that was a petition from the town of Liverpool, in which some persons have been making themselves very ridiculous of late by reason of their conduct on this American question. There is one more point. It has been said, 'How much better it would be'--not for the United States, but--'for us, that these States should be divided.' I recollect meeting a gentleman in Bond-street one day before the session was over. He was a rich man, and one whose voice is much heard in the House of Commons; but his voice is not heard when he is on his legs, but when he is cheering other speakers; and he said to me: 'After all, this is a sad business about the United States; but still I think it very much better that they should be split up. In twenty years,' or in fifty years, I forget which it was, 'they will be so powerful that they will bully all Europe.' And a distinguished Member of the House of Commons--distinguished there by his eloquence, distinguished more by his many writings--I mean Sir Edward Bulwer Lytton--he did not exactly express a hope, but he ventured on something like a prediction, that the time would come when there would be, I do not know how many, but about as many independent States on the American Continent as you can count upon your fingers. There cannot be a meaner motive than this I am speaking of, in forming a judgment on this question,--that it is 'better for us'--for whom? the people of England, or the Government of England?--that the United States should be severed, and that the North American continent should be as the continent of Europe is, in many States, and subject to all the contentions and disasters which have accompanied the history of the States of Europe. I should say that, if a man had a great heart within him, he would rather look forward to the day when, from that point of land which is habitable nearest to the Pole, to the shores of the Great Gulf, the whole of that vast continent might become one great confederation of States,--without a great army, and without a great navy,--not mixing itself up with the entanglements of European politics,--without a custom-house inside, through the whole length and breadth of its territory,--and with freedom everywhere, equality everywhere, law everywhere, peace everywhere,--such a confederation would afford at least some hope that man is not forsaken of Heaven, and that the future of our race may be better than the past.