The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-10-24
THOMAS HUGHES


From the N r Tribune
Mr.. Thomas Hughes, who spoke his first |
and farewell word to New York public Friday |
night, and who left us in Saturdays steamer, |
has been more cordially welcomed in this
country than any other Englishman could be
with the single exception of John Bright.
We had learned to regard him as a close |
friepd years ago. The book which first
brought him into notice touched chord in
all manly hearts, and awakened q sentiment |
of personal regard of the readers for the
writer which is one of the rarest aud most
precious of all the rewards of literary success.
When Mr.. Hughes entered public life, it was
no surprise to us to find him as liberal,
honest, and straightforward in his politics as
he was in his books-as we knew he must be,
too, in all his personal relations. When our
civil war drew the lines sharply between the
true and the false friends of liberty and
national progress, it was no more than we
expected that he should take a bold stand
upon our side, and appreciate the justice
of our cause and the deep interest which
humanity had in our success. We have
not forgotten how inoessantly he worked
for us, and perhaps we may never fully
realize how much he and the few jealous
Liberals who co-operated with him actually
did to prevent the British Government
from committing itself to the Confederate
cause.
Mr.. Hughes, therefore, is man to whom
America might have rendered the vulgar
honors of that tumultuous sort of welcome
which is commonly called ''an ovation" We
are glad that he has been spared that often
sive exhibition of hospitality. He has made
quiet visit, as an unassuming private gen.
tleman; he has not been tortured with official
dinners and receptions; he has been suffered
TO go his way in peace, getting a heartfelt
welcome and warm grip of the hand
L. Ia-, o. 90
new friends wherever he has allowed himself
to speak. We have nothing to regret, now
that he is going away, except that he goes so
soon, and that it has not been possible for
us to show him more attention without in
fringing upon that privacy which even a
politician must be allowed to prize. Mr.
Hughes has not only given us q great
deal of pleasure by his visit, but he has done,
we believe, a great deal of good He has
not taught us to think Just What he thinks
about the Alabama claims; but he has read
iusted our sentimental relations with Great
Britain, which were certainly awhile ago
very much out of order. We had been
getting into a frame of mind most unfavor-
able to peaceful settlement of our difficulty,
or even to any discussion of it, A few frank
words from Mr.. Hughes, though they will
not affect our position on the main question,
have gone far to allay our irritation, and dis
pose us to press our demands with that
equable temper and Substantial friendliness
of spirit which are the surest guarantees of
success.
Scarcely less marked is the service he rem
ders in the closing words he addressed Friday
night to the most crowded and enthusiastic
audience gathered for many a month in a
! New York lecture-room. Our laboring
classes, blindly adopting the abandoned
weapons of their English brethren, may we'll
be admonished by this trusted English friend
that a more excellent way has been found;
that strikes are a relic of barbarism, which
ought to be outgrown; that labor and capital
are allies by ties of consanguinity as well as
interest; that there is no excuse for the
tyranny of labor unions over their own
members in a country where the demand for
labor is far in advance of the supply; and
that here, as well as in England, cooperation
furnishes the true solution for labor difficult
ties. In England Mr.. Hughes has been the
workingmen's champion. 1t will be fortu-
nate for them and us if here they are wise
enough to accept him for counsellor.