The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1845-05-17
From the Philadelphia Ledger.
OUR RELATIONS WITH BRl
TAIN M H

question. They apprehenc immediate
war with Britain, and seem parayzed
with fear Of ITS gigantic power. We
do not participate in such apprehen-
sions, for we do not believe that the
British government seriously contem-
plate war with the lifted States
They plainly forsee the consequences
of such step, and therefore will not
take it rashly. They know that the
war would soon become general; that
Russia would improve the opportunity
which it furnished, of prosecuting her
long-cherished desings upon India that
France would rush into the war; for
the purpose of recovering some of Its
lost colonies, diminishing the British
naval power, and wiping the stains of
Waterloo from the national escutcheon;
that Ireland would imperiously demand
repeal, and if it were denied, rebel for
national independence; that Canada
would rush into our Union; that the cot
ton manufacturing population at home,
starving for want of employment,wouId
rise in disorder and talk OF revolution,
that the property owners, exasperated
by a heavy income tax, would discover
that the stake was not worth game,
and would insist on a change of policy.
We may add that Spain, longing to re-
cover Gibraltar, Jamaica, and other
colonies of which she has been robbed
by Britain, and seeing in foreign war
for such purposes and with such pros
poets, the most eilectua mode of pro-
curing peace and stability at home,
would gladly join this crusade against
the common enemy Of maratime ma
tions.
We admit that Britain is as well pre-
pared for war now, as she has been al
any period since the peace of 1916
Her navy is powerful in number and
preparation. Her army is in good con-
dition. She has settled her difficulties
with China, and has abandoned Affa-
ganistan. Her finances are in better
condition than they have been at any
period of peace within the last thirty
years. But all these circumstances ex-
ist only for the present moment, and
would cease almost at the commence
ment of a war with the United States.
Her financial prosperity depends on
peace, and would lose its very founda-
ton in war. This war would be ve-
ry different from her war against Napo-
leon.
Then she had command of the ocean,
military and commercial. Then she
had Russia, Austria, Italy, the Peinsu-
Ia, the North, and most of Germany
for markets, and most of them for mill
tary allies. Then she manufactured,
bought, sold and transported for most
of the civilized world. Now she has
manufacturing and commercial rivals
in most of these nations, and in war
with the United States, would find mil
itary allies in none of them, and militia
ry enemies in France, Russia, and
Spain. In such contingency, what
would become of her financial prosper
ity? Deprived Of American cotton,
the very foundation OF her most lucra-
tive trade, and excluded from Ameri-
can and European markets, she would
be almost without commerce, ,and there
fore without the means Of financial
prosperity. Whence then would she
derive revenue for war? Borrowing,
and tax on property and income would
be her only sources. But we must re-
member that in general war, her COM
meree would be assailed by the French,
Russian. American, Spanish and Dan
ish navies, and especially by those
most formidable Of all its senemies, Amer
ican and French privateers. Beset by
such difficulties, she could not offer
much encouragement to lenders; and
reduced to taxes on property and IN
come, while the value of the first was
essentially diminished by the reduction
OF means for the second, she would
soon find as much impatience among
owners of property and receivers of
income, as among operatives without
employment, and consequently without
bread. Britain now presents glori-
Gus prize for the maratime nations OF
Europe. Russia wants India; France
and Spain want the West India Islands,
of which Britain has robbed them;
France wants Malta, and Spain wants
Gibraltar, France wants revenge for
Waterloo and Trafalgar, and Denmark
for Copenhagen aad the plunder of its
navy. And even little Holland, of which
Britain has been the "faithful ally,"|
wants her o!d colonies Of Surinam and
the Cape ofGood Hope. Austria, loo,
wants the lonian Islands and slice of
Turkey, and Russia wants the remain
der. and above all things. France wants