26 Four-in-Hand in Brilain. 



been threshed out in the Reviews — those coming forums 

 of discussion — and all that can be said already said by 

 writers upon both sides of the question who know its 

 bearings much better than the leaders of party. When 

 the FortnigJitly or the Niyieteenth Cc7iitiry gets through 

 with a subject the Prime Minister only rises to sum up 

 the result at which the Morleys and Rogerses, the 

 Spencers and Huxleys, the Giffens and Howards have 

 previously arrived. 



The English are prone to contrast the men of 

 America and England who are in political life, and the 

 balance is no doubt greatly in their favor. But the 

 reason lies upon the surface: America has solved the 

 fundamental questions of government, and no changes 

 are desired of sufficient moment to engage the minds of 

 her ablest men. During the civil war, when new issues 

 arose and had to be met, the men who stepped forward 

 to guide the nation were of an entirely different class 

 from those prominent in politics cither before or since. 

 Contrast the men of Buchanan's administration with 

 those the war called to the front — Lincoln, Seward, Stan- 

 ton, Sumner, Edmunds, Morton, or the generals of that 

 time, with Grant, Sherman, Sheridan, Hancock. All of 

 these men I have known well, except one or two of the 

 least prominent. I have met some of the best known 

 politicians in England. Compared morally or intellect- 

 ually, I do not think there is much, if any, difference 

 between them ; while for original creative power I 



