We In England Thought That Masses Of The
People Would Rise In Anger If Mr. Lincoln's Government Should
Consent To Give Up Slidell And Mason; But The People Bore It Without
Any Rising.
The habeas corpus has been suspended, the liberty of
the press has been destroyed for a time, the telegraph wires have
been taken up by the government into their own hands, but
nevertheless the people have said nothing.
There has been no rising
of a mob, and not even an expression of an adverse opinion. The
people require to be allowed to vote periodically, and, having
acquired that privilege, permit other matters to go by the board.
In this respect we have, I think, in some degree misunderstood their
character. They have all been taught to reverence the nature of
that form of government under which they live, but they are not
specially addicted to hot political fermentation. They have learned
to understand that democratic institutions have given them liberty,
and on that subject they entertain a strong conviction which is
universal. But they have not habitually interested themselves
deeply in the doings of their legislators or of their government.
On the subject of slavery there have been and are different
opinions, held with great tenacity and maintained occasionally with
violence; but on other subjects of daily policy the American people
have not, I think, been eager politicians. Leading men in public
life have been much less trammeled by popular will than among us.
Indeed with us the most conspicuous of our statesmen and legislators
do not lead, but are led. In the States the noted politicians of
the day have been the leaders, and not unfrequently the coercers of
opinion. Seeing this, I claim for England a broader freedom in
political matters than the States have as yet achieved. In speaking
of the American form of government, I will endeavor to explain more
clearly the ideas which I have come to hold on this matter.
I survived my delay at Seymour, after which I passed again through
Cincinnati, and then survived my subsequent delay at Crestline. As
to Cincinnati, I must put on record the result of a country walk
which I took there, or rather on which I was taken by my friend. He
professed to know the beauties of the neighborhood and to be well
acquainted with all that was attractive in its vicinity. Cincinnati
is built on the Ohio, and is closely surrounded by picturesque hills
which overhang the suburbs of the city. Over these I was taken,
plowing my way through a depth of mud which cannot be understood by
any ordinary Englishman. But the depth of mud was not the only
impediment nor the worst which we encountered. As we began to
ascend from the level of the outskirts of the town we were greeted
by a rising flavor in the air, which soon grew into a strong odor,
and at last developed itself into a stench that surpassed in
offensiveness anything that my nose had ever hitherto suffered.
When we were at the worst we hardly knew whether to descend or to
proceed.
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