'
Of this would be is shown plainly enough
in the attempts of those journals here, which
strive as far as they dare for the success of
tho Rebels, to belittlc and ridicule tho recent
popular demonstrations in England in favor of
the North. The evident intent OF these journals
is to ALLEVIATE, if possible, still further the
popular feeling abroad, knowing very well that
the greater the danger OF Some foreign comp-
cation of our affairs the stronger is the proba
bility of the success of the Rebellion. We need
that England should BIO our friend, for even the
wisest may not foresee the magnitude of events
that may yet grow out of our present conflict
Let it be remembered that the People and the
Government of Great Britain arc not always on
the same side, but that the People are always
in the end supreme. We may well watch with
solicitude. therefore, for every new evidence of
their sympathy with us, and of their awakened
comprehension OF the real character of the war.
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An UNPIIOMfsING SPECULATION.
Some forty years ago the Legislature of Nir-