Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1871-04-05
The British High Commissioners

As the Commissioners on the part of the
British Government have been long enough
in Washington to develope their personal
character stics, it may not be uninteresting 2,
~ consideration Of the important work they
have in hand, to become a little better ac-
quainted with them. For this purpos we
reprint from the Boston Journal Of the Sd
inst, the following special dispatch from
Washington to that paper
The Earl De Gray and Ripon, representing
the Liberals of Great Britain, and also as
representing the one hundred great landed
proprietors of England, is at the head Of the
British COmmis soners. By long parliament
tary experience in the House of Commons as
Lord Goderich, to say nothing Of his subse-
quent experience in the House of Lords, and
as member of Her Majesty's Government,
he really possesses the qualities of practical
statesman, and iustifes the wisdom Of his
selection by MIR. Gladstone as the leading
commissioner. The Earl is, Of course, under
the necessity of continual communication
with the home ministry, and the ocean cable
is loaded with the kilograms of the commits
sion at an enormous cost 1t is said that
Earl De Gray is not more embarrassed with
the intrinsic difficulties Of the question than
he is by the known instability of purpose of
Mr.. Gladstone. Now Mr.. Gladstone himself
although on recent divisions In the House OF
Commons he has carried prodigiOus MAORI
ties, Is not the less seriously embarrassed by
the critical questions with which he has To
deal, and especially the most difficult Of all,
involving the great question of national
pride, viz to reconcile the true honor OF
England with her imaginary honor. 1t is
not to be doubted that Mr. Gladstone, Earl
n n T.
to settle at once every question pending
between Great Britain and the United States,
if they should do SO compatibly with their
party interests, and their sense of what Is
due to the honor Of Great Britain. Sir SAT
ford NOrthcOte Is next TO Earl De Gray in
Importance among the British Commissioners,
and ne 1t a trained statesman. Although by
social station he does not possess the same
personal importance rs Earl De Gray, vet
his political Importance here IS hardly less
because he represents the Conservative or
Tory interest IN England, tvpitied there in
the persons of Lord Derby and Mr. ID israeli
Now as this party is hopeful ere long Of tax
ing the place Of Mr.. Gladstone government.
its leading members are quite as anxious to
close up all controversies with the United
States as Mr.. Gladstone can be, as by that way
it can enter into power free from all differences
with the United States. Sir Stafford North
cote is for this reason also forced to hold
diurnal consultation with his political friends
in London as Earl De Gray is with his polit-
! zeal friends. Professor Bernardo functions
it may be assumed, are not to initiate diplo-
matte ideas or conclusions, but to be prepared
with the doctrines and principles Of interna-
tlonal law when called upon by Earl De Gray
or Sir Stafford Northcote. Sir Edward
| Thornton is one of the most excellent men
yrbC lIrad honest TuE nd IisoraaF Ittt
he is a timid diplomat, the minister Of his
government, and not the government itself
1t may therefore be anticipated that he Will
neither originate or impose, but he VIII con
cliate. Finally comes Sir John Macdonald.
whose popularity as a public leader in the
| Dominion makes him a parsonage Of quite
as much Importance as either of the four
British Commissioners, and quite as likely
| to have will of his own as either Earl De
Gray or Sir Stafford Northcote. If he could
rise to the idea of aspiring to be the Presi-
dent of the Canadian Republic, instead OF
contenting himself with being the all-pOwer
full Prime Minister for the Canadian provinces
we might look to him to give such tone to
events as to realize the great idea of Mr..
Sumner, of educing from present events the
establishment of powerful, Independent
State in British America, to be united here
after with the United States, and that would
| settle everything at Once-the fishery ques-
ton. the reciprocity question, the Alabama
| claims question, the neutrality question. the
/ Fenian question, and whatever else there
may be OF possible present or future contro-
versy between Great Britain and the United
States there is reason 10 fear that Sir John
is not prepared for the necessary and final
although not immediate, solution of the
relations of the British race in North Amer
lea. 1t is nevertheless certain that the uni
fcation Of the British race on the continent
will sooner or later be Just as potential as
was the cry for the unification Of the Italian
race in Italy at the time of the Count Cavour.
| Nor is the time far distant when America
like Italy, will cease to be a mere geOgraph-
zeal name, and Will become a ma tiOnal name
This view OF the persons of the British
Commission would be incomplete without
mention of Lord Tenterden, Of the Foreign
Office, their able Secretary. He is the son
of the great Chief Justice Abbott, and it is
well understood that he was the author OF
some Of the ablest State papers put forth in
the name of the Earl Of Clarendon Thus
far there is good reason for believing that
nothing has been definitely settled BY the
Commission, but it is intmated that advices
from England tomorrow Will decide one OF
the questions at issue. 1t will not be sur
prising if some of the matters are not imme-
diately settled. and it is not improbable that
negotiations may either be postponed OF
transferred to London. or that the Commits
sion may adjourn until next fall One of the
British Com missioners has openly expressed
himself as a believer in delay, as he thinks
that the two nations should not be too rapid
ia solving their difficulties, but should permit
diplomacy to cautiously and slowly bridg,
over the misun derstandings