Year: 1859

"TIIE BALANCE OF POWER.o


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That rather indefinite something or other, termed,
In political slang the balance of power" supposed
to be an "nstitution " peculiar to Europe, and to
maintain which the various powers Of the continent
have been In a continual wrangle Of words through
their diplomats, or Of blows through their armies,
when some gordan knot of difficulty presented itself
which only the sword stroke could solve, would ap
pear to have enlarged its domain and stretched even
the Atlantic to drag the hither world into the
complications Of its operations-to have word or
q blow in the settlement Of European squabbles.
Though we doubt not that it will be SO, when, not
many years hence, trade and governmental relations
get all great interests Of the country mixed up with
those of Europe in intricate manner that we can
not well keep out of any free fight which may be in
progress yet, we not prepared to allow that this
state of vital indentfcation already exists even if
of the most able and prominent of English states
men proclaims that such is the case, and that the
United States should have something decided to say
whenever difficulty in Europe, which would likely
affect our commercial prosperity, is meditated by
belgerently inclined nationalities.


But Hon. Ben Disraes notions Of American iden.
tfcation with European balance Of power" ques.
ons are limited, for he thinks that an issue cannot





we would find ourselves on her side, and feel the
quarrel ours that natural bonds of alliance exist
Of character coercive that their formal recogni
ton would be consequent. So the English politician
would have the blue coats and red coats stand side
by side in future instead of face to face reasonably
enough concluding that the former position would be
agreeable than the latter, the merits of which
have undergone thorough test heretofore. The
m ad ia a vert 0na N
wiring from an Engshman, and while it is a hardly
extorted compliment to the increased importance and
power of this country it indicates feeling of dis
trust in the safety Of the continental relations of
England, and disposition to aggrandize influence
and weight by alliance with outsiders, that she may
hold the supreme and incontestibe balance of power
in the councils of European nations and have things
all her own way. There are not enough cards in the
European pack of minor powers for the four great
players, England, Russia, France and Austria, each
to hold strong hand, and England, the artful game
ster wants to slip into her hand big card from the
| American pack and "out hold f" all others in the
game.


In the same speech in which he states that the
vigorous and powerful community on the other side
Of the Atlantic can longer be excluded from til
| agreeable task of working for the maintenance Of
the balance OF power" the English statesman con
templates the continental nations in very meIan
choly light stating that their power is in its deca
dence, and every blow struck in the present war is
suicidal that they will fall into inferior and ex
hausted state, while for England remains illustr
future strengthened and sustained she will be
by alliance with all the rest of the commercial world
Those nations are merely Powers of the Old World
England is as much of the New World as of the Old
He depored the occurrence of the war; but it was
Europes account, not Englands.


Mr. Disraeli is evidently progressive politician
and from the tenor of his Speech apparent that
he contemplaes radical changes in the foreign policy
of Great Britain, induced by the movement of world
eyents-changes which will withdraw her from the
ENHANCEMENT of alliances with the nearly efete ma
tions of Europe and, adding the freshness and vigo
of the Western world to the strength of her lusty age
place herself in position to dictate authoritatively
without the necessity of using the compusion of ex
erted material force, the settlement of all troubles
and their settlement to her advantage She sees tina
the nations of the Continent will not do to tie to
and the one that is friend to-day may be an enem
tomorrow, for there are no important bonds of com
mercial dependence to cement alliance. And it doe
seem, indeed that England, with her enlghtene
masses, her liberal government, her freedom Q
speech and press, her steady and gigantic progress
deserves position of fraternity with Republica
America rather than to be mixed up with Europea
despotisms union with them likening the connectio
of the two to the unstable image which was mad
partly of clay and partly Of precious metal. Tha
neither England nor America can exist in prosperit
save they in peace with each other is fact, toe
in the worlds history which probably will not ceas
to be current in coming centuries. The inauguratio
of this new policy will have to be delayed some veal
yet, however, for England must remain on terms wit
} empires and Kingdoms long enough to marry o
Queen Vic.s brood to royal establishments, as, III
fortunately for her. we raise no princes and princesse
on this side of the water only soyereigns.