The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-05-29
MIR. MOTLEY IN ENGLAND.

From the N. Y. World.
1t is recorded of a certain captain eminent in
the Jewish history that he took aside his formid-
aOle rival under some friendly pretext into the
shadow of wall and that having got him
there and asking him, ''Art thou in health, my
brOtherE he at the same time ''smote him under
the fifth rib" We do not know-and we shall
not, therefore, even so much suggest-that
the example of Joab was in the minds of the
Liverpool Chamber of Commerce when they
voted on Wednesday an address of welcome to
Mr.. Motley, the new American Minister But
we do very strongly suspect that, If Mr. Motley
accepts their address, and responds to it. he will
fare almost badly as did Abner in his inter
view with his treacherOus rival.
Liverpool has been sometimes said TO be n
half American city 1t is so in the sense that
\ its interests are extensively interviewer with
Z those of this country as to make its inhabitants
and particularly its leading merchants and ship
pers, anxious above most other Englshmen for
the preservation of quiet and friendly relations
between the United Kingdom and the United
States. During the late civil war, Liverpool
naturally found herself somewhat in the condl-
tion of the fabled ass between the two bundles
of hay. Her trade with the North drew her in
one direction; her connections with the South.
as the first cotton mart of the Old World, drew
her in the other This exceptional situation
relatively to American affairs made then and
now makes it quite unsafe to accept her public
action upon American questions as a trustworthy
indication of the general drift and current of
British feeling. 1t is altogether probable we
fear that the address which her Chamber of
Commerce is now reported to have prepared
against the coming of Mr.. Motley will be couched
in tone very different from the tone which Mr..
Motley will be called upon to meet to appre-
ciate, and to pitch his own utterances upon when
he reaches the British capital and comes into
relations with the general public feeling and the
authoritative policy of the kingdom. This in
ordinary times with another representative
of the United States than Mr.. Motley, might be
matter of little moment. 1t is true happily
of most addresses and of the replies to most ad-
dresses of this kind, as Mr.. Layard's Eastern
Cadi said it was of correspondence in general,
that ''the speaker is one and the hearer another
and there is no harm done." But Mr.. Motley
will arrive in England at moment when
the really serious and influential public
opinion of England-the opinion which finds
only partial expression in the public press but
which always eXerts decisive authority over
the attitude and the policy of a British
administration profoundly and unusually
eXasperated on the subject of British relations
with America. The better classes of English
men who busy themselves with political affairs
whether as actors or as critics merely are no
doubt ere this well satisfied that Mr.. Sum-
ners foolish and rhodomontading speech no
more really represents the deliberate policy
of the American Senate than Mr.. Chandlers
incoherent rawlings But Mr. Motley is known
by them, also, to be the personal and poll
tical friend of Mr.. Summer. His appoint
ment has been as carefully canyassed in
Great Britain in this country, The posi-
ton in. which he stands, relatively, to Presi-
r..
Sumner, and to the Radical party, is quite as
well understood by the few people in England
by whom it is most important that such matters
should be understood, as it is by the best in
formed persons at home. 1t is certain, therefore,
that any expressions of opinion which Mr.. Mot
ley may be seduced into allowing himself to
make on his arrival in England will be sharply
and closely scrutinized, and that any color of
reason which he may give, or seem to give, to
the notion that Mr. Summers speech substan-
TALLY uttered the secret views and wishes of
President Grant will act most fOrcibly and most
unfavorably upon the British mind.
If Mr.. Motley were an accomplished publicist
or politician familiar with the springs of pub
lie feeling, or merely trained and skilful dplo-
matist there would be little reason to anticipate
his stumbling into any trap set for him by
friendly or by hostile hands. But he is none of
these things. Going out as he goes, witho ut
specific instructions from his Government, he is
exposed to the temptation which person of his
temperament and habits, both of life and mind,
will find it very hard to resist-of giving himself
at least the air of intending to do something.
His personal opinions in regard to England S
liability to this country for her conduct during
the war are believed and upon no inadequate
authority to be little less moulded upon any
recognized principles of international law and
political morality than those OF Mr.. Sum
ner himself. Those who remember very
hasty, inaccurate, ill-advised, and passion
ate letter which he sent to the London
Times early in 1861, and at time when hC
was proceeding to Vienna on his first diplo
matlc mission, Will not De quite lJ ease IN tnell
minds as to the work which he may see fit to sci
- himself to do in mission which he enters upon
with no definite plan or authentic purpose. And
it is much to be feared that q Liverpool address
intimating the wish of Liverpool to see the eX
isting difficulties adjusted by concessions an(
: compensations on the part of England, may
strike just the one particular chord in Mr. Mot
ley's nature which it is most desirable for tn
success of his mission should be left unstirred
To have the American people assured by the
Atlantic cable that their new envoy has begun
at once to undo the mischief done by his to-
pacable and amiable predecessor, that he ha
entered England as a prophet calling her t.
repentance and to restitution, would assuredl
afford the most agreeable sensations to perso
of Mr.. Motleys peculiar constitution.
Such a debut would be sadly likely to chec
the movement which is already on foot anon
+ certain section of English politicians toward
M a calm and practical reconsideration of the RET
~ limits and requirements of Englands duty
- America on this question. This would be
misfortune almost grave enough to be called
calamity We can only trust that by SON
q benign influence of the Angel of Silence, whethC
transmitted through the Atlantic cable frol
Washington or impressed upon him in I'll
watches of night and of the sea on his on
"A ward way our new Envoy may be preserve
from the peril which has been prepared Tor Inn
and for the grave interests confded TO him, I
the GOOD people of Liverpool.