The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1866-06-16
ENGLAND Abdicates,

One OF the most surprising and i'm
portant events of modern times is the
voluntary surrender by Great Britain
of her position as one of the great
powers of Europe. The change has
been so recent that its full significance
is as vet hardly recognized in Europe,
while on this side of the ocean we have
failed to appreciate the important re-
suits likely to follow from the non-in-
tervention, peace policy which England
has determined 20 pursue hereafter
The best part of the great debt of Eng
land was created by the wars in which
she engaged to uphold her position as
a first-class power in Europe; but since
the close of the Crimean war, change
of policy has been determined upon at
variance with all the traditions of the
nation. and which, if justified, con-
dennis nearly all the wars she has un-
dertaken for the last two hundred
wears, aud stamps the national debt as
being costly folly.
The following extract from q long
and able article in she london Satur-
dav Review tells the story OF England s
willingness to give up first position N
the deliberations of the great powers
of Europe:
If war is to come, England may reckon
confidently on keeping out OF 1t. She VIII
not only be- neuttbl, but the war will be OF
a l.hnd thSt is exceedingly unlikely TO raise
onv of the difficult questions which some
times involves neutrals in embarrassment.
n Is scarcely probable that there should
oven be a blockade, and all the combGtants
will want near home the few ships they
have got, and will not come TO create EN-
barrsssment 10 the authorities OF Engilsh
ports. No result Of the wsr IS likely 10
affect US much, and we can afford 70 let the
Continental powers settle how the map OF
Europe shall be remoddelled, so far as 1t IS
EEelv 10 be altered. This makes it very
,essv for us 10 be calm and impartial at this
critical time, when war may break out any
dav. and any suggestions We may offer have
the Recommendation of being disInterested'
opd of not having been dictated by hope or
eesr But on the other hand, we cannot
homo 10 have much influence, ami 1t Is very
-,r1cb Ia be desired that our diplomstists
,,sv not have been pretending to have an
>. s,,o,re which every one knows they have
.aII,y not rot. That we should do what We
80, or The maintenance Of peace IS very
right. and England has sufficient eiSl>es on
,ba sttention of all the combatanis to invite
them 10 consider with her whether their
differences cannot be adjusted. BUY lIls u
the utmost that che can ask, or thst she
need wish 10 ask. She is rapidly eeasing q
be a European power in the sense IN whieh
she wss a European power IN tho Gays =
Wellington. she is nov an Aslaue power
maritime power, an oceanic power, inucn
more than a European one. The affairs q
Burmah, Of Afghan. Of Nepsut, are q mo more
te,i,bnrg and Hanover, aud Hesse-C assel
no keep the roaA to India open through
Eeypt is far more necessary 70 nei
tban 20 insist that this or thst IT.
le Rhsnish stronghold shall mob Pc
Iong 10 France. Her chief lnteFesi
In resisting the aggressions Of Russia ol
ConstantinOple is not 20 protect the iho ..-l
of the Danube, or 70 neugellze the EuA'ne