The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-08-25
TUESDAY, AUGUST 25, 1868.
Davis in England.

TIE files of the British newspapers contain
comments on the reception which was accorded
TO Jefferson Davis on his arrival at Liverpool,
and they differ widely in the views they take
of that occasion. The London Herald contains
an article which is one of the delightful John
Bullish productions, and which is eminently
calculated to exert the worst possible influence
ut time when it is of great consequence that
everything possible should be done to foster
friendly feeling between the two nations.
When we unite with the impolicy of the arti-
Gle an assurance that it savors decidedly of
the foolish, we give a correct idea of the views
of the Herald. 1t commences with 'feeling
surprise at the warm reception accorded to
Mr.. Davis" and goes on to explain this recep-
tion on the ground that the "heroes of au un-
fortunate cause are always popular with us,
especially when they have struggled and suf-
fered on behalf of people struggling for
national independence
1t then draws comparison between Davis
and Kossuth and Mazzini. "Kessuth fresh
from a Turkish detention and from the Hunga-
rian Rebellion, was greeted with enthusiastic
applause by every class of the community;
even Mazzini's name was popular until the
recollections of the gallant defense of Rome
were effaced by other and less honorable asso-
Citations. But no man could appeal more
strongly to English sympathies than Mr.. JEFF
ferson Davis" What sane man can find COM
parison between these heroes of freedom and
the arch Rebel of slavery They struggled to
raise mankind and give liberty to the op-
pressed. He strove to fetter, with forged
chains, race whose only wrong was its help
lessness. They battled to give freedom to
their fellows, and to advance to the doctrine Of
republican form of government. He entered
the field to overthrow republicanism and to
make slavery a perpetual institutional cor
ner-stone of his new nation. Between them
what similarity can be discovered, save both
fought against existing powers from different
causes and from different ends.
What are the reasons why English sym
pathies are given more strongly to Davis than
to others The Herald states them-"In the
first place, he represents a kindred people, a
nation of English blood and English speech
whose assertion Of their independence ,caS based
on principles thoroughly congenial to own.
Again, the Southern cause had peculiar hold
on our sympathies because it was, to begin
with, the cause of constitutional right and eSta-
6hShed law against the domination Of a mere nu-
7nericaI maj ority; and because it was the cause
of the weak against the strong, of eight mil
lions against twenty"
These, then, are the all-suffcient reasons;
and, given as they are, they form the most
complete index of the ignorance and the preju-
dice of the English people. Established law"
and "ConstitutiOn" on the side of the Rebel
lion They know nothing of our institutions,
except the peculiarly "congenial' one OF
slavery, and that by the confession of the
Herald is one with which the hearts Of Eng
lishmen accord. To do away with
the injurious effect of its tone, the
journal makes a discrimination insult
ing in its apology. 1t says, "We welcome
him not as the enemy of the United States,
but as the Chief of the Southern people,"
Where on the face of the earth can the Eng
llsh sympathizers find ''the Southern people ?"
We know of no such nation. Certainly not
on this continent. There are a number OF
subjects of the United States living in the
W1oAo OOISoA 40 pub Ho huUH vi
no fiction which can call them "Southern
people" 1t is folly for the Rebel synpa-
thizers across the water to talk as they do.
Their friends are subjugated, and we neither
fear their enmity nor court their friendship.
How infinitely more sensible and polite is
the course of the London Star, which, in an
article on the same subject censures the stu
pidity of its contemporaries, and administers
to them fitting rebuke. 1t wisely says:-
"Ata time ike the present, when the cold
ness that lately existed between this country
and the United States IS In a ialr way or giving
place TO a more kindly feeling, we Can conceive
of no more shameful Insult TO great nation
than a cheer in honor of a person in Mr.. Davis
position unless IL IS the assurance which fol
lows the words We nave quoted, to the effect
that the cheers are not to be taken as demon.
monsrat1on OF hostility TO the present Govern
ment of the United ates' We have blum
dered once with our precious 'symD 4thies;' for
Heavens sake let us not bunder second
time"
We are glad that somewhere in England Il
paper which is influenced by common sense
and sees rightly the absurdity and insulting
character OF the conduct OF the British people
to the defeated traitor, still under bonds.