The Black Republican., 1865-04-15
HIGHLY IMPORT mt.
TIE UNITED STATES And GREAT BRITAIN
The Relations Of Great Britain toward the
United States and Canada 0fadalIy
Defined.
SPEECHES or Mr.. DISRAELI Mr. BRIGHT.
AND LORD PALMERsToH

gave rise to an important debate IN the
English House Of Commons on the 18th
INST. during the progress of which the in
te4national relations now existing between
England and the United States, and the
probable tone and bearingsof the diplomacy
Of the two CasaiIets after the conclusion Of
our war, was fully discussed by Mrs Disraeh,
Mr. Bright, and Lord Palmerston.
Mr.. Bisr.eli's Speech.
Mr.. S. Fitzgerald called attention to the
report Of Col Jeryois on the d3fenses OF
Canada, and asked for information with
reference thereto. Mr. Disraeh thought that
Canada should be iealotsly watched, 81
though he did not impugn the conduct oi
the United States which he thought had
been characterized by great amity and dis
cretion. He said:
| am not here tonight to impute, and
have never imputed, anything against the
conduct of the Government of the United
States throughout this great struggle; but,
on the contrary, i am now prepared, after
further experience, to repeat what | said
two years ago, that, under circumstances
of almost unprecedented difficulty, that
Ids 1t3k4A I'LL
energy and discretion | arn not Of opinion
that in the event of the termination of the
American war we should be placed in any
immediate danger of coming into collision
with that Government owing to our con
nectiOn with Canada. Edo not pretend now
to express any opinion as to what may be
the termination Of the present contest, as II
appears to me to be quite foreign to the
question under discussion; but even assllnl-
cipated by the honorable member for Brad
ford, q donot believe that the citizens ot
the United States of the North, even If en-
tirely and completely victorious, Will teel
inclined to enter Immediately into another
struggle with d power not inferior In de-
termination and iii resource to the South
ern States of America. form that opinion
because / believe that the people Of the
United States are eminently sagacious
people. don't think they are insensible
TO the glory of great dominion and of ex-
tended empire, and / give them equally
credit for being influenced by passion which
aetuate mankind, and particularly nations
which enjoy such freedom as they do. But
they are a sagacious people, and | don't
think they would seize the moment Of ex-
haustion as being the most favorable for the
prosecution Of an enterprise which would
require great resources and great exertlons.
There are other reasons which also induce
me to dispute that opinion. have not been
influenced in forming my Judgment upon
points of such vast Importance by that sort
of rowdy rhetoric which has been expressed
at public meetings and in certain journals
in America, and upon which some people in
this country found their conclusions as to
the possible character and opinions of the
American people. l look upon these ex-
pressions of opinions as / should look upon
those strange and fantastic drinks of which
we hear so much, and which are such favor
ties on the other side of the Atlantic, and
should as soon suppose this rowdy rhetoric
was theexpressi0n Of the real feelings of the
American people as that these potations
formed the aliment and nutrinlent of their
bodies.
There is another reason why this violent
course will not be adopted. The democracy
of America must not be confounded with
the democracy Of the Old World It is not
formed of the scum Of turbulent cities,
neither is it merely section of an exhausted
middle class which speculates in stocks and
calls that progress. 1t is a territorial de-
if ] may use that epithet without
the right honorable gentleman
opposite. Aristotle, who has taught us
most of the wise things that we know, never
said wiser one than this that the cultiva-
tors of the soil are the least inclined to sedi-
ton and violent 5oitrses. Now being
territorial democracy their character has
been formed and influenced in a manner
by the property with which they are con-
nected, aud by the pursuits they follow,
and n sense of responsibility arising from
the reality of their possessions may much
influence their political conduct. And /
believe that they are very much more in
clined to welcome the returning labor
ers to their fields, and see around them
the products of the earth, and to behold
happiness in those households TO which
they are so much attached, than to plunge
into the miseries of a new and terrible war.
But although these are my opinions gene
rally I cannot conceal from myself that
very great changes have taken place in
America of late years, and these changes
have reason to believe are not regarded in
this House with sufficient seriousness, while
in my opinion they amount to no less than
A revolution. Twill ask honorable members to
recall to themselves the state of North Ameri-
ca when we met in this House four years ago.
That portion of the world was then divided
among what we may call three great
Powers-frst. the United States Of America;
secondly, Canada, and the settlements and
dependencies belonging to our own Sow
ereign; and, thirdly, Mexico, a country
which certainly did not possess much polltl
cal power, but which in extent, resources
fertility of soil and mineral wealth, was al
most Jlneoualed in the world. IIEevery one
Of these three great divisions there have
been immense changes. In the United
States civil war has ranged for four years
and even if the war should terminate, as the
honorable member from Bradford suggests
/ cannot believe that we shall see the same
society and form of government established
or even, if the form be the same, certainly
the spirit Will be altered, as existed before
the civil lfssHar commenced.
5fr. Disraeh continued:
have often heard statesmen and dis
tinguished statesmen, mumbling over the
balance of power in Europe. It has ap
peared to me always to be a great mistake
when we look to the distribution of powe
to confine our views to Europe, because WI
shall find, and, perhaps speedily find, tina
there are other Influences In other quarter
ofstheglobe which will interfere TO disturb
| ,3ssr ca aleulations It seems TO me that thi
war in America has rapidly precipitated tn
| change. 1t shows us that the prOper mean
i ing OF 2 balance of power" is security 70
communities in general against predom
nant and particular power, and that yo
! have to take into your consideration State
| and influences that are not to be counte
among the European powers. It is imposs
BILE, Notwithstanding what honorable gel
tlemen may say about the character Of th
II United States, to conceal that there Is
feeling among those influential landowner
to whom the honorable gentleman the men
Der for Bradford referred with regard |
Europe of a peculiar character. win NJ
say that they look to old Europe With fee
ings Of jealousy or yindictivenessS becaus
epithets and words of that kind otght n,
to be unnecessarily used with respect to Il
relations between nations; but it isalndeni
BILE that the United States look to 3old E
I rope with want of sympathy. They haV
! no sympathy with country that ii create
and sustained by tradition; and The on
country to which they look with sYmpatf
is that part of old Europe which isl new.
i have always observed this in their eonduc
1t is quite clear, then, it is impossible
know what relation may exist between Il
! United States, this country and her Majt
. tvs dependencies on the other side of Il
Atlantic
! Taking these larger views, then. we oug
5 to consider that-not tomorrow or ne
1 year, but that we are on the eve of events
! very great Importance. The question '
have TO ask ourselves is, is this country pl
pared to renounce her American depende