The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-01-14

the product of the present; and they are kept
alive by series of commonplaces which are
of perpetual recurrence in the themes
Of schoolboys and in the perorations
of grown politicians. Mr.. Goldwin
Smith is said to be anxious for the reform of
American school-books, as giving totally
false view of history. Well he may be.
They all but omit the history of the world
down to the American Revelation, aud then
go on TO paint George III as sort of Xerxes
who led against nation of patriots popula-
ton of subject slaves-poor old George III,
who in these days would deserve to rank as a
paragon among monarchs-who never broke
a treaty, nor tore up a constitution, nor
dreamed of such a thing as forced con-
scription. nor prayed over hecatomb of
victims-who merely wanted to make his
colonial subjects bear part of the expenses
of the empire which had squandered blood
and treasure to secure the territories on
which they we're settled, and who made a
feeble attempt to subdue them when they de-
clined to pay. 1t is this elaborate training
in hatred-it is the fact that the Americans
meet regularly and solemnly once year to
repeat these views of history-which relieves
us from the necessity of giving any other ex-
planation of the slacrity of President Grant
in 'seizing the opportunity of the Russian
difficulty. We do the Americans the justice
of believing that they have no natural liking
for the modern fashion of treaty breaking.
Contracts are never so much respected as
among men of business, and the faults of the
Americans, which are also the faults of the
English, would lead them rather into CHI
canery and into inequitable constructions of
treaties than into their open violation.
Nor do we suppose that they have any
special fancy for the political
leadership under which they seem to be
ranging themselves. An attorney with
stain on his honesty; q soldier with slur on
his courage; man known throughout the
world for brutality TO women-these are not
the types of character which singly or COM
bined commend themselves to a community
which voluntarily chooses its political d.
rector But everything is condoned by Ame-
ricans when there is a chance of injuring this
country On such an occasion they are satis-
fed to follow General Butler and to take
their opportunity in breach of solemn pub
lie engagements.
The hostility of the United States is the
true key to the position occupied by Great
Britain, and we should st.nd q great deal
better with the world if we honestly acknow-
lodged it. Those among rs who are striving
their hardest to put some other construction
on Russian and Prussian diplomacy than that
which every organ of opinion outside of Eng
land has placed upon it would most of them
admit, if they would speak frankly, that the
consideration which reconciles them to turn
ing the other cheek to Count Bismarck after
one has been smitten by PrinceGortscha hakoff,
is their conviction that if we made a
bold step forward on the European political
stage the Americans would take us at a disad-
vantage. The great error of English states
manship is unquestionably its tendency to
tide over the difficulties which arise with the
United States by the help of the expedient
which comes first to hand. But it is labor
lost, and an ultimate rebuff invited, when
the Foreign Office NEEDLES with European
politics, so long as any American question re-
mains unsettled. No greater blunder was
ever committed than the postponement of the
Alabama grievances. 1t is true'we can never
be sure what complaints the Americans
will advance. Even the English Foreign
Office might be forgiven for not having
looked forward to a renewal of the fishery
dispute. The true policy is nevertheless to
solve all American controversies as rapidly
as possible, and by any issue rather than
none. The policy actually followed has been
the very worst conceivable. When the Ala
bama claims had been postponed-when the
| Dominion of Canada had been established
when our American territories were virtually
garrisoned by weak militia, there remained
as M. Theirs put it, not another fault to be
guilty Of ..r,r... ia ar