Tur week ending the 3rd of May was.a comparatively quiet one at home, Actually the most important event was the celebration of the Centennial of Washington's inauguration, but shortened as the distance across the Atlantic is, and closely interwoven as the interests of the two countries are, many of the English papers hardly notice the ceremony. Never was there a more crucial instance of the hour developing the man than General Washington, and the Times in its article sums up with admirable lucidity his great claims to the worship which his memory receiv 'A nationality docs well to cherish memory of un ancestor which shines from far with 0 serene and unalterable a lustre. will not disdain association with such a cate-Not every empire, if the American Republic gory, can claim for its founder a gentleman without spot or stain, But in the present celebration the American people is able also to record its gratitude for political services of extreme value derived permanently, if incidentally, by it from its famous captain's personal virtues. The Presidency and its vast prerogatives are the keystone of the stability of the American Constitution. Without Washington, such as he was, to be the first President, the framers of the system would scarcely have had the courage to an experiment which might hav 'a military despot in exchange for a Monarch. Without him, his tranquil judgment, and his absolute superiority to the temptations of vulgar ambition, the difficulty of bestowing, upon the idea, as traced on paper, practi shape and substance would have been excess sive. In his double term of office he tested and verified the operative excellence of the machinery. Not a master thinker, any more than he was a military genius, he saw with unerring discernment that American Democracy needs a chief who for the time being will embody in himself the executive powers and on occasion exercise them without hesitation, provided he never forget that he is the nation's delegate.
Mr. Chauncey Depew's magnificent oration, which was never delivered, is the theme of the Pall Afalt's article, but that journal is not sure that there is not seamy side to the brilliant piece. of tapestry woven by that noted orator." Jeshurun has waxed fat indeed—the cattle upon a thousand hills are his—but is he not doing as Jeshurun always has done when in similar circumstances?—is he not. kicking off the old-fashioned virtues, and developing new-fashioned vices, at very high pressure indeed? No one can accuse us of lack of sympathy with our American kinsfolk. We rejoice in their growth, and exult in the strength of the greatest of the sons of the motherland. It is not from any grudging jealousy that we feel compelled to enter a word of caution in the midst of this very natural glorification of material success. Is it or is it not a fact that the Americans are approximating rapidly to a composite type, the type of the English-Chinese?" To find an answer to sucha conundrum as that is quite beyond we do not even know what race of men Mr. Stead means by the "English-Chinese," nor can we understand what similarity such a race, if it existed, would bear to the modern American, General Boulanger appears to have made but little sensation so far in London, and the Spectator's note on him presents the position tersely and completely No man is great in London, and we do not fancy that there is the least danger of the English people either taking up General Bou. longer, or behaving rudely to him, He is not liked by the masses, who have a notion that he is at once revolutionist and reactionary, but, also, h not abhorred. Society will rebably lionise him till he is too tired to the process any longer; but there is no objection to that, unless it should come from himself. It may, however, be useful to remark that the Republic is still the legitimate Government of France, that the present Mi. istry in Paris is susceptible about the Gen. eral to an extravagant degree, and that any notable honour paid to, especially by members of the poral family, will not improve Lord Lytton's influence in any negotiations, There is no. reason whatever for discourtesy to General Boulanger, who has as yet been proved guilty of nothing except an unreason: able arity, and who is a Member for Paris; but there is no reason, either, for treating him as if he were a Prince expelled by mob violence froma throne. The stories about his hostility to England are probably untrue, and do not signify if they are true, as he will be governed, should he ever become Dictator, by his interests, and not his anti+ pathies; but a little of the reserve one prac. fises to an acquaintance with whom one may have a law-suit will not be out of place, Fortunately, it is not English society which has a habit of adoration, but only the English people.
The General is happy in the conviction of his own popularity. The Government Of Franco, he says, has all the rest on its fide, but he has the people. As the Saturday When the election comes the General will be to the fore as the representative of the common discontent. Itis useless to say that his popularity is irrational. It exists, Tt in idle'for Parisian journalists to make fun of him, The mass of the peasantry and the small bourgeoisie do not care a fillip for the wit of Parisian journalists. The utterly unexpected result of the election for Paris ought Yo give the measure of the knowledge posses sed by the Parliamentary Republicans of the Yoters among whom they live. Evidence much more trustworthy than the opinions of papers which have no correspondents exists to show that in small towns and in the country General Boulanger is looked upon as the man who, in some unexplained way, la to bring i beter times by making clean sweep of ces messieurs in Paris. In October the extent of this feeling may be revealed as amazingly as it was in the capital. The only method of preventing this is that the gentlemen in Paris should convince the country that they are a tolerable Government after all. If this is to be effected something more will be needed than the temporary residence of the General in London, where he is, after all, nearly as much within reach of the peasantry fand Country. bourgeoisie a8 he would be in
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.