The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1870-08-04

unanimous good wishes to the Spanish colonies
although our government preserved its neutral
ity. But none of the new republics, from Mex
leo southwards, have given US any reason to be
proud of our foresight. They have been inde
pendent for half a century, and during this
long period they have all been in a state Of
chronic anarchy.
The Greek Revolution was the next foreign
contest which deeply stirred public feeling in
this country. It occasioned some of the finest
coruscations of eloquence in our Congressional
debates but the subsequent history of Greece
has shown that we overaestimated the impor-
tance of the cause and the capacity and virtues
of the Greek people. That hallucination
quickly passed and there is at present no peo-
pie of Europe who awaken less admiration than
that pestiferous nest of brigands, the modern
Greeks.
After the Greek Revolution, there ensued in
Europe long period of peace, which was not
seriously broken until the republican uprisings
of 1848. The most remarkable of those move
ments was the overthrow of Louis Philippe and
the setting up of new French republic. The
sympathy of our people went of course with
the French republicans A resolution was Of
fered in the American Senate congratulating
the French people on the change; and on that
occasion Mr.. Calhoun made terse, cautious
speech deprecating the passage ofthe resolution
as premature until it was seen whether the new
republican institutions were likely to be per-
manent. Mr. Calhoun's wariness was fully
JUSTIFIED by the event. The second French
republic, like the first, was a short-lived
unsatisfactory experiment, terminating in i'm
perial despotism. The American sympathy
lavished on other parts of the revolution
ary movements of 1848 was equally pre-
mature and unreAecting. We went wild over
the cause of Hungary, and made a great hero
of Kossouth When we look back upon that
enthusiasm it seems like a transient frenzy.
Kossuth sneaked out of this country under an
assumed name, and led an obscure life in Lon
don and the Hungarian cause collapsed and
soon became as fiat uncorked soda-water. Mr.
Webster, who had written his celebrated Hulse-
mann letter as magnificent bid for the popu-
larty which attended the Hungarian cause, re-
ceived but small fraction of the votes of the
Wing Convention, and furnished new demon
stration that no political capital can be made
in this country by floating on transient popu-
lar sympathy with foreign bclligerent. That
kind of enthusiasm is so tiashy, and is so apt
to be put out of countenance by practical re-
suits over which Americans eau exert no con-
troll, that wary politician will be shy of plac-
ing any reliance on it. American sympathy
with the Roman revolution in 1S4S was i'll be-
slowed, as nobody now doubts that it retarded
and put back the progress of liberal ideas in
the Papal dominions. The lesson of all these
examples is, that while such sympathy may be
excusable, it cannot be turned to political ac-
count in our party struggles. In the Crimean
war, or sympathies were on the side of Russia,
but in the end Russia got badly whipped. Po-
litcal parties is this country have never gained
anything By taking stock in foreign quarrels.
The foolish attempt Of the Republican party
to utilize the present outburst OF German pa
triotism will prove no exception to the uniform
rule. Our German citizens see through and
despise it. Their enthusiasm is spontaneous
and genuine, and therefore respectable but the
attempt to raise Republican chorus is sheer
demagogism. The Germans are not absurd
enough TO expect our government to aid Prus-
sa; and they sec as clearly as we do that the
question cannot enter into American politics.
The grounds and probable results of the war
are proper enough subject for individual
opinion, but not for political action. Whether
pro-Prussian or pro-French sympathy is well
bestowed depends upon whether free and wise
government will be promoted in the country to
which we give onr good wishes-a question
which nobody can answer at this early stage Of
the uuarrel.-Mcw York World