Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1866-04-24
nv clodVtone IN American Affairs.

At a banquet given to Mr.. GLADsToNE in
Liverpool by the Liberal party, he devoted
much of his speech to America-for by common
consent abroad, the United States are so
called, as fthey comprised the whole of this
continent He said
About FIVE or six years ago. when the subject Of
Parliamentary reform was under discussion, II was
popular and fashionable practice to speak OF the in
stitptions of America as perfect failure and long
orations were delivered in the House Of Commons
setting forth all the particulars Of that failure, and
making use Of those institutions as a bugbesr to
terify and Brighten Us from proceeding in the path
Of our duty, to induce Us 70 withhold our confidence
from our cOuntrymen, and insist upon retaining the
narrow limits of the present constituency: lhear
hear.l What has taken place since that am not
going to deliver general lecture upon the civil war
in America above all, l am not going to bring for
ward any invdous distinctions, or any distinction
AZ ALL between section and another OF that great
community. For my part my earnest and devout
aspiration sand believe that is the aspiration and
desire Of Englishmen at large-for the welfare OF
that nation in every part and portion Of IT, whether
Il be white or black, North or South. Applause. ]
Neither am going to hold up American institutions
to be preferred TO our own. Hear, hesr.l But what
am going to do is this think It is our business as
men Of sense to draw lessons from the experience OF
mankind hear, hear and from the facts that come
under our view whether they be in despOtic coun-
tries or in constitutional countries, or in countries
republican or democratic. Hear, hear. And the
point which ask you 70 observe is this not the
comparative merits Of English or American institu-
tons, but this single and important point OF the
effect that has been produced in America by largely
extended popular franchises, by widely-spread pa
trotism on the part of the people in the choice OF
their governors, the wonderful unexampled and al
most Incredible effect that has been produced by that
system in giving fOrcible expression to the national
will and in enabling the Government to develop
energies for the purpose Of giving effect to that will
such as have probably never been developed in
equal times and among equal numbers of men since
the race Of men began upon the earth. Applause
Less than 80 900 900 Of people, do not speak ofthe
negro population, who can hardly be said to have
entered distinctly into the war, thankful as we may
be at the change has ultimately had upon their des
tines-20 900 in the majority and 6OOO,OOO in
the minority coming TO the bloody issue of war upon
a matter which upon the side and the other was
Justice requires us have, am bound to say, common
held vital by both, to admit, developed an amount
Of heroism power Of self-sacri6ce, hesr, hear an
energy a perseverance, fOrgetfulness OF every
personal interest an amount Of actual force aayed
and marshalled by the subjects in support OF their
chosen rulers such as know not where to seek for
IN the annals of the history Of the world. ApPlsuse
What l would say is, let US learn lessons where we
can, and among Others let Us learn them from our
brethren, the children of our loins in America.