ENGLISH OPINION OF AMERICA. 193 



to repeat that, in the five months during which I traveled in Great 

 Britain, in almost every day of which time I heard the United 

 States talked about with every appearance of candor and honesty, 

 I do not recollect to have heard any expression of hostile feeling 

 (except frpm a few physical-force Chartists, with regard to sla- 

 very) towards our government or our people, and only from a 

 few stanch Church-and- State men, against our principles of gov- 

 ernment. Perhaps the highest eulogy on Washington ever put 

 in words was written by Lord Brougham. The Duke of Wel- 

 lington lately took part in a banquet in honor of American inde- 

 pendence. Having observed that Mr. Howard was threatened 

 with a mob, for keeping an English ensign flying from a corner 

 of the Irving House, I will add that I more than once saw the 

 American ensign so displayed in England, without exciting re- 

 mark ; and I know one gentleman living in the country who 

 regularly sets it over his house on the Fourth of July, and salutes 

 it with gun-firing and festivities ; so that the day is well known, 

 and kindly regarded by all his neighbors, as " the American 

 holiday." 



The following paragraph is the commencement of a "leader" 

 in the London Times, the organ not of the Government, as is 

 supposed by many who do not see it in the United States, but of 

 a power stronger than the Government. I quote it as confirma- 

 tion of my view of the way in which the American Revolution is 

 regarded in England: 



" One hundred and fifty years after the formation of our prin- 

 cipal plantations in North America, the sense of a common wrong 

 and a common danger drove thirteen loyal English communities 

 most reluctantly to form themselves into a Congress for mutual 

 defense and protection. The hint was not taken, the same rash 

 and overbearing policy was persisted in, the wisdom of Burke 



and the eloquence of Chatham were poured forth in vain, the star 

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