The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1866-09-27

One of the most astonishing evidences of
the convincing power of success which we
recollect to have seen, is afforded by an article
in the last received number OF Blackwood's
Magazine Ofall those English Tory writers
who have been accustomed to amuse them
selves and their readers by contemptuous and
unkind Misrepresentation of the conduct,
manners and principles of the American peo-
pie, none have been more conspicuous for I'M
pertinence and reckless disregard OF truth
than the writer in the above magazine who
chooses to call himself Cornelius oDowu'
Yet even Cornelius is converted by the unah-
swerable logic of success. The suppression Oh
the rebellion convinced him that the United
States must be considered great power"
nd so simple and matter-of-course an exhi-
hilton of GOOD faith as the execution Of the
neutrality laws against few hundred Feni-
ans has shown him that they are also a pow
er which may be trusted In an article en-.
titled america as an Ally" ODowd turns
one OF the most surprising somersaults which
we have yet seen, though it must be acknowl-
edged that the history of political parties in
this country has not left us without instances
OF very sudden and rapid "change of base.'-
The article IN question commences by strong
ly deprecating the bad habit into which the
writer says the English and Americans, bur
more especially the former, have fallen OF ridi-
culing and deriding each other for certain ma
tional peculiarities, and deplores the "small
chickering's and petty animosities" which have
separated two peoples that ought to be well
and heartily affected to each other. "Not en-
tirely," he says, without some sins of the
kind on my own conscience, 1 recognize what
mischief mere petulent and snappish remarks
on national traits have done to the good m-
derstanding between America and ourselves
He is free to admit also, that there have been
on England's part, more serious causes OF Of
fence than mere impertinence, and referring
to the disagreeable matter of the Alabamas
and the Shenandoahs, he expresses the opin-
ion that the pendining claims should quickly
be settled in a spirit that will show America
1--WE are not insensible to the value of her
friendship, or the force other example"
But In truth 1t is not alone the now evident
power of the United States which makes
O'Dowd and his fellow tories SO suddenly en-
ulous as to which shall out do the other in ci-
Witty and professions of goodwill. Recent
events on the continent of Europe, have been
to them like the handwriting on the wall,
telling them that the power they have so long
welded in the world is waning. Our writer
is quite frank in his admissions as to the
source of his enlightenment. He says
IF it should be said, whence comes this new
ardor of Cornelius O'Dowd for our American
cousins? How has this new light broken in
upon him? Has the condition of Europe, the
threatening attitude of France, the character of
the man who rules now, nothing to say to this
sudden and strange conversion? And my an
swer is, 1t is precisely out of those causes that
see the necessity of England having one ally,
who is above being subsidized but not above
being esteemed. 1t is because out OF the pres
emit commissions may come war in which
France, strengthening herself by the most pow
erful OF the Late combatants, may think fit to
commence that work of revisal of the treaties
of 10, which she has 80 significantly limited at
and whose formation she well knows was in
the main the work of England. 1t is because
see this, and that see besides, zoe haze neither
true friend nor aoell-ioisher on the continent of
S"cPe, Wouiu uraW close 10 tnoSe VINO, once
our narrow squabbles are forgotten, could not
but regard the old country with affection, and
would never stand coldly by and see her assail-
ed by overwhelming odds, or crushed beneath
the united forces ofdespotism.
In short, Cornelius breads that the time
may come when the British lion will need
the protection Of the American eagle, and he
sees the propriety of making some efforts to
secure the friendship Of the latter before it is
too late. Indications of this kind from
source hitherto SO persistently hostile, are GER
tainly gratifying to our national pride as well
as to our sense of justice. But the revolu-
''ons tiine pfines aDors are muean wtr,,r,, f,,,.
ana there is no logic so convincing as the log
ic of success. 20