New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1866-07-27
THE TORY MINISTRY AND THE UNITED
STATES,

The Americans are paying the penalties OF great
success, one of which is to be overwhelmed with
hatery and kind attentions. Everybody thinks well
Of us now; everybody has a good word for us at
present. Our form of government has passed safely
through the crucial test of ciy war, that most ter
rble of strains upon the body polite. We have sue
ceeded in putting down gigantic rebellion which
aimed at breaking up the Union. We have yindi-
Gated popular government in the last extremity. We
have shown OF what great things the people are ca
pablo when the sacred interests of liberty, intrusted
to their custody, imperiled through the secret
plottngs the open violence Of traitors. Nowonder
them that America should be spoken of everywhere in
terms of respectful admiration and in some cases in
language Of glowing eulogy.
And yet we are free to confess, rather taken
aback at what hear in certain quarters. That
those who proved our warm and steadtast friends in
the dark hour of trial and agony, who from an in
tellgent appreciation of the great issues involved in
the conflict sympathzed with US throughout deplor-
ing our reyerses, rejoicing in victories, and joining
with us in the exultation of final and complete
triumph-that these should sound our praises now
seems but natural and proper That those, too, who,
if they had no good word to say for US, had no evil
word to say of US, should join in congratula-
tons, is nothing surprising. But there are Others
whom We hardly expected to find making
haste to do homage to the United States.
We can understand the change that has
taken place in The London Times when dealing
with American matters. Where there is the most
complete ilnpersonaty combined with the most
thorough selshness, it were vain to look for either
conscience or the sense of shame. But that the lead
ing members of Tory Cabinet should, upon their ac-
cesson to Office speak of this country in such terms
as have been just employed by Lord Derby Mr.. Dis
rae and Lord Stany, docs stagger US somewhat.
Why, Lord Derby not long after the outbreak Of tho
war; and before the North had begun to retrieve the
disasters which befe its forces at the first in a speech
which he delivered at Liverpool, spoke exultingy of
the downfall of the Republic, as ahordng convincing
proof Of the instability of democratic institutions.
How the Tory party in England believed that the
bubble" had burst and how they scarcely concealed
their joy at the supposed collapse, are matters of
history. How different their tone at present! They
have discovered that there is "real efficiency and
power'-to quote the words Of Mr.. DSraeli-'in our
form Of governments" and if We are to believe what
Lord Derby and Lord Stanly haye said OF US in their
official speeches. the most earnest desire Of their hearts
is Ito cultivate frank and friendly understanding
with the United States" so be it, In the interests
of humanity and of civilization it is a first necessity
that peace should prevail between America AMI En-
gland But ii will be as well for the American peopl
to bear in mind who are their true friends in England
1t may suit the Tories to bespatter us with their
praises now but We ought not to forget the attitude
they assumed toward US while We were passing