While some of the leading British newspapers have treated the great contest going on in this country in a very insulting and ungenerous manner, it is pleasing to observe that a considerable number of them speak of our affairs in a very kind and sympathizing spirit, and manifest a deep interest in the success of our efforts to preserve the government of the country. As a specimen of these articles we give a short extract from the “Weekly Times,” published in London, under date of August 18th —“The American people are turning the Bull Run misfortune to a good account. The new general of the army of the Potomac, McClellan, works in right earnest to restore order and confidence. He selects a good staff, shuts up the liquor shops, punishes delinquents, and drills his soldiers in right martial style.”
Speaking of their ‘‘Tories” at home, the same article says, “The tories take no pains to conceal their discreditable joy at the misfortunes of a republic, but they overshoot the mark when they direct their arrows of reprobation at our trans-Atlantic friends. They persist in the grossest exaggerations of any errors or losses the northerners suffer, and tell us as little truth as possible about the noble efforts they are making to redeem the past.”
Another extract will show the view taken of the question of emancipation in England and from having observed many articles of a similar tenor, in different newspapers from various parts of Great Britain, we infer that this extract gives the opinions of that class who truly sympathize with us in our present struggle.
“In mere questions of military and political organization the unionists will rapidly progress; but we want to see them brought to a distinct recognition of the fact, so obvious in this country, that without the abolition of slavery there can be no final adjustment of the quarrel between the north and the south. The ablest American statesmen know this full well, but they seem afraid to speak out, and perhaps a failure of other plans must precede the adoption of the only satisfactory course. The lapse of six months will naturally alter the condition of parties, and remove many obstacles to a right course.”
Among the many able writers who are now endeavoring to influence the public sentiment of England in our favor, is Lieutenant General T. Perronet Thompson, who for many years occupied a prominent position in parliament, and has taken a very active part in the reform movements of the last twenty years. We observe bis articles, which are very clear and decided, in a great number of the newspapers sent here from England.
Worcester Daily Spy, Worcester, MA