The San Francisco call., 1899-10-20
ENGLISH LIBERTY.

| | ! Britain may be useful to Americans. Our
! 1 domestic imperiasts have for more than
year urged Americans consider the glory OF Brit
sh arms the richness OF British conquests the wide
scope OF British trade and the merits OF British policy
in the crown colonies This has been done to lead
us into copying the imperial policy of that country
regardless OF the fact that while it conforms to the
British constitution it is repugnant to ours The
institutions of constitutional empire be
tended by force The free institutions OF constltu-
tional republic cannot be extended by force.
American anti-imperiaists have now the right to
call the attention OF their countrymen the tolerance
OF opposition in Great Britain. While the Chicago
Tribune is calling for the arrest and execu-
ton of Carl Schurz, ]. Sterling Morton,
George H Boutwell, and Bishop Potter
traitors because they declare that self-govern-
n1ent ceases to be self-government when it is
forced upon unwilling people, in Great Britain
subjects OF great eminence, members OF Parliament
il the Lords and Commons, are checked
buked for their expressions of dissent from the pol
icy that has forced the the two South African
republics. 1t is strange situation. While Ameri-
can mperialist newspapers telling our citizens
that it is unpatriotic in them to express sympathy
for the Beers, Englshmen in all walks OF life
showing sympathy and freely expressing it.
In this we do not refer to the Irish members of
extremes in criticism OF England that seem to be
ranted by seven centuries OF oppression to their
country They stand apart from the Englishmen
who arraign the policy OF Chamberlain and Cecil
Rhodes. Mr. Stanhope, Mr.. Evans and Sir William
Vernon Harcourt in the Commons have announced
that while they will support the Government in the
prosecution OF this unhappy war" they regand it
as unjustifed and wrong
Harcourt said: "The British nation has right
to know what the proposals of the Government are.
The Government has no right to involve the nation
in a war in the dark dsassociate myself altogether
from responsibility of any kind for the measures
which have led to this war though I prepared to
support the Government in the unhappy conflict in
which we are engaged" Mr.. Stanhope OF one of the
most distinguished families OF England, which has
furnished soldiers and sailors and scholars to build
up the glory OF Great Britain, said: The British
High Commissioner in South Africa, Sir Alfred
Miner is lacking in the qualities necessary dip
lomat in his position. I am convinced that the Sec
reary OF State for the Colonies and the British High
Commissioner have for the last years been fully
determined that war and war only should end this
crisis, and that they have worked for this cOnsum-
nation during the last year
In this position there is lot Of hard-headed Eng
1sh sense and that kind Of sturdy patriotism which
may have to interfere to the empire from itself
These Englishmen are not nised by specious talk
about destiny and the Providence of God They pro-
pose to drag into daylight the Vaccinations which
have involved the country in
They are patriots OF the style of Charles James
Fox who during the American Revolution said in
the Commons: The noble Lord who moved the
amendment said that we were in the dilemma of
conquering or abandoning America. II we re
duced to that I am for abandoning America. I can
IN grant arv money for
destructive, so ignoble a purpose as the carrying
on of a war commenced unjustly and supported with
no other view than to the extirpation OF freedom
They have the spirit OF Edmund Burke who in
Parliament said: you simply tell the American
colonists to lay down their arms, and then you will
do Just as you please Could the most cruel
queror say less? Had you conquered the devil him
self in hell could you be less liberal?"
They are Englishmen like Chatham, whose son
resigned his commission in the army rather than
fight against self government in America and who
said in the House OF Lords in the second year of
Revolution: eve have tried Tor unconditional sur
render try what be gained by unconditional
redress This country has been the aggressor. You
have made descents upon their coasts; you have
burned their towns, plundered their country, made
war upon the Inhabitants coniscated their property
prescribed and imprisoned their persons. I do there
! fore affirm that instead of exacting unconditional
surrender from the colonies we should grant them
unconditional redress. l would sell the shirt off my
back to assist in proper measures properly and wisely
conducted; but I would not part with single
shilling to the present Ministers The1 plans are
founded in destruction and disgrace. It IS my Lords
a ruinous and destructive war; it is full of Dangers
it teens with disgrace and must end in ruin II
were an American I Englishman while
| foreign troop was landed in my country l would
never lay down my arms Never! never! never!"
! session OF the American Congress is approach
ing Let us hope that it will vindicate the belief that
American liberty of expression is no less than that
liberty was in England century and quarter ago,
and no less than it is now.