Delaware State journal and statesman., 1866-12-18
THE ENGLISH PRESS ON AmERI.
CAN POLITICS.

II is difficult to appreciate the immense
change in American politics which the war
has produced Perhaps hardly sufficient
allowance has been made fur the difficulty
which American statesmen must feel in ac.
commodating themselves 10 the new state of
things which has grown up around them. or
Tor the yet greater difficulty which foreign
and distant observers must have In realizing
the change. But until the elections of the
present autumn were over, it was difficult to
say how far the change was n permanent
one. The last elections for Congress were
made before the war was over The exalta.
ton of political and national feeling in the
North, was at its full height in the autumn
oi 1874, and Congress was elected which
represented,in in an unusual degree, all that was
best and noblest in the Northern neople
The country was in an heroic mood and
elected representatives who shared its deem.
ened convictions and embodied its heighten.
ed sentiments. 1t was very natural 10 ex.
pect that this state of things would not last
The victory was sure to be followed by some
disposition to rest and be thankful, and there
was no lack of political sagacity in pretty
confident reckoning on reaction in North.
ern opinion and feeling Mr.. johnson and
MIR. Seward themselves experienced this re.
action, believed in Its universally, and mi
themselves at its head The Sonth trusted
TO 1t; Republican statesmen feared II. and
II was so perslstently prophesied that by dint
OF talking Of it even the masb of the people
were induced to believe in it. And. indeed
there was some amount of reaction. Last
spring Congress distinctly felt that the Presi
gent was strongly supported by a large pub
llc opinion In his reactionary course. During
the closing weeks of the session, there were
many ominous signs of the return of the old
OrQGr after tha Cnnvulcion r,hiol Ia
troyed it, and the Democratic party began
to lift up their heads and to believe that The
time of their short subjection was over and
their redemption drew nigh. But there ia
always this difficulty in estimating the move.
ments of the great tide of opinion-that IL
advances, not with q steady and continuous
motion, but like the tidal waves upon the
coast by alternate advance and retroeres
sion, action and reaction. II is only bv
a landmark that you can tell whether the
Atlantic tide, or the great human tide of
opinion, is on the ebb or the flow. Com.
parison oil the newly-elected Congress with
the one now in existence gives us such n
landmark, and the most casual observation
serves to show that the appearances which
seemed to indicate cbb in the tide of public
leellng-the temporary signs of reaction
were but the backward roll OF the wave as
II gathered itself up for yet farther and
lrresletlDle How. Mr.. johnson is more 10
be pitied than the courtiers of Canute. He
did not consciously seat himself in the way
OF the advancing tide and expect il TO be
stayed by his rebuke. He sat down as he
believed upon an ebb Shore and shouted TO
the retreating wave, and was as much aston
lshed as his advisers to find that as though
In answer to his challenge, the flood came
back and swept them all away.
Nothing can be more decisive than tile
late elections in testimony to the perma.
nence of the change which the lasi seven
years have made. The Democratic party is
permanently descredited and overthrown.
The political carelessness of the prosperous
North lie at an end. The time Of political
subserviency has been succeeded BY a new
era OF political Independence, activity and
life. The higher law at which the South
ern politicians and their Northern allies so
continually scoffed, has won popular recog.
milton, and the domestic politics Of the Union
are TO be brought into harmony with II.
The national conscience has been awakened
and will not soon be sent TO sleep again.
The one exceptional institution which Law al
the bottom OF all the evils of American
politics has been destroyed, and the people
have resolved that its last traces shall be re.
moved, and that complete If tardy Justice
shall be done to the oppressed race. II is
that resolve TO do justice which has 30 clear.
ed the popular vision md steadied the popu
lar will. The "single eye" has been allied
With light No mere desire foT ssononsl