The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1866-04-25
The New Element of Strength in the
Nation.

Governments in which the people
had little to say-that we're conducted
by few men-were recently considered
strong while those in which the many
had a voice, were regarded weak. The
Emperor of France thought the United
States had passed away, and therefore
set up an empire in Mexico One OBJ
iect was to be at hand when the spoils
of this continent were to be divided
the possessions of q weak Democracy
parceled out among despots who are
everywhere strong in this worlds af-
fairs At the same time the Emperor
was engaged upon his life of Cesar, and
introduced the dOctin of { esarism,
or the men of destiny are to be sought
to rule the people, and accepted as pc
litical sayiors; that power belongs to
but one man in a nation, and the only
trouble is in finding him. The Ameri
can war" as it is called abroad, has, in
its monstrous proportions and decisive
result, not only defeated the schemes
Of the Emperor of France in America,
but has discredited his iavorite idea in
Europe The question is raised and
debated in the shadow of the palaces
of the Kings, whether the Republican
form has not greater strength than the
Imperial system of government; and in
the great struggle in England for an
extension Of the right of suffrage, the
most striking illustrations by the ora~
tors Of the reform movement are drawn
from this country The British Chan
cellor of the EKchequer, IN addressing
Liberal Association very recently,
used this remarkable and memorable
language:
About FIVE or six years ago, when
the subject of parliamentary reform
was under discussion, it was popular
and fashionable practice 10 speak Of
the institutions Of America as perfect
failure, and long oratons were deliv-
cred in the House OF Commons setting
forth all the particulars of the failure,
and making use Of those institutions
as a bugbear to terFify and frighten us
from proceeding in the path of our
duty, to induce US to withhold our con-
fidence from our countrymen, and in
sist upon retaining the narrow limits of
the present constituency. Hear, hear
What has taken place since that2
am not going TO deliver q general lee
ture upon the civil war in America.
above all, ! sm not going 90 bring for
ward any invidious distinctions, or any
distinctions st all, between one section
and another of that great community.
For my part, my earnest and devout
aspiration is-aud ! believe that il is
the aspiration and desire Of English
men az large-for the welfare Of the
nation in every part and portion of il,
whether it be white or black, North or
South. Applause Neither am
going to hold up American institutions
as institutions to be preferred 10 our
own. Hear, hear But Whist / am
going 70 do is this / think il is our
business, as men of sense, TO draw les.
sons from the experience of mankind
hear, hear, and from the facts that
come under our view, whether they be
in despCtic countries or in constitu-
Gonal countries, or in countries repub-
llcau OF democrats. Hear, hear.
And the point which / ask YOU TO
observe is this-not the comparative
merits Of English or American insti.
buttons, but tbs single and impor.
tant point, of the effect that has been
produced in America by largely ex-
tended popular franchises, by a widely
spread participation on the part of the
people in the choice Of their governors,
the wonderful, unexampled. aud al
most incredible effect that has been
produced by the system in giving forci- |
bic expression 10 the national will. and /
IN enabling the government to deyelop /
energies for the purpose OF giving ef /
feet 70 that will, sucS as have probably /
never been developed in equal times /
and amongst equal numbers of men /
since the race Of men began upon the /
earth. Applause Lees than 80 600. (
600 Of people, DO not sneak of the /
negro population, who can hardly be i
said to have entered distinctly into the 4
war, thankful as we may be at the
change 1t hiss ultimately had upon their
destinies-200 00o00 in the majority
and 6000 eco minority, coming to the I
bloody issue Of war upon matter
which, upon the one side and the
other, was held vital by both, have, 1
an bound to say, common Justice re-
quires US 10 admit, developed an amount
Of heroism, = power of selfsacrifce.
bear, hear an energy, = perseverance,,
= forgetfulness Of every personal inter
est, an amount Of actual force arrayed
and marshaled by the subjects in sup
port Of their chosen rulers, such as /
know not where 20 seek for in the an.
nAls Of the history Of the world. TAP
plause What ! would say is. let Us
learn lessons where we can, and |
amongst others, LET US learn them from |
'ur brethren, the children Of our loins
n America. II