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^nhlir. Mirim
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Ja , %p rp -*r it j> -y
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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ENGLAND , FliANCE , AND AMERICA . If any one of the many statesmen , amongst our readers about the country will take the map of the World , and fasten his eyes upon certain conspicuous points of it , he will sec the centres from vhicli great movements arc going forward . In the extreme west and in the extreme east there is the reciprocal movement of the United States and China . The United States settling the shores of the American continent , and receiving into those new settlements an immense draft of Chinese . In China itself , on the other
hand , while the English have established a fortified power on the island of Hongkong , the Americans have established very friendly relations with the natives . By favour of these friendly relations , the Americans are jjushing their commerce greatly a-liead of ours , and are , in fact , preparing that species of intimate alliance between pedples which may have the very greatest consequences in ( he future . That America and China are to bo allied by the closest ties
is scarcely a prophecy so much as a calculation , and it is far from impossible that those ties may be of an official nature . England is gradually extending her boundaries in India , increasing her population in the colonies of Australia , South Africa , and North America ; but not , it is to be feared , proportionately increasing her political hold upon the allegiance of these colonies , especially in North America . On the borders of Canada the election nsritators of the . American
Wing party are raising an anti-British feeling , very detrimental to the prospects of a continued connexion between Great Britain and her colonies in that quarter . These movements are of old standing ; if comparatively recent m their developments , the causes belong to yesterday , and not to ( his day . Much ( he same may be said with regard to Hie American movement southward , within the
bounds of ( lie continent . Cuba , Mexico , and ( lie countries beyond , norm destined (<> fall beneath ( he soul h ward inarch of I lie Anglo-JSa . xon federation . . 11 ; is true thai ; politicians in the I ' mfed Slates declare that " they do not Avant Mexico . " I ( is ( rue ( hat ; many do not wish / or ternloriii ! accession ; but hilherlo ( he march of events has been loo great for individual Avmhes in Ihe American republic . America
annexes in spile ol herself , and will continue , lo do so ; nay , the last , accounts from America , show that the candidate for the . Presidency whose prospects were not of the best , has thought it desirable , for Ihe purposes of his canvas , lo rouse amongst the American citizens in Ihe valleys ol IlioOhio and the Mississippi Ihe remembrance of Ihe military achievements by which new provinces have been added lo Ihe Union : and n (
Ihe same lime , we hear , ( lie press has been rousing' the spirit , of anti- lirit ish enmity and of Canadian annexation , to wliieh we have already alluded . General Scolt ' s friends are raising a Kind of " omnium gatherum" in ( heir favour , comprising ihe popular interest shown in !\ 1 i \ s . Harriet Heeeher Slowe ' n 1 ' itctc Tom ' s ( Uih ' m , the . anli-Hrilish agitation of the North , the Mexican glorv <» f the South and Ihe West , ami the l < Yee soil spirit of Ihe ncu Stales .
Two results are evident from ihe present , agitation : one is , thai Hie spirit of aggressive conquest which animates the American people is too great for l \ w reserve or ( ho reluctances of individual men amongst them , however intelligent ; is ho much loo great , Hint Ihe candidate for the Presidency is obliged lo fall in with that spirit , rather than resist it : the second result is , that as the Whig candidate for the Presidency is rousing the anti-Brit ish spirit , his success will
be so far an anti-British success ; and proportionately the success of the democratic rival may be counted favourable , and an enlarged spirit of friendliness between the two countries . In the opposite part of the world , of eastern and central Europe , Austria , alarmed at symptoms of national indignation , which her oppressions are exciting , is endeavouring to crush the spirit which she rouses by new oppressions . She is moving her immense armies to back the
subjugation of constitutional Hungary and of Italy by a new subjugation ; clenching her oppression by a new oppression . Her armies become the machinery of her taxation , of her administration in . detail . Austria , it may be said , is now in the act of a new and great military aggression on the countries of Europe which are already subjected to her rule . She i 3 the centre of one of the great movements—a barbaric military movement , which is not stationary , but is advancing .
Nearer to us is the realm of France , nowm the act of making itself . imperial France , and of raising to the supreme power that singular adventurer who inherits the name of Napoleon . He professes peace , with a great threatening of Avar should he be opposed ; and AA'e know that he has prepared the means of aggression . We knoAv that he gives to the ships Avhich have been built for purposes of rapid and aggressive warfare , names hostile to this country ; and we know that the common talk of his household is
that of a dashing attack upon the English metropolis . The form in which these threats come forth is not such as to oblige him to fulfil them . He may waver . If the fortunes of his game should make England a pliant tool in his hands , or should leave him too weak to cope Avith England , Ave shall have peace . Peace Avill therefore depend , in a great degree , upon the tAVO opposite extremes which England may choose for herself . If she consents to be the absolute tool of Louis
Napoleon , she may be the ally of France , may have the protection of France—so loAig as it may be the interest and pleasure of his Imperial Majesty . On the other hand , if England should be strong , she may defy the aggression of France . If she should be firm , the military movement , Avhich the destinies of Louis Napoleon will compel him to make , may be diverted against other lands and other powers . England , indeed , may in part help Providence to dictate the course of his armies ; and the great power which he is collecting may be turned more or less detrimentally , more or less beneficially , according to interests more powerful than his own .
Amidst these great movements , England alone remains tranquil and neutral . The movements are too great , they are becoming too impatient , for her to expect that she shall be able Jong to maintain that neutrality . Belgium alone is an ally whose welfare might draw her into the European contest . But there are two very powerful , allies avIioso co-operation she can
command , if she appeals to them . Those ; two allies are , Ihe people itself in such parts of Europe as desire to be free or constitutional , and the United States of America ,. If England were to appeal against the barbaric aggressors of Europe to the people of Europe , she would have an ally throughout the greater part of the continent ready to aid her , locally and generally , Avitli heart and soul . If ICmrhmd could but maintain a . sincere
and friendly altitude towards the United States , that powerful republic would side Avith her in upholding the cause of liberty throughout every approaching commotion . The choice of her position , therefore , in the crisis which threatens Kurope , depends upon herself : it depends upon ( he degree of insight amongst the people , upon Ihe amount of activity in I lit * people , and upon Ihe proportion of inlluence which the people may exercise over the formation and action of its own Government . If the English people chooses lo require a . national Government , it is certain that , ihe materials of a , national Government e . ui be found . 11 " it chooses to see with its own eyes that this Government maintain a , national course ol' conduct , it can exact such a , course of conduct ;' and if it should , so bc / nl , then , our Government would be compelled and authorized to earn Hie : confidence of the United Slates nnd of Hie peoples of Europe , and would be able to dictate for lOiirope n glorious freedom , followed by a jiot less glorious pence . The greiit policy which might be wielded from the court of St . Jjiimcs ' h , consists in the principle of relying upon the highest motives of human
nature , and also upon a practical princi ple of statesmanship , setting one influence to antagonize another . The sole enemy that could menace our commerce would be the United States . If om , commerce Avere not menaced , but defended bv the fleet of that ally , while Europe was fighting within itself , England and America might conduct the commerce of the world , and earn the supreme position to share it between them . ^\' e have often said as much as this before ; but we
again mvite the reader to survey the map by the light of the neAVS Avhich he has read this week and last Aveek , from Vienna , from Italy , from Paris , and from New York . If he does not by that survey understand the policy which is possible and incumbent upon the Government of England , nothing that we can say further can make him . To us the path appears as plain as the course of a steamer from Liverpool to New York .
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WILLIAM , THE " MILES GLOKIOSUS" OP EAST SOMERSET . llfaut plus cl ' un diner pour s'instruire . It takes a good many agricultural dinners to teach us the stuff the " Farmers' Friends" are made of . We only hope the turnipocraey are satisfied with , the language of their chosen oracles ; if they are , we Free-traders and "destructives" have no earthly reason to complain ; and we are certainly not invited to hold in esteem our extremely sincere and disinterested opponents . If the " friends and neighbours" Avho were patted on the back last July by the squire and the steward , as stout
British yeomen , and what not : —who were summoned to save the Crown , the Church , and the country by their independent suffrages , in return for a promise of artificial prices and starvation to the million , by act of Parliament ; if , we say , these poor misguided innocents are now requested to persuade themselves that Protection is past and gone without recall , impossible , and even if possible , not advisable , —that they must look to themselves , and put their OAvn shoulders to the wheel , —whose fault is it , Ave confidently ask , and at whose door lies the charge of false pretences and breach of promises ? We—their enemies forsooth !—told them as much before the
elections as they are hoav told by their friends ; and it is not for men avIio spoke the truth in July to eat their Avords in October . Agricultural gatherings have setin of late , with their usual autumnal intensity—this year with a more than common public interest accompanying the after-dinner orators . We arc bound to say , that after close attention we can detect in ail the speeches yet delivered , whether in Bucks , Worcestershire , Rutlandshire , Essex , or East Somerset , absolutely nothing hut one universal " sell . " That vulgar but expressive monosyllable contains the w hole nett produce of all these melancholmanifestations .
y In South Bucks , almost Avithiu earshot ot Ifnghenden manor , flu ; rustics Avere gaping ' their man of men ; but he came not—no ! he came not . " Immersed in public business , " naiu the apology for absence , j-eceived with a cry <> i " Walker ! " suflicient to prove , at least , that tlio prophet has no honour in his country—» t h '! j when he dines at home . In Worcestershire , Ujo final abandonment of Protection was proclaimed by as many as three Protectionist renrcscntali ' ves , and with an unanimity quite touching . _ ' » Rutlandshire it was the sanio sing-song , and U »« name refrain .
At classic Caslle Hedinghain , no lesH a personage than the Uight lion . William BcreKford , commonly known as W . B ., acknowledged the toast , 01 her Majesty ' s Ministers with that tact , nnd l-jin ^ wliieh The mention of his name implies not ¦<> speak of his grammar , which does no discivili . to a , colleague , of Lord Malmesbury . YVlmt mm the crumbs of comfort to the fanners Mi » t ' » from the lips of estimable W . B . r " It li ; is been siiul , and I sail untruly mid , thai . "' '
Msijesf v ' s UovermiHiiit v . imw . into oflice » ip < > " < ; lu' 1 "' ^ ciplcs of Protection , and I hat , having < : «>«»¦ ¦ w * j \ f thof-e principles , they have adopted Hie tinots ol ^ adversaries , mill have seized 1 »<> 1 < 1 <>» " 1 "' "" ' ' " '" ,,,.,,, carry out all the dogmas of Free-trade I < I «! 1 IV ] mM position in . tulo . I know no reason thai , any n "" ^ y to miy Hint tho < Jovcriniient aro I'Vce-l ruder * : «[ . deny the other ' position , a / so , that they <<< " > " " . " / i () ll . the ' slightest dejree upon the princip les of I' ¦'"'¦' ' ^ That ' is a stnuu / e thin ,, for « . v to say , M IS »"' ' jj true . ( Hair . ) " There , were causes which <>] ie , rau- ^ ^ produced it ; but for one whole , year pm-eiim * ,
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There is nothing so revolutionary , because there is nothing so unnatural and convulsive , as the strain to keep things fixed when all the world is by the very law of its creation in eternal progress . —Da . Arnold .
^Nhlir. Mirim
^ nhlir . Mirim
Ja , %P Rp -*R It J≫ -Y
Ja , % p rp - * r it j > -y
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? SATURDAY , OCTOBER 16 , 1852 .
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990 THE LEADER . [ Saturday ,
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Oct. 16, 1852, page 990, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1956/page/10/
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