The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-11-23
MONDAY, NOVEMBER %, 1868.


been subjected, that all doubts In regard to
the perpetuity Of republcanism should be
forever dismissed. No man who comprehend5
what the citizens OF the United States have
suffered and achieved during the last eight
years can honestly question the capacity of
the American people fer selfgOvernment.
Compelled to grapple suddenly with the most
momentous issues, they have decided bravely
and wisely, despite innumersble appeals to
their baser instincts, to their fears their sordid
interests, their dread of death, aud their pride
OF race. Left free as the winds to declare for
war or peace, and for taxation or reputation,
they have voluntarily chosen the nobler part,
disdaining present ease and safety at the
price OF national disintegration and dishonor,
and in spite of partial mistakes they have
substantially achieved the great ends at
which they aimed, and nobly atoned for
the error of making Andrew Johnson Vice
President in 1864 by choosing as President in
1868 the foremost soldier of the age, aud the
man whose pre-eminent fitness to administer
the Government is universally recognized.
Other nations have scarcely yet ventured to
grapple with the problems we have long since
solved, and few would dare to submit their in
stitutions to the scrutiny which perpetually
awaits American laws and constitutions.
England trying, for the FIRST time, an
electoral system that approaches universal
suffrage. 1t is hedged round, however, with
restrictions which would not be tolerated in
this country for o moment. Although the
oli has Iu
duced, it still exists in modified form, which
will exclude considerable number of persons
Of the legal age. All voting, too, is still viva
Uoce, John Bright's efforts to establish the
American system Of voting by ballot having
proved fruitless. AS every tenant must
openly disclose his preferences in the presence
of his landlord, free suffrage becomes impossi-
BILE, as landowners exercise potent influence
over the occupants oftheir domains SuHrageis is
not only restricted in regard to the number of
persons who exercise it, and the mode of
voting, but also in regard to the officers to be
elected. Here every important public officer
is chosen by the people. There, only members
of the House of Commons are voted for, and a
hereditary monarch and hereditary House Of
Lords may interpose many obstacles to the
triumph of the will of the majority after it is
Constitutionally expressed. And Yet, with the
single exception of Switzerland, Great Britain
possesses the most liberal Government in the
Old World; and continental mOnarchs are as
much afraid of the establishment of the Eng
lish system within their dominions as the
English aristocracy are of the establishment of
repubioanism in Great Britain. In France,
Napoleon tolerates universal suffrage subject
to police and military supervision, but he con-
verts this privilege into a mockery by pro
hibiting free discussions Of public affairs. He
has recently issued the outrageous edict
that no newspaper shall be permitted to print
articles relating to the extent of his constitu-
tional power. Theoretically, despotism could
20 no further; and if the people are never to be
warned when their rights are invaded, and the
right of Napoleon to exercise his own sweet
will to an unlimited extent is never to be
questioned, there can be no intelligent or u se-
full expression of public sentiment at the polls
France, with all her mighty energies, Is held
in the iron grasp of an imperial and imperious
master, and the golden opportunities which
her citizens have enjoyed at different periods
to realize their aspirations for liberty have all
been wasted. Spain is now in the throes of new
revelation, and although she has banished her
profigate queen, it is scarcely probable that
the throne will long remain vacant. Already
it is eagerly sought by the representatives of
other Spanish dynasties, and the best hope of
the people seems to be that a constitutional
monarchy will be established, and that a few
important reformations will be effected. While
the King Of Prussia has practically enlarged his
boundaries, his triumph was achieved by a
most audaoiOus defiance of the action OF the
Prussisn Chambers and fagrant violation OF
the constitution. The Austrian monarch is
taking his first lessons in constitutional mo-
narchy as penance for the blunders which
eventuated in the mortiiying defeats of Aus
trian power at Solferino and Sadowa. Russia
and Turkey do not even pretend to possess
any higher type of government than despo-
tism pure and simple. South America is the
perpetual victim of warning factions or crushing
despotism. In Asia and Africa even the rudi-
ments of free government are practically uu-
known. In this country alone does the gov
ernment of the people for the people prevail
on an extensive scale, and the nation can
proudly point to the result of the experiment
here instituted as noble ana complete vindi
cation Of its wisdom.
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"Let Us Have Peace"
TaE Pennsylvania Peace Society held theil