New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-01-28
ENGLISH SYMPATHIES

ENGLISH SYMPATHIES.
THE WORKING cLAssxs-A WAR MEErLEa-hh
0LADSrONE.
t1pOn 0UR OWE CORRESPONDENT
LONDON, Jan. 1l-It II getting TO b the
fashion 10 ~ that tho sympahes Of Great Britain have
entirely changed sdee, and the meeting this week q
g. ysmss's Hall II made good deal Of proof that
important classths working ciassis oil for France
don't think either statement accurate. There been
change but 10 not great French psrtsans declare
Tho st. Jsmsss meeting WAS Significant but no< b.
made 70 signify TOO much. The who engineered IT.
Mr.. Odeer, Mr. Applegarth and orhersare very ener.
getc leaders, with considerable influence over the elaAs
in whose they profess 10 speak. They able 10
got up On imposing demonstration Ave months ago 10
support them in . psssionats pledge not, under any
circumstances. 10 b drawn into the war betwesp
France and Germany They are sbs tina
week TO collect . crowd Of followers who
applaud with moro vehemence their demand for
armed Intervention In behalf Of the defeated Power n
that war don't doubt they honest in thei,
Vows Of Last August and equally honest in their views
Of to-day. Whether men who can repudste % readily
thor opinions Of few months ago safe guides for
tho workingmen, Ia different question Their relations
with them arc however, close that they will unfoubt
sdly be able equally Strong declaration IN
favor Of third line OF policy whenever they sro tired OF
tho second.
30 far a. Mr. Odger and his immediate associates
concerned their present attitude Is easily accounted for
II due to confusion Of mind only too common In En-
gland with respect 10 foreign potics Tho opinions OF
English workfngmen. acquainted they are with the
evils Of aristocrsc society tend strongly to Demoe
rscy They seom TO believe also that Democracy and
Republication synonymous, and having persuaded
themselves that there "a Republic In France they un-
hesitatingIy s1ve IL their sympsthies They 20 step
further and say practically that in contest betvoes
any Republic and any Monarchy, the Republic mnst b
right and tho Monarchy wrong They distinctly com
plain OF King william that, being King, he should con
tinue tho war against any Government In France thAs
chooses to call itself lets its English friends call H. I'D
publican.
Among the men who 20 with them In this crusade are
Prof BeesIy, Mr.. Frederic Harrison, and Mr. Richard
Congreve, whose minds are of very different order.
They 1t least trained thinkers students OF political
history and political economy. They know perfectly
well that there Republic In France, and that under
the most despote government that has existed since
France has been nearly Democratic than England
under her freess popular administration. They Know
there no necessary connection and In this case no con-
motion whatever, between the form Of governments ~
homo and It's policy abroad Pref Beeslys speech passes
very skfully these difficulties, and appeals skiiI
fully to that worry confusion Of ideas which ne csnnos
sharo He is, don't doubt sincere az they are bus
he does not tell the whole truth to whom he assumes
the responsibility Of leading.
This meetinR be IL remarked, was avowedy . var
meeting. Il was called not only to express sympathy
with France and condemnation Of Mr. Gadssones ieeos
and vaciang policy, but to urge upon the Government
tho necessity Of ascertsning officially from Germany
the terms upon which she will conclude peace, ana 70
declare that Germany insists on territory England
should upon tho neutral Powers to unite with her 10
save France from Acknowledgement. This latter resou-
ton was moved by Mr.. Frederic Harrison. 1t was op
posed by Lucra whose claim to speak for the work
ingmen much better than Mr. Hrson's, and ct least
a. good Mr. Odgers Carried o. it was In this meet
Ing IL would be be rejected In any meeting which
Mr.. Lucrsft should take charge Of; and nobody who
knows Mr. Lucrafts relations With the working casS can
doubt that he 10 able to organize meeting as large and
influential, and Jealous this Of Nj Odser The i'm
porancs Of MI Odsers opinions consists In the eheoe
he proposes TO give them. II he could he would force
tho to intervene but his 10 influence
tho Government depends wholly on the extent Of hS
following. whAs he and Mr.. Lucrsft divide between
them the opinions and susges Of the class they repre-
sent they each neuraze the other ond their influence
the policy Of the country will be exactly nothing.
would be anything but reasonable 10 infer from thess
demonstrations that ell the liberalism Of England wish
ing to France There have been IL true some
striking conversions among journalists and public speAk-
whose Of Affecting public opinion arc great The
non-converts boar less Of Mr. p. A. Taylor, Who
as radical forcbly pointed out In let
to The Daily News why it Is that tho change should
appear much greater than 1t L. Those whose opinions 10
main what they under need 70 rcstate them
publicly Those who have transferred their goodwill 70
the French find In the misfortunes u their new friends
at occasion for public declarations sympathy. There
Ia nothing In the condition Of Germny 10 call for any
similar expressions and publio mettings assembled 10
against the preposterofs claims Of France
might to lack Of that Pity due TO her suffer
ings.
The mon who are arranging popular reception FOE
the coming French envoy TO thek conference meant
make that also Republican afaif They are in Difficult
ties owing to the doubt whether Theirs may not come
instead of NJ Jules Pavre, and al because 1t has beea
discovered that the kind Of Reibcsnism with which
they want to express sympathy u not the kind Of
which n. Jules Favro 10 . representative. Accord
ingiy they resolved that the reception should -
understood to express . general sympathy with
France. On any such basis that . great popular
demonstration may easily be organized. Apart
from all social or political. questions. there 10 .
very strong feeling for France because she 10 having
the worst of It, and great turnout to welcome French
Minister will be very easy way OF indicating TO Pruss
that the British Philistns dsapproves the amount OF
punishment she Is administering to her beaten opponent
The sentiment Of what IL called Engiish rpla.
loudly appealed to- I have observed that this sent-
ment u always lively In behalf Of the victims Of superior
power provided the superior power be not British. "a
this matter the trades unions and other powerful soc-
ties arc stirring. Their csJect says friendly
authority is not to support far policy but to expires
thel sympathy Of Great Brtn with France under hes
caamities, and the convicttpn that her Goyersmeni
ought to have been recognised.
Mr. Gladstone has had to stand pretty heavy Are for
not recognising n. Gsmbetta In formal way. he com
mitted much greater mistake in attempting TO defend
Lord Pamerstons recognition Of Louis Napoleon imne-
datey after the coup dttat and fortnight before tho
sham plebscitum which might have given him excuse
This recognition, said Mr. Gladstone In recent note
Mr.. @. J. Holyoake, prompt but not premature"
Mr. Gladstone thinks that he would have done better