The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-09-17
Mr.. Johnson and Mr.. Roebuck.

Mr.. JOHNSON no doubt painluAiy i'
not to say rude in his dispraise OF the "'-
vernment of America. In reading NIX
JoHNsoS's speech no true American o'n
fail to be mortified and to deplore MS ap-
pointrnent to the important mission TO Eng.
land. MACBETH said that his wife "shoula
have died hereafter" but Mr. JOHNSON
,o,;,;ca1 life should have wound up ut some
time heretofore. He "lags superfuous Oh
the stage" We have never known our
country to be placed in q more humihating
position abroad by any representative than
il has been by Mr.. JOHNSON.
Mr.. JOHNSON surpassed any predecessor
in beslavering the English. He deplored
recent differences thanked COP that they
were ended; declared that England and
the United States must be one and indivisi-
BILE; and that "Nature, by her mountain,
"and her river, and her ocean, has pro-
claimed to US that we must be one"
Exactly how this proclamation was ever
proclaimed by the rivers, &C., we do not
know. These proclamationists generally
mark the metes and bounds Of nations; and
in our case, had it not been that the ocean
was between the provinces and the mother
country, the revolution would have been
crushed so that we are absolutely lndeoted
to the ocean for fguratively declaring Us
twaini Mr.. JoHNsoS's bounding hear'-
bounding to pour the voice of tattery INTO
English ears, wanted to adorn II Win
poetic thoughts; and so he dragged IN 'he
great features of nature for this purpose
But surely they did not CONSENT ana are
no, parties to the humiliation. 1t was
bit of sounding nothing.
But Mr.. JOHNSON proposed partnership
between the English and Americans. Like
q poor relation, he was eager to es'aol'sh
relationship, and gloated over family resem-
blances. "Our political institutions are
alike vours; they are fashioned from
yours, and in their foundation lies deep
"and never-dying attachment OF human
CELEBRITY" said the venerable ambassador
and for the truth of it ali see Ireland and
the southern States Of this Union EleVa-
ting himself by the association, he burst
forth riumphantly, " In our hand-I mean
sin our joint hand-that liberty will live
" forever" Poor Liberty" could you
not find better protectors in this wide
world
An American Minister who had thus
lulnbled himself and country very
naturally would, as Mr.. JOHNSON did,
eudeavor to conciliate even the Eng
lish fanatical philanthropy by de-
uouncing slavery and rejoicing in its
abolition. A proper pride of a vigorous
mind would have scorned to cater to those
interme ddlers, even though possessed By an
Abolitionist. But Mr.. JOHNSON was not
thinking of his national pride-he was only
trying to make good impression on his
hearers by hattering their vanity in oil its
phases.
As Mr.. JOHNSON had gone so far in lay
ing before the people he so much admired
the household affairs of his own country,
he had to 60 even into the future, and tell
them that whichever Of the candidates for
the Presidency in this country might be
elected would be found to be friend OF
England" Most grateful and obliging as
surance! The English must have been
overjoyed at and must have admired the
high sense of propriety of the man who
made it! "Friend of England -" What
business has the President of the United
States to be the friend of anybody FRO
perly. he is the representative Chief Magis-
trate of the Union, taking care OF Its
foreign relations, having no respect to per-
sons, melting out equal justice to all, and
demanding what is right of all, without
in any sense favoring any. Friend OF
England, indeed! The President has no
right officially to sentiments OF favorites.
He is no king yet awhile.
Mr.. JOHNSON praised everything Eng
lish-the cutlery, especially the Sheffield
RACERS, and acknowledged the superiority
of the English steel fabrics. Finally he
claimed very friendly relations with
Lord WHARNCLIFFE," whose father mad
been his guest. Mr.. JOHNSON has certainly
carried his friendly relations to o most
lordly height!
Mr.. RoEBUcK responded to the toast to
the House of Commons, and just while get
ting under weigh, in the archest manner
possible expressed the opinion that in the
hands of the American Minister "there
"will be no paltering aoith interests, no
sham expressions Of grandeur on the one
side, or of huneblensss on the other" II
this were not meant for keenest irony, it
is most unfortunate that Mr.. JOHNSON pre-
coded Mr.. RoEBUCK.
After few more remarks, Mr.. RoEBuCE
said he might stop just there if he were pru-
dent: but " am not a prudent man." said
he, and as everybody knows. He went on
to speak of the change in England by which
the government Of that country had been
placed Sin the hands Of the working
classes" This had also been done in
America, in which the circumstances had
been more favorable than in England, be-
cause Of the almost boundless power
(which it possesses of giving grants Of land
''to all Corners, which We 1.-THE English)
shave not but more unfavorable because
"there is poured into America tide of
corruption, q peculiar torrent of almost