The Portland daily press., 1867-07-27
An international Party.

| ~ 'hS 'iie vi CODuen > ueotH tne richeh
foreign minister, Drouyn lie pHuys in a letter
OF coincidence to the English people, spoke of
him as "an International man." That is
more flattering designation than any other
man moving in strictly political sphere, as
| Golden did, ever received. Very little of
philanthropy and universal benevolence usual
ly creep into pOlitics,-least of all into the in
| sular, cold-blOoded politics of Great Britain.
If a man can look beyond himself and estab-
lish the relation of friendship with another, il
is something; he can take long step for
word and subordinate the interests of himself
and his friends to those OF his country, 1t is
much. But even friendship and patriotism
ale relatively narrow when compared with
| that grand cosmopolitan spirit whose great
devotion to the human race does not feel the
influence of geographical lines, but crosses
the equator in triumph and is alive in all its
power in the tropics or in Northern climes
| 1t is equally at home in New York, in Paris
and in Samarcand. 1t Is blind to the hues of
party-colored maps, and perceives not where
the tred OF faherland fades into the blue of
alien territory. Nor has ethnology, that new
science.which conservatism has called to the
aid of its waning influence, any greater pow
er to destroy its vitality. 1t cares not for the
quality of mans Lones, blood, hair or cuti-
Gle; it is indifferent to facial angles, or cranial
conformations; it finds the man wherever 1t
finds the soul, all else being accidental. Cic
eros maxim, The mind of each one is the
man" is accepted as sound philosophy.
Each year sees wider development of this
benign spirit. The Liberals of Europe possess
it apparently in greater measure than any of
our own citizens The allobserving eye of
their benevolence looks quite round the world,
and no cause having in it the germs of good |
to the race wants the inspiration of their |
voice No form of wrong or oppression can |
bury itself in lands so remote as 10 escape |
their rebuke. John Stuart Mill in the midst |
the workingmen of England, sees across the
Atlantic and across the prairies the first ear
nest contest for the rights of women, and lends |
the influence of his great name to the cause. |
He does so, too, with as much fervor as if he
were engaged in a canvass in which his scat
in the House of Commons was at stake. Vic
tor Hugo, who more than any man living de-
serves the word crown that his countrynan
gave to Golden, sees that the Mexican Repub-
lie is about to signalize its triumph by she'd
ding the blood of its enemies, and he inter-
poses his inspired pen between the Austrian
prince and his butchers. AS Maximilian was
prince he hated him, but as man he loved |
and would have saved him. As Juarez was a |
republican and patriot be admired and ap- |
plauded him, but as murderer he gave him |
no sympathy. Garibaldi, fighting always for
italian unity, had time nevertheless to ad-
dress himself ITO Abraham Lincoln, the |
Emancipator."
Only few Liberals on this side of the At
lantic possess wide sympathes as their Eu-
ropean brethren. The reason is plain
Here free institutions are already established. |
and TO defend and perfect them engrosses the
attention of all grea. minds. There is an in
stinctive feeling that more can be effected for
the cause of liberty by securing its complete
triumph in single instance than by making
a more general effort on wider field. So it
happens that some of our fercest Radicals are
the wors. possible Liberals. They illustrate
the theory that "action narrows and thought
expands" They hate not only foreign insti-
tutions but foreign peoples. What shall we
say of the Senator who proposed to seize |
Canada as a satisfaction for the Alabama |
claims? The European Liberals, on the 9TH |
er hand, being restrained by the Governments |
of their respective countries from realizing
any oftheir theories, are free to devote them.
selves to in a more general way to the cause
of human rights. They are the true citizens
OF the world. But their efforts are by no
means fruitless, though, from the nature of |
the case, necessarily lacking concentration.-I
Who can doubt that the monarchs of the Old
World would have made vigorous efforts to
overthrow the great Republic whose iniu-
ence shakes their theories, but for the re-
straint imposed upon them by the revolution |
ary spirit at home? The services of these
men in our own behalf merit grateful recog-
milton. They are close students Of American
politics and fully understand the views and
purposes of American parties. They have
rendered US invaluable assistance by vindi-
eating our character and our acts while others
have sneered and Knocked. After some years
they or their successors are sure to become
the dominant power in their own States, and
then, ifthe present cordial relations are cher
ished, individuals need no longer be wronged
by oppression or nations outraged by war.