The Express.
London, England, 1863-04-25 00:00:00

Ir was natural for Mr. Hosesur. to bring the
cue of the Alexandra before Parliament. lhere
is no town in this kingdom which is more deeply
engaged in supplying the combatants in the
American civil war with the means of continuing
the struggle ; and, therefore, there are no people
more interested than the constituents of Mr.
Holum& in opposing the attempts of the Govern-
ment to enforce the provisions of the Foreign
Enlistment Act. It is an axiom that the popular
feeling in this country is in favour of observing
the law of the land. It might be supposed
that any Minister who endeavoured to enforce the
law would have the majority of the House of
Commons in his favour. But any person who
has observed the tone which prevails in that es-
usably must admit that, although in a general way
there is a disposition to support the Government
in enforcing the law, any attempt to enforce the
Foreign Enlistment Act is regarded with obvious
disfavour. It is matter of history that the same
feeling has in times past prevailed in America, and
it is one of the noblest traits in the character
of Waszotoros that he risked his popularity
in order to maintain neutrality. It must be
admitted that the present Ministers and their
law officers are entitled to the Dame credit, and
they may justly claim the vigorous support of
those who, looking beyond the interests of the
hour, regard the permanent reputation of their
country. If the principle upon which the Ewe*
Enlistment Act is hued be erroneous—if Ilsgismd,
now that she is a neutral power, is satisfied that
the policy which she advocated so long as she was
a belligerent was a mistaken policy—then let
the Act in question be at once repealed, and
let both parties be permitted to fit out in our
ports any number of Alabama. But let there be
no double dealing. Let our new polity be
boldly proclaimed. Let the world be plainly told
that the principles upon which this country has
acted for the last two centuries are abandoned,
and that in any future wan England is prepared
to submit to the same inconveniences to which the
Federals would now be put by so oomph& a re-
volution. After the solemn warning addressed
to the HOMO of Commons by Mr. COBDIN and
Mr. Coitus there can be no mistake. Our own
past experience, and the experience which
the Americana are now obtaining, con-
cituively prove that such a law as the Foreign
Enlistment Act is of the utmost advantage to any
nation which happens to be a belligerent. But if
this advantage is purchased at too great a price,
then the only alternative is to abandon it, and to
adopt the principles which we have hitherto repu-
diated. Such a course would be humiliating, and
would certainly expose us to the charge of incon-
sistency, and of being actuated by motives of gross
eelfishness. But it would be infinitely superior to
the dishonesty of maintaining what has been called
a fraudulent neutrality.
Whatever may be thought of the policy which
dictated the Foreign Enlistment Act, most certain
it is that English statesmen are chiefly responsible
foe the fact that any such law exist., either in this
country or in America. As Mr. CORDrif and Mr.
COLIIII clearly showed, the various American
laws which have been passed on this subject have
been pained at the suggestion of England : our
own law has been copied from that of Ame-
rica. Nor is this all. The Act in question has
been enforced by the Americans with the most
vigorous vigilance. And Mr. Coanziv challenged
his opponents to show any single instance in
which a Minister of this country had called
upon an American Minister to enforce its provi-
sions without the deinsad being at once acceded
so. Throughout the long period during which