The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1842-03-12
The British Tory Press on the Prospect OF
War between England and the United

states.
JAMES GoRooN BENNETT, EsQ.:-
There has been much SANDER and abuse heaped
this country by various journals in Great Britain
and Canada, and bya few too, w hich have respect
sble standing, that l have ceased to wonder At
their spleen, their impertinence, and impotence
To my astonishment Blackwood has recently join
ed the yelping ours, and growls and barks too,
though not so and vulgar as ssme other,
equally guilty in Misrepresentation, unfairness
and SANDER.
l will notice some Of Professor Wilson's misre-
presentations and slaLders. Blackwood says,
Every rational man in America must have felt
the seizure Of Mcleod was an.act of injustice"
This is false, for know great many as rational
as Blackwood, who justified the seizure (not be-
cause Mcleod was guilty for that was to be tried)
but ON the right, of the State Of New York to try
and punish murder committed on its soil. What 10
the decision Of our own Judges, but Justification
Of the seizure. Were they irrational? Professor
Wilson would do well to understand the nature and
operations of our National aud State Constitutions
and Gov ernments better than he does, before he
applies international laws to US, as II is applied be-
tween mona rchical governments. He and most other
writer's cannot rid themselves of the impression
that we under, and ought to be governed by
British laws; they seem TO forget that we have
thrown off the kingly and queenly yoke-that we
are a nation "a powerful onet ,Republic,not
monarchy THAT we have our own laws, and that
we have the ability, and will enforce them IN our
own way, without consulting mother Britain or any
one else, and careless w neither they pleased or
not, long we please ourselves. We ask no
favors, and will submit to no detaton or agrees
sion.
Blackwood may also lay the flattering JUNCTION to
his soul, that he and his tory CONDUCTORS have go
all the common sense there is in the world, but
some Of us poor ignorant, despised republicans DO
not slceunib to the giant of literature in Aud
Reekie," any where else, for il so happens that
common is not acquired, il is one of natures
gifts and many thanks to her, che has not been 50
niggardly as to conGne her gifts to the "fast an
chored Isle" We show some Of it ON this
continent, that might even astonish Professor VIII
SOC, were he to condescend to pay US WRIT.
Backwood again says, But, while we confess
that An American war would do serious injury to
gland we can have no hesitation in saying that
it would ruin the present Republic OF the United
States. A shore 1900 miles cannot be defended by
either fleets fortresses; even if America had ei-
,her, thinly peopcd country must be easily inva-
ded, if not easily overrun"
agree with Blackwood, that war would do seri
Gus injury to Britain, but cannot admit that il
would ruin the United States" That il would do
serious injury to both, few rational men will ques
ton, and it might ruin Britain He might, howev-
er. have extended our shore to 1000 miles, and then
been within bounds admit tina: it cannot be dc.
Tended At all points by fleets or fortresses also
admittL at many points our shores might be east
~ overrun but will not admit that the invaders
could conqaert and hold it. If Britain could not
do il in 1914. Ii and II, when our population was
not more than half it is now, how then can she
expect to be more successful now! am aware
that tn. mode Of warfare is much altered since that
time, and that, with the steam vessels new in USE
invasion might be more easily effected, and the
ant hsNtV nn I'M
they would find it as (or more) difficult to keep
their footing oar soil than they did during the
two previous But this is not all; can Britain
spare troops enough from her own soil to Vverrun
ours? In the present state in which our own pop.
ulation is, doubt it. Besides, even should she
send oROught to overrun portien Of this country,
very considerable number Of the soldiers would de-
sert, and many of those who did not do SO, would
never get back to tell their tale If they went far
from their boats $1,000 troops is about as many ~
Britain could well spare, but call it 100000, and
what could that number effect in an enemy's coun-
try like ours. with an army Of ESQ 900 militia,
which would soon be in the field; and though they
may be considered not veterans, but raw recruits,
the British regulars would find them very formida-
bic opponents, especially among the bushes. They
would also find every man, woman, and child their
enemy. The idea of overrunning this country 10
preposterous. We will fight for our homes and
fresidcs when we will not for conquest would
be az much opposed to our Invading Britain, Is I
am TO her invading us, and expect the British
would 6ght for their homes as we would for ours.
Countryma here, or countryman there, get out Of
my hammock. There is no friendship with an in
vading foe.
cannot agree with Black wood that ENGLAND has
NO desire for American territory think her con.
duct 10 at variance with the assertion-vide the
Eastern Boundary, the Rocky Mountains ques-
tions, SC.
Backweod would eyince some consistency if he
would look at the rabble in his own country before
he sneers at the rabble in Maine, who are good,
honest, substantial farmers not paupers and actu-
ILL f~rL. III H.
Of his own countrymen are at this moment. The
charge OF clustering, too BY our newspaper editors,
comes with il.grace from him. Let him stop
the clustering Of the London Times, the Liverpool
Mail, the Montreal Herald, and other tory prints,
which have elected their bile and venom against
u.s.
BIackwood shows great ignorance of the Ameri-
can character in comparing the effects the blowing
down of the walls of "Acrc" had with the Mussel.
men, with the effect the destruction of New York
would have us. Even if the British could
(Which doubt) destroy New York, and every
other seaport in the United States, she wosld find
that the war not ended, or the enmity Of our
people subdued. We would retreat and rally again,
and harass and gore Johnny, that he would be glad
to clear out with bloody nose, as he had to do in
the war Of the revelation.
Should war become the only alternative, which
hope will not be the case, and Sir Charles Napier
come out here at the head of expedition to batter
down our cities, hope Professor Wilson will
find Jonathan (not enly) ''an active fcflsw,"
and laxative fellow, but very stubborn fellow,
and very different kind Of fellow, and made Of
very different stuff than either the Mahomedans or
Chinese, or any other enemy that Napier has en-
countered We can Sight when it is necessary a.
well 80 talk.
The illusions to the seizure the imprisoning, and
the threateningto hang Mcleod, and still "there
was no war;" is an unfortunate for Black wood
a. well as Britain.
The war threat was made by Britain, instead Of
us-that il we did so and so TO Mcleod. Mr.: Fox
woaId demand his passports, and war would inevi
tably ensue. Mcleod was tried, which was all
we contended for in his case, and TO this day Mr..
Fox remains at Washington, his ardor being con-
sideraby cooled down. The fact is, after all the
clustering and threatening Of Mr. Fox and his gov.
ern nest, they concluded il the best policy to peck
ct the insult, IL it one, and let Jonathan admin
lister his own laws IN his own way, rather than 20
to war with him. for fear they might find him
better customer in RENTING shot than in remtting