Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-04-24
Mnion and Amrritam
TUESDAY. APRIL 81. 1866.
AMERICA AND THE FENIANS.
speech of Mr.. Gladstone at Liverpool.

AMERICA AND THE FENIANS.
speech of Mr. Gladstone at Liverpool
lie Warns the Fenians not to attempt the inva-
sion Of the Provinces-England Will Put Forth
All Her Strength to Crush the Invaders.
On the evening Of the 5th inst, Mr. Glad
stone was entertained at a banquet at Liver
pool The health Of Mr.. Gladstone being
drunk amid the most enthusiastic cheering
he said:
MR. RATHBoEE AND GENTLEMEN No adviser Of
the Crown aud no representative Of the people
ever had occasion for deeper gratitude TO con
spicuous portion Of his fellow cOuntrymen than on
that occasion created by your conduct toward me
personally in July last. (Hear. hear.) You have
added greatly on the present occasion TO that
debt which have contracted towards you but ]
did not come here for the purpose Of explaining
20 you in wearisOme detail the particulars Of the
sentiments with which your conduct has inspired
me- for we have graver matters 10 consider. We
have arrived al a critical point in the history OF
the nation, and now address in you the largest
constituency Of the country, which has perhaps,
more than any other, led the Opinions-has led
the policy Of the last thirty glorious years.
tCheersD ! now address you at one Of those mo-
ments at which il becomes us 10 review oar posi-
ton, and 20 consider not the past alone. but like
wise the future Of that country which We 80 love.
tCheersD
The period which has passed since had the
honor Of meeting ycu has not been wholly I'M
which has for n long time Oyerspread the atmOs-
phere Of political affairs has been rudely dissi =
pated by occurrences arising from more quarters
than one and we have been reminded by the
many events each Of them Of n seriOns ard criti-
cal character that we do not in the highest affairs
and interests of the empire possess an immunity
from disturbing causes; ON the contrary. from
time 10 time we are prepared 10 see them arise,
and look them manfully in the face. Cheers.
Gentlemen. several Of these causes have assumed
u character of importance and prominence within
L. 40 auf
difficult 10 have anticipated at the time when
had the honor Of meeting you for the brieiest pos
sibe period, solicitor for your sutfrages. aud
within the brieiost possible period crowned with
the honor Of receiving them; but the political
state Of affairs II important at present. the pO
Fition Of those whom you specially representa-
mean the liberal party in South Lapcashirc--is Of
itself question 80 grave with respect 10 the
future course of political affairs. that ! must ask
your patience while / Edyert briefly 10 ciTcum-
stances. lienTD And, gentlemen, permit me 10
say that, so far as | am able TO understand the
relative positions Of the different civilized cOm-
munities Of Europe. 1 think that, after all, the
greatest OF the advantages which we may claim TO
possess Is that everything which happens In this
country in the public interest Is to the
light. tCheers.)
There is no power on earth. there is no power Of
the government, there j. no power of class that
can conceal facts Of public interest. We live in
times when there is gradually being formed tribu
nal and an authority Of public opinion. which Is
confined. not 10 the limits Of any country, how
ever powerful and however civilized, but which
pervades the whole Christian world, and IL Is said
that. Whatever be our merits, whatever be our
faults. they are told plainly 10 the whole world
Well, gentlemen. | will not presume during the
brief period which must elapse before we receive
the full results Of the judicial inquiry which has
been instituted in Jnmaica--I will not presume
In any degree TO dwell upon their probable char
acter, but | will venture 10 express sanguine an
ticipatiOn. not the executive government, but
that the Parliament, and not OILY the Parliament
but the people of the country, will arrive at their
conclusion upon these sad and painful eve nts with
full aud fair consideration of all that IL due
the one hand 60 those ia authority, and. on the
other hand, 10 those under aut hOrity. and that
Justice. aud justice alone and no respect TO any
torcgonc conclusion, will govern any party or any
class among as in the final steps which may have
Ia be taken with regard 10 the results of the IN
quiry; and do believe that. although In foreign
countries when these calamitOus occurrences be-
came known. there was the disposition to think
that in England we should endeavOr TO cover the
acts Of those who welded authority in the Queen.
! am convinced that what has since taken place
has shown plainly 10 the world that no other con
sidcraton will govern the final determtiOn Of the
State and people Of this country with regard TO
the outbreak in Jamaica except those considera-
lions by which We should be determined in the
examination Of any domestic question, whatever
ID may be. Well. gentlemen. besides these most
deeply painful and most important, but yet
strictly local occurrences. we have had another
strange, singular, and painful manifestation in
the sister island.
/ advert now 10 that which is known by the
name of Fenianism. phenomen d which, no
doubt, derives its force from foreign agency and
influence. But, gentlemen when | say n foreign
agency aud influence. don't let IL be for one mo-
mcut supposed hot intend. directly indirectly.
20 charge On the great and mighty people that in
habit the opposite shores OF the Atlantic the re-
spOnsibity, Of that deplOrable and calamitous
manifestation. / am deeply assured that
brethren in America, that the mass Of those who
form public opinion IN America, regard the pro-
ceedings Of those unhappy persons with the same
feeling Of grief and the same Judgment Of con
with which you and | regard them.
lChesrs) II Is but sprnkling of persons in that
great but gigantic community 60 whom these in
huences are owing. Aud. gentlemen of these in
iluencos themselves what are we TO say IL Is inn
possible 10 contemplate them without the deepest
pain. Acting upon those principles of genuine
confession. which lie at the root Of public affairs
in this country. we canuot hesitate to admit that
this dcplorable principe, this deplorable power.
would never have come into existence had il not
been for the record Of past misgovernmeut and
abuse. In the signs Of proyidental retribution
for the ills that we have endured. for the errors
that We have committed. we derive these lessons.
that in the future we must even more carefully
than now ondcavor 90 treat all our fellow subjects
aud all our iellOw-citiZcns-S whether they be call
ed Englishmcn, lrishmcu or Scotchmen-upon
principles Of pure and equal justce-t Ts(-but
that. in the meantime, we must, without hesta-
ton, although not without grief use every method,
adopt every measure that may be necessary TO
maintain the authority of the land and 10 pre-
serve the peace Ot the country.
We are told that Canada and New brunswick
are threatened with fire and slaughter from the
lNNtuNe hl lit ltllhtlN the wrongs lhUlctcu nN
England upon ireland, aud this must say, that
if the mon of Canada and New brunswick who
are wholly guitless of these wrongs-be they what
they may-whO are not entangled in the cOntro-
yorsy, who have more TO do with IL than the
people Of the Sandwich lslands-if the Fenians,
ms they call themselves in America, are capable Of
the abomnable wickedness of passing their from
tier. and Of making their impotent, miserable at
tempts, which they will be lcheersl 90 carry de-
ISOLATION over these peaceful districts and among
those harmless cOlonists. then. say, that SO far
from your treating the conduct of these men-let
them be Americans or whom you lkc-with hu-
manity or indulgence, no more eXecrable mani
festatiOus of folly aud guilt have ever been made
Ia the annals Of the human from the time
that IL commenced its existence on the earth.
lChoors.l Men who are capable of such proceed
ings would ut anoe. by their insanity aud their
guilt, place themselves entirely Beyond the sym
patty Of the whole civilized world. Loud
oheers,l ] feel the fullest confidence that these
men who inhabit the British Provinces Of North
America. who have proceeded from our loins. and
who are governed by principles in the main our
own. know well how 20 defend their homes. their
wives aud children; aud IT, unhappily. the need
arose. there Is no resource possessed by this
country that she would not fairly spend 10 assist
them in their holy work Cheers