The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-11-06
A Representative EngIishmau.

we agree with them or not; for Roebuok Is
honest He says what he thinks, aud he
thinks what he says. There is not aud never
has been any beating about the bush
with Roebuck, but he has openly declared
himself the enemy OF the United States, aud
when the Rebellion of the slave States threat
ened the disruption of the Union he earnestly
desired the English Government to strike
decisive blow, which would forever ami
hilate the power OF a formidable rival,
The unmanly and ungenerous policy
advocated by Rpebuck was peculiarly
English, but then Roebuck is repre-.
sentative Englishman, and his send-
ments towards the American Union are those
Of large proportion of his countrymeu. The
PAlmerstons and tho Russells of the day, less
honest and less courageous but equally bitter
in their feelings with Roebuok we're afraid to
take the decisive step which he advised as
necessary for the maintenance Of British sl-
premacy; and they allowed their sympsthe,
with the cause of secession to ind ex pres sion
in the recognition of the Rebels as beligerents,
by permitting the escape of the Alabama and
other vessels to prey upon American COM
merce, and by giving all the oountenance and
support to jeff. Davis and his contederates that
they were able without producing an actual
rupture with the great Republic Of the West,
which they feared even 10 the hour when it
appeared most likely to disappear from among
the great nations of the earth.
On the 10Th of October Mr.. Roebuok made
aspeech to the workmen of Messrs. Rogers &
Sons, Of Sheffield, in which he explained his
course towards the United States and the
policy which he advocated during the progress
of the slaveholdsr's rebellion. Mr.. Roebuck
said his belief was that the American people
by and-by will be so numerous that they will
be all-powerful among mankind. He had
always found that persons of uncontrolled
power do not use that power as they ought to
! do-Mr. Roebuck hls numerous examples in
| English history upon which to found this
opipion-and his obj ct was to prevent the
United States frem having that imm snse un-
controlled power. When the Reb. broke
out he said, "Aere is the opportunity. We can
take it in perfect Safhy."-How very British
this is He did not believe that war woul l
have followed, but by the recognition
of the Confederate Government the
blockade of the Southern ports
would have been raised, the civil war would
have been brought to al end, aud the United
States would have been divided into number
of independent nations-very much, as Mr.
Roebuek believes, to the benefit of mankind,
the States themselves, and England in par
ticular. This was Roebuck s programme, and
it was the programme that the Tory Govern
ment of Engl and would have been pleased tC
follow if it had dared. Mr. Roebuck, in hi:
speech, related the following story, which i:
interesting and suggestive, so We give it in hi,
own words:-
After that meeting in Paradise Square wen
| Dack TO London, aud in day or tvs IT was tbs
| necessity Of the case-for membs sr OF Parlia
ment there 10 often that necessIty-to wait uoon
meisiop. The moment got into his room-he
was stsnding writing AT ms desk, as he always
6ldZbe turned roqod and put out both his
haDds, and salu, "Roeouck, Roebuck, wlat "
SAID. My !o.d, am greatly obliged d to va You
about my speecb;" though IL was rather nara
one you know; L feel very much hattere l."
| your opinion, but dare not officially say So
| Now, IL struck me. according to the old woman g
should say to me, opsnly ana without Disguise
that he was entirely or my opinion. and led the
| pSOpIS Ol England ulr GUY tno opposite way,
That, said l, Is modern political morality.
Mr.. Roebuck declared that he had no idea OF
creating a war with the United States, that
from his youth up he had been an opponent
of slavery, and that no sympathy with the
slave power influenced him in the line OF
policy which he advocated; but that he
thought the dismemberment of the United
States would be for the benefit OF mankind.
Here we think that Roebuck is not quite
honest; for "mankind" substitute "England'
or English aristocracy," and we will have
his exact meaning. We contend that this
man ROebuck, an open, undisguised, and
plain-spoken enemy, is better entitled to the
respect Of the American people than are those
other EDglishmen who did all they could tc
embarrass US during the Rebellion, while they
professed friendship and sympathy for oul
misfortunes. We do not owe Roebuok any
love, however, and to do him justice, he does
not ask it; but is it not an insult to the
American people that their ofa,ial repre-
sentative in England should spend
his time in dining aud wining and hand-shak
ing with such fellows These men would
have destroyed Us when they thought they
had an opportunity, only they were not per
fectly sure that our hands were so full of tn,
business in which we were engaged that /
would be safe for them to make the attem pt
and Roebuck's story let's the cat out of tn
bag SO far as the English Ministr.