, 1865-05-30

compact. From that moment the only
obstacle was removed, and freedom be-
came al once possible and lawful.
[ confess ii is this consideration which
has mainly governed my judgment in
this contest. The preservation or the
dissolution of the Union was a matter in
which I felt, as Engli>hmen, we had lit
tie concern. | know that there are tn ose
who looked forward with a paItfy salts
faction to the breaking up of that which
they were pleased to call the "bubble
Republic" So far as this sentiment had
its root in a jealousy and apprehension of
the growing greatness and power of the
United States, ii is one which |, for one,
should be ashamed to entertain. [ hope,
Sir, we are all of US sufficiently proud
ard confident in the greatness and the
might of England to he superior to such
coWardice and meannrss, If Great Bri-
tain had cause 10 fear the United States,
depend upon it she would have had far
more cause to fear the presence of two
great military States perpetuaiiy in arms
against one another aud against the world.
| have never desired thu mutiIatiOn of
America, because | have always admired,
and | have never feared her. That pa
rent is the happiest in his life who does
not live in perpetual jealousy and dislike
and dread of his child, but who takes
pride in his successes, and who feels his
own youth renewed in the greatness Of
his Offspring, When Hector took leave of
his weeping wife he prayed hat the
world might say Of his babe that he was
greater than his father. Homer ut least
knew what belonged to greatness, and
how it became heroes TO feel.
There are others who have regarded
the American struggle from the point of
view of political partisanship. | observe
that Mr.. Mason has endeayoured in his
recent letter TO enlist the sympathies Of
English political sections on behalf of
what he is pleased 10 call "the great
cause Of the Conservative South" /
trust that the English Conservative party
will not commit the objectionable mis-
take of entering into a political partner
ship with a cause which began by viola
ting its own Constitution, and has ended
by destroying itself, Those who have
stakcl their political faith on the expect
ed disruption of democracy have prepar-
=. ed for themselves a signal and most un-
necessary defeat. In my judgment the
war in America had nothing whatever to
do with democracy. 1t arose from an
irreconcilabIe opposition Of interests, and
from an irrepressible social conflict which
might have equally broken out in a no
narchical or in an ariStocratical State.
SO far as it goes no doubt, democracy
has reaped this advantage,-that it has
had the opportunity of d%isproving the
charge of weakness which is often laid
at lis door. 1t has been vulgarly sup
posed hat democracy is necessarily in
compatible with strength and vigour of
executive action, aud that the concentra-
ton of authority in a single despot is ne.
cessary for the condlct Of a great war.
That delusion the American struggle has
dispeIled. 1t has been thought that de-
mocracies were necessarily tickle 10 their
rulers, unstable in their policy, and wa
vering in their determination. That, too,
the democracy of America has disproved.
II has been said that democracies are ne
cessarily violent and cruel in their dispo-
sition, and that from Impotence of disci-
pIine and obedience they are unapt for
u;l;t,rv CuccaSC No mon con COW fhat