Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-03-28
EEUPOREAN OPIEION OF THE PRESI-
DENTS 22d OF FEBRUARY SPEECH.

lN@~DA OAAhtAN OE-lHAON PhESls
DENTS 22d OF FEBRUARY SPEECH.
An unusual curiosity was felt as to the ex-
preston of European opinion upon the
Presidents speech of the 22d of February.
Americans have not, we think, the sensitive
ness that formerly distinguished them, about
the sayings of foreigners; but many were
somewhat solicitous concerning the effect
abroad of the stump speech of the Chief
Magistrate The New York Tribune says
| editorially:
Every British journal of note that was
champion of the rebel cause throughout our
great struggle, is now heaping adulation on
President johnson, while it denounces and
execrates the attitude of Congress, We be-
heve there is no exception"
The TribunSs London correspondent says
President Johnson-to begin with the
subject of most interest to American readers.
and afford you faithful reflex of opinion
here on your own concerns-is Just now the
most popular of his countrymen with their
natural enemies. All the nobs and the snobs,
the tories and partisans of the late rebellion,
the haters of Republicanism and the be-
Levers in the right divine of the few to rule
the many for their own selfish ends are de-
lighted with him. Since they used to erupt
into Ignorant enthusiasm about Lee and
"StonewalP Jackson, have seen nothing
like 1t. The same persons and papers who,
year ago, reviled him as n drunken dema-
gogue, renegade, a brutal buffoon, Robes
pierre, Murat and much more Il am care
ful not to overstate the case), now laud him
to the skies as sage, statesman, a hero
another Andrew Jackson. \
Said an Englishman to me land if I were
permitted to give his name it would have
weight on your side of the Atlantic.) This
is the worst thing that has happened since
the death ofAbraham Lincoln"
"'All along /, like many other friends of
America, have distrusted that the old leayen
of slavery was not extinct in your national
ity, although You have paid such an awful
price for it; that when the war was over
you might try TO patch up peace, ignoring
Gods justice, or doing no more of it to-
ward His image cut in ebony than you
could help. Now We have the President
formally going over to that side, and COM
mitting himself to all its Iamantable conse-
equences-making brutal stump speech
in the worst style of Southern stump oratory,
which involves violent assertions and accu-
sations that no unprejudiced man ought to
read without strong sense of national dis
grace The result must be to galvanize sla-
very into existence in some of its worst char
acteristics, and throw you all back again.
Mr.. johnson doubtless means well, but he is
doing his best to delay the pacifcation and
prosperity of the South an your union as
united people for years Such | believe to
be the deliberate convictions of the most
advanced of Englishmen on our national
crisis"
On the other hand, the New York Times
says editorially:
I'VE reproduce in the Times this morn
ing the comments Of leading English Jour
mails on President Johason's 22d of Febru-
airy speech. 1t will be seen that the tone of
these comments is extremely laudatory of
the Presidents position and views, and that
the praise comes from journals of every
shade of political opinion"
And the New York Times London cores
pondeEt says:
The veto, and the speech of President
johnson on the birthday of Washington,
have produced an effect in England of the
most remarkable character. All other in
terests are for the moment almOss forgotten.
English and European politics are dwarfed
to nothingness in the presence Of the great
crisis in America, and European statesmen
seem petty and mean by the side of a man
who rises in simple dignity to the grandeur
of great occasion, and whose speech is ad-
mitted to be worthy Of Washington himself
There is but one opinion in England on this
subject Whatever feeling there may have
been in the past, to-day, accepting the ac-
complished fact of the defeat of secession,
the solid intelligence of England applauds
the speech of President johnson as no
American speech was ever before applauded,
and he has the sympathy Of whatever is best
in the public opinion OF Europe as no
American President has had it, certainly,
since the days of Washington"
The press of England is all but unani-
nous on this point The Daily Ners is in
harmony with the London Times and Morn
ing Post The sole discordant note in this
universal pean comes from the organ Of the
most ultra fanatical party, which, like Mr..
Whalley in the House of Commons, only
makes the all but unanimous opinion more
evident
"And this, now that interest and passion
are laid aside, must be accepted like ver-
dict of posterity. II England has had one
predominant sentiment, it was the feeling for
emancipation. If England consulted her
interests or her fears, she would rejoice in
disunion, and dread whatever would tend to
restore the harmony and integrity of the
Great Republic. There is no doubt that
the plan of holding eleven States as Terrific
ries, with discontinued people held down
by military power, and ready at the first op-
portunity TO rise, in open insurrection, would
relieve England, France and Mexico from
any fear of America. But on the first inn
pulse, without consideration of possible fi-
tire consequences, public opinion has given
a generous and all but unanimous express
sion in favor of the Union policy of Presi-
dent johnson"