The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-11-23
FRIDAY. NOVEMBER %, 1900.
RosEBEnY,s CONFESSION.

EOSEfSI11sI'S CONFESSION.
The recent address of Lord Rosebery
ON the occasion of his installation as
Lord Rector of Glasgow University, con-
tanned some of the most significant and
remarkable deIirerances that ever fell
from the lips Of an Engltshman. He
said that had the elder Pit, when he be-
came first minister. not left the House of
Commons. he would probably have re-
tanned his sanity and authority, and
would have Irevtnted or suppressed the
reckless budget of .Townshend, introduced
representatives of America into Parlia-
ment and preserved the thirteen Ameri-
can colonies 10 the British Crown.
rs il fanciful .to dwell for a moment
on what might have happened?' con-
tinued Lord Rosebery- The Reform bill
of 1882 would probably have been passed
much earlier, for the new blood OF
America would have burst the old YES
sells of the constitution 1t would have
provided a seif-adjusting system of re-
presentation. such as NOW prevails IN the
United States, whereby the increasing
population IS proportionately represented.
And at last. when the Americans be-
came 4 majority of the seats, the en-
ssoemniy across the Atlantic, and Brit
ain would have become a historical
shrine, the European outpost of the
world empire What an extraordinary
revolution it would have been! The
greatest known, without bloodshed, the
most sublime itransfeirence of power IN
the history of mankind
..Our conceptions can scarcely picture
the procession across the Atlantic of the
greatest sovereign and the greatest fleet
in the universe. ministers, governments
and Parliament departing solemnly for
another hemisphere
Not as liz the case Of the Portuguese
sovereisns, emigra.ing to Brazil under
the spur of necessity. but under the
vigorous embrace Of the younger world.
America would have hung on to the
skirts of Britain and pulled her back out
kf European complications. She would
have profoundly affected our foreign policy
in the direction of peace. and her in
f1aence on her domestic policy would have
been scarcely less potent. .
That is indeed a remarkable confession
for so eminent an EaGlishman to make.
It is a confession that there was more
of wisdom and statecraft In the unde-
veloped country on this side of the At
lantic than in old England with all her
boosted civilization But we are not so
sure that Lord Rosebery is right in his
con5ectures. England may as well at
tempt to dam the Nile with bullTushes,''
said Otis, '.as fetter the steps Of freedom
more proud and firm in these infant
colonies than where she treads the Sc
herself among the magnificent mountains
of Switzerland.
That sort of freedom seemed TO be a
peculiar product of the American SOIL
Proud Enslishren who came TO this
country to take part in the war of the
Revolution made the discovery that there
was freedom in The very air that Ameri-
cars breafhed and that the principle OF
freedom was as surely implanted il the
hearts of the Boston boys as the principle
Of love But isolation seemed to be neces-
saHy 10 its perfect growth. The early
settlers were Independent and self-re-
liant because under the exigencies OF
their circumstances they We're com
PEELED 10 be. Their life was a life of
watchfulness and struggle. and through
these agencies manhood and independence
and the love of liberty were developed.
But II they had continued TO rely upon
the mother country. IS Lord Rosebery
ture that this thing that we call Ameri-
can independence would have been de-
reloped In its perfection? And If again,
as Lord Rosehery surmises, American
representatives in Parliament had
crossed the ocean and spent the greatest
part of their time in the council cham
bers of England. Is II not fair to presume
that they would have become more or
less affected by English influences? In
such an event, would they have carried
Aneiica:ism into England. or would they
have brought foreign issues back into
America?
Theirs Is divinity that shapes our ends.
and ne believe that Il was IN accordance
with the will OF the Divine Rule. Of the
universe thst the Americans colonies
shook on slle yoke OF Great Britain and
became independent and seaf-reliant. In
this way Americauasm has grown up and
become a power. and Lord Rosebery.
mux recognize the fact that It has al