The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1868-10-24

tut UHTy IN TUTTI HHu TUUTWNtTOnI they are BIm-
lar In those principles which are essential to
the preservation Of human liberty. The great
rights guaranteed by the Magma Charts OF per.
sonal security afforded by the great writ OF
habeds corpus, and all protected By the right Of
trial by jury, satisfy US that, through all time,
II we arc true to ourselves, our respectfv Q
Governments will last. They may, for a time,
be interrupted In their actual aspirations there
may be some error in some portion OF the
structure Of eachj but that we will correct.
We will be able to remove the nuisance with.
out defacing the shrine.
To the end, l speak It with all due conf.
denee with which all men can speak to an
end. We viii remain in unity. The unity OF
OF yours has never been seriously threatened,
and God grant 1t never may be.
To conclude, therefore, IN the words Of our
American poet
while the manners and the arts.
That mould the nations soul;
Still cling around our hearts,
Between, let ocean roll.
"0ur ioint communion, break ing with the sun.
The voice Of blood shall reach,
More audible than speech;
We are one "
out with applause, and vehemently cheered at
the close.
In reply to the toast, "Her Majesty's Minis.
ters," Lord Stanley said
Accept my warmest thanks for the high
honor you have paid me personally and my
colleagues In carrying on the executive bust.
sss Of If the fSe G9%ay nt hs the
the fact that 1t 10 on this occasion and In this
room necessarily Invested of all partisan sig
nilcance. We have all of US seen, l fancy,
within the last few weeks and shall see 10 the
few weeks coming, rough party politics.
Indeed, II all persons were to speak their
minds earnestly, l dare say many would say
they have already more than they care for.
The general principles on which the external
relations of the country are carried on, no
longer fall within the limit of political dis.
cussion. 1t is the settled principle of England
natiOn-the weakest as well as the strongest
as scrupulously as we maintain our own to
peace of England, and next to that, as far as
lies In our power, the peace Of Europe and the
civilized wOrld-to seek no narrow, no selfish,
no exclusive object; but to consider even our
material interests are indissolubly connected
with those of neighboring nations, who arc,
askance, our nelghbors, and our customers
and In points of honor, not too hastily or i'm
petuously resent any real or Imagined wrong,
but rather to willingly submit to the di,pas-
sionate arbitration of some competent trlbu-
nal, whatever claims we may have on Others
or claims others may think they have on us
These arc general rules OF conduct, which are
generally accepted by both great political par
ties dividing the country; which are equally
certain to be carried out by the Foreign Oflce,
whether that department remains in my hands
or passes into those OF the followers aud col
leagues of the eminent statesman who is en-
tertained with me as your guest tonight. 1t
would be happy day for England, for Europe,
and for the world when those ideas and irel-
ings which In this country pervAde every class
Of society-the desire for peace and for sbsti.
nence from aggressive policy and a respect of
national rights-when, / say, these shall lie
equally difused among the population Of those
great and growing nations OF the Continent
with whom we have many ties; and then, and
not TIL then, shall we see an end put to that
greatest drawback upon material progress,
that spot of scandal upon the civilization Of
Continental Europe.
mean the necessity, real or imaginary, for
those enormous military preparations which
have attained proportions never approached
before, which Cypress with taxation, depress
the futures; which Introduce In a time OF peace
a social condition only one degree removed
from war, md which, II the system Ia to last
for two or three generations, can only end in
one Of two results-either equally unsatisfac-
tory-yiz: financial ruin, or those who are In
debt must continue to pay. What is to be
done to supply that which seems great waste
OF time, namely,a greater degree Of mutual
confidence between the various great Powers
| must say frankly II Is question that l can
not answer. He who solves the problem will
he a greater benefactor to humanity than this
generation has seen.
1t Is something, Ihowever, to point out
where the evil lies, even II you cannot point to
suppose that two nations are determined TO
fight they can be prevented by the interposi-
tton OF any one else, yet, in nine Quarrels out
OF ten, If dealt with early, much may be done
toward stopping them by a frank Intervention
OF neutrals who have no interest except for
peace. We have lately been disturbed by ru.
mora Of European wars. l cannot say that
these remarks are without meaning or justih-
cation in facts bnt will Ray, that since | have
had to do with foreign Aifairs, there has been
tendency, not only In England, but through.
out Europe, to cNaggeTate the danger OF the
situation, and to take the gloomiest possible
view of things. This 10 = mistake; not only
because II is unpleasant, but because it is apt
! cannot predict. The same facts arc before
ALL cannot say that the future Is without
a cause OF uneasiness or anxiety but will
7 say this: Having some means OF knowing,
DO not believe that there are statesmen in any
cabinet of Europe who view the prospect Of
general war otherwise than with aversion.
able or probable; but without being sanguine,
there 10 some reason to hope that which ever.
body deprecatss wiz not happen. ,
or too much of European affairs, and may ask
why say nothing about America. My reason
is this; that subject has been pretty well taken
out of my hands.
Our esteemed guest, who has, 1t seems to
me, on hasty computation, made a good
many more personal friends In England than
he has passed days, and whom, II may say 1t
to his face, 1t Is q pleasure to do business, has
told you clearly and infinitely OF the relations
between England and America.
Ne has stated with perfect accuracy that
beon, will not say absolutely and fully dis.
posed OF, because that would, under the cir
cumstAncos,, be impossible; but so far dealt
with by mutual agreement, that II the Ameri-
can Government should ratify the acts OF its
Envoy, of which there 0an be no reasonable
doubt there is hardly any possibility Of din.
Guilty arising upon them.
With regard to the last, and no doubt, great
est question, as to claims arising out OF the
late war, am not in position to say any
thing, more than that we have on both sides,
approached the subject with an earnest desire
to find \ satisfactory solution, and think
there 10 on both sides, l will not say conf.
hat the solution may not be far off.
lam not going to make you speech on the
subject of the relations which ought to exist
between the two countries. ] say nothing of
our common language, literature, and origin
which would he all true, but would lack the
charm OF novelty. We may at this time OF
day take them for granted. This, also, take
sides OF the Atlantic 1t 10 our duty as friends
and kinsmen-lt Is the will of All enormous
majority to be friends. As two cOmmercla Al
countries conducting gigantic business with
each other aud meaning to make that bust
ness greater before we are done, 1t IL very de-
cidedly our interest TO be friends. That is =
strong combination of motives. When mems
principles, feelings, and interests all pull one
way It would take very strong disturbing
adverse Influence to overcome such induce
ments TO remain on good terms.
For myself, do not think 1t ought to be
denied that after the close OF the late civil
war In the United States there did exist CON
siderable irritation against England-whether
reasonable or not 1t Ia not our business to dis
cuss-I may affirm certainly two things: First,
that the feeling, whatever Its extent may have
been, was never Teciprocatcd on this side OF
the wateri and next that 1t is yearly, may
say almost monthly diminishing In Americs
never like to look forward confidently to
the futures but II II should happen within the
next few weeks that the American Minister
and | should have an opportunity of settling