The Hartford herald., 1885-02-25

MIR LOwELL'S BIRMINGHAN An
DRESs.-Last year. when he delivered
the address at the unveiling of Field
ing's bust at Taunton, il was remarked
by the English papers that no English-
man could have discharged the duty
81 satisfactorily. Mr.. LOwelrs discourse
AT Taunton was properly a critical esti-
mate Oh Flelding's genins. But at Bir-
mlngham lac spoke OF the genius of
Democracy IN strain which has not
been surpassed by any one who ever
Treated the theme. Such a discourse
vas an event, and an event without
precedent. "A foreign Minister stating.
IN the country To which he il aecredit.
Ell, the most radical political views. and
asserting that they are the ultimate I0gi-
cal result of the political constitution of
the country in which he speaks. and
which repudiates such conclusion. vet
10 10 this with a temper, an urbanity.
moderation, precision, and eOurte-
Gus grace which charm doubt infO
acquiescence, and wonder into a tribute
of unfeigned admiration and aeknOwI.
edgment Of great service to political
thought greatly dOue-this is surely an
unprecedented event ia the annals of
diplomacy, and this is what Mr.. Lowell
did az Birmingham.
lt is impossible to read his masterIv.
uncomprOmising. wise and witty. ami
thoroughly accurate declaration of the
essential principle and reason of pop-
ular government, and his resistIess de-
Tense of il rs a practically efficient svs-
tenn, without smiling to think that this
is the man who has been sometimes
suspected of being u little edenationaIized
and un-Amerieanized. No American
Minister in any country at any time
has ever made 50 clear and eOmprehen-
sive and phiiosOphle a statement of the
American principle. He is like knight
cheerily riding around the lists, armed
cap a-pie, aud maintaining the honor
of his Queen of Liberty against ali
cOmers. He does not say word that
could have Jared the Tory Rerves of
Sir Roger de COverly, yet no English
radical was ever so radical as this.
There Is no discussion of measures or of
politics ia the address, nothing to
which the most sensitive prOpriety or
taste could demur, yet il has never en-.
tered into the mind of the most savage
censor of Mr.. Lowell 10 conceive so free
and equal and lofty and humane an
as he depicts.
Burke, in his magnificent rhetoric. has
described constitutional England. But
il is England seen by imaginative en-
thusiasm- LOwel's tone is free from
every art OF the orator except that of
severe accuracy and the Taciness of the
simple and fitting phrase. IL is plain
and strong truth-telling. Ii is not the
goddess whom the glow
lng aspiration OF the anchOrite pereeives:
il Is the creature not too bright and
good for human natures daily fDod.
who smiles upon the lover In these
days Of Lsnt-for such they are, not i'm
the ecclesiastical system alone. but in
the serious industrial depression every
wheTe-is he not in good faith an
American Minister who sets forth that
Democracy IS simply the practical ap-
plicatiOn OfChristiauisy to life, and who
shows US how il IS So
a wise observer once said Of an Eng
lish ambassador, "He is eharmine
man. but he does not represent the
that l know The good man
was only an agent OF the Foreign OF
nce. But the foreign friend II America
VINO Knows her most truly would say,
upon reading the Birmingham address,
i Ibis man represents the best America
and none of her children have read her
secret more shrewdiy tito. WI.-
LIAM CURTIS, in Ha,peys Magazine
for March