New-York tribune., 1885-02-01
10, DOWNING SIRE II,
WHITEHALL.
Oct. {, 81.


DEAR Mr.. SMALLEY.
was unwilling to answer your letter hastily, aud
therefore postponed writing tor two or three days,
but find this does not in any degree relieve me
from my dilemma.
The first point raised by you is, indeed. Que that
can he briefly disposed of. When l first read in
detail the Life of Washington, was profoundly im-
pressed with the moral elevation and greatness OF
his character and found myself at a loss 20 name
among the statesmen OF any age OF country many,
or possibly any. who could be his rival. In saying
this mean no dIsparagement to the class of poll
tcians. the men of my own craft and cloth; whom,
IN nv own land. and my experience. have
found no less worthy than other men of love and OF
admiration. could name among them those who
seem to me TO come near even to him. But VIII
shut ont the last half century from the comparison.
will then say that if, among all the pedestals sup
piled by history for public characters of extraord-
nary nobility and purity, saw one higher than
| all the rest and if / were required at moments
notice to the fittest occupant for it. think
my choice at any time during the last forty-ivs
years would have lighted, and it would now Light
upon Washington.
The other subject is one on which hardly like to
touch in few lines for the prospect it opens to me
Is as vast as it is diversified, and 1t is so interesting
| as to be almost overwhelming.
Mr. Barham Zincke no incompetent calculator.
reckons that the Eng,ish-speaking peoples OF tho
world an hundred years hence will probably count
| a thousand millions. Some French author, whose
| name unfortunately forget, in a recent estimate
places them somewhat lower; at what precise figure
do not recolect but it is like 600 or 500 millions.
A century back suppose they were not much, If at
all beyond fifteen millions; also suppose we may
now take them at an hundred.
These calculations not so visionary as they
may seem to some: they rest upon rather wide
induction, while the best they can pretend to 10
rough approximation But. as ] recollect. it was
either Inlay, or one of those with whom the name
of that creature is associated, that computed cen'
tury back the probable population OF the American
Union at this date; and placed it very nearly az the
point where it now stands.
What a prospect is that of very many hundreds OF
millions of people, certainly among the most manfai
and energetic in the world. occupying one great
Continent may almost say two and other islands
and territories not easy to be counted, with these
islands at their head the most historic Ia the world
In contact, by n vast commerce, with all mankind.
and perhaps still united in kindly political associa
ton with some more hundreds of millions fitted for
no mean destiny. United almost absolutely in
blood and language. and very largely in religion,
laws and institutions.
If anticpatons such these are TO be realized
in any considerable degree the prospect is at once
is full of meaning and of power; of so much mean
ing that the pupil of the eye requires time to let in
such flood of light. shall not attempt after thus
sketchipg it, to expound it, 1t would be as absurd
as if box keeper at theatre, when letting In
party, should attempt to expound the piece.
hone that some person more competent and less
engaged than myself will give this subject the study
it deserves taking his stand on the facts OF the last
century. and the promise. rdteat quaatam, OF the
coming one. | cannot but think as well as nope
that good understanding, in the future near anu
far among Engish-speaking peoples, though IL may
not be matter of certainty yet is beyond the
necessity of going begging so to speak, Tor recon-.
mendatlons from any individual, earnestly ana
with nv whole heart as /, for one, should recon-
mend it, -
Clearly if the Engish-speaking peoples shall then
be ANYTHING like what We have now been supposinG
and if there shall not Ss q good understanding
among them there will have been base desertion
of an easy duty q gran rifato, such az might SUE
another Dante to denounce IT, Remuneration Oh tnc
nobest. the most beneficial, the most peaceiu'
nrimaey ever presented to the heart and uhaer-
standing Of man. 1t,
On the other hand great as it would be, 1t wouid
demand no propaganda, no superlatiye ingenuity y.
effort: 1t ought to be an orderly ana ha'u'"'
growth, requiring only that you should DC rca'"a-
ably true and loyal to your traditions, ana We 70
ours To gain it will need no preterhnman strehgsn
or wisdom; to miss it will require some portentoas
deeeneracy. Even were it daydream it would %
an improving one. loftier ana better thah 'n~'
| which prompted the verse
super ct Garamantas ct Indos
Proferet imperium jacet extra sidera telus'
Extra ami s0lisque Was,
because it implies no strife or boOdshsd. andu
full only OF the moral elements of strength