DISRAELI ON AMERICAN "ROWDY RHETORIC."

Press, Volume XVIII, Issue 2493, 27 April 1871, Page 3

DISRAELI ON AMERICAN "ROWDY RHETORIC."

3 [From the Xetrg of the U7?/\W.] 1 In the House of Commmis, Mr 3 Disraeli, the CY>i:.so;--.ati\e loader, conir plained of the tone adopted iv regard > to England by tin- puij!>♦• men in this 1 country, and showed tiiat he was not D to be outdone in the very discourtesy • of which he complained. He said: — There is one point conuected with - America, however, which I cannot * refrain from bringing before the consideration of this House, and that is, it t>eems to mc the time has come when » some notice should be taken by this country of the extraordinary manner in ' which the authorities of America eom--1 municate with our Government and '■ with the people of this country, or with persons of influence with whom I they are placed in communication. ! The tone of the American Govern--1 ment towards the Government of England is different from that used toward the Government of any other country. (Hear, hoar.) It is'not, as ; I once thought it was, the rude simplicity of Republican man- : ners. (Laughter.) Nothing can Ibe moro courteous than the Go--1 vernment of the United States to the Russian Government, and, I have no doubt, to the German Government; but if they have any communication to make to the Government of this coun- ) try, or any cause to give their opinion as to the conduct of the English people, a lone is adopted and language used which it may bo forbearing not to notice for a, time, but which, if continued, may lead to consequences not intended, nnd which all will deplore. Now, lam not going to dwoll on the wild words of demagogues, who, I suppose, in the United States, as well as ia all other countries, are reckless in their expressions. I am talking of persons in authority—of the House of the Representatives of the nation. I will take, for instance, the chief Senator-I think the Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs is the chief man ia the Senate, and only second to the President, for he exercises the functions of royalty to a certain degree. No treaty with the United States can, I believe, be concluded without his concurrence. Well, having to deal with us in this very matter of the Fisheries Treaty, he commenced his parliamentary career last year by a violent invective against the English Government and the English nation, calculated to excite the people of America. Then the President of the United States, the sovereign of America, has recently produced one of the gravest SUte papers which a person of his exalted position conld have produced. (Hear, hear) When the English Government or people are referred to, instead of being spoken of with kindness or respect —I might use much harsher expressions to describe the manner in which our conduct and interests are treated. What is the causo ? It is, I think, very fortunate that only recently the Fenian prisoners were sent to America. It is a questionable thing to mc whether they ought to have been amnestied. (Cheers.) But, as I have said on a former occasion, an amnesty should always be complete; and if they were to be freed, I think they ought to have been allowed to go to Ireland, instead of being put on board a boat with a £5 note in their pocket. [A laugh, and " hear, hear."] The people of America receive them (in pursuance of the system of always insulting this country) with all honor, and by a large majority in the House of Representatives decided to treat them with every possible respect. I want to know what is the reason why the Government and people of England are treated by the Government of the United States in a different manner from that in which other countries are treated. * * * In my mind if we are to have a Commission it will be a good opportunity for us to come to a clear understanding on that pomt —that England cannot be insulted or injured with impunity— (cheers) ; and, although I should look upon it as the darkest hour of my life to support or even to counsel in this House a war with the United States, the United States must understand that we will not permit ourselves to be treated differently from other countries. [Cheers.] If once our naval and military institutions were in that condition which I hope on Thursday, or some early day, we shall find they are—[a laugh]—if once it is known that her Majesty's dominions cannot be assaulted without being defended, all this rowdy rhetoric which is addressed to irresponsible millions, and, as it is supposed, with impunity to ourselves, will, I believe, cease. [Cheers.]