Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1854-12-29


out OF it, arc proposing to have the United
States Government offer its humble services
to mcd'ote between the nations at war on the
other side Of the Atlantic The thing sounds
well, and that, so far we can see, is all
there is of it, or can be of it. How is it to be
donc,-that is the med'ating part of it We
see how the proposing to mediate can be done
very easily. Suppose for instance, the propo-
stion made to them all, and that one and all
they reply, that they will be most happy to
have the kind Offices of Brother jonathan
put forward i'll the case If he can tell them
what to do, they will be exceedingly obliged
to him, it being more than they know for
themselves What is to come next Who
is to do the business, and how i, he to get at
it
Is the gentleman who at present lives in the
White House, Franklin Pierce. Esq to be the
man with the help of his Cabinet to do the
business If he is to be, what is the Irocess'
Is he to have power 6 to send for persons and
papers from the other side, 50 that he may
have all the data to decide upon ; or is he to
take Il little recess from Washmgton and
pack up his kit for a few weeks absence that
he may call upon his friends Nicholas, Napo-
leon ID, Abdul Mediid, and Mrs. Victoria,
and converse in noighborly way about the
little disagreement which hc hears they
have fallen into, accidentally MS it were and
see if he cannot suggest how they can end it
all and shake hands and be friends again ,
II neither Of those methods can be pursued,
perhaps the President with the consent
Of the Senate, will appoint some pleasant
and Intelligent gentleman, such as Mr.. Bor-
land or Mr., SJulc, or any one else, no matter
who, with full power to act as mediator. la
that case, We take it that the contonding
parties are at once to suspend all operations,
-sevcraly to pick up their traps and collect
their inen, and betakc themselves quietly to
their own homes, leaving it to the aforesaid
capable and accomplished gentleman. whoever
| he may be, to say how they rhall settle not
/ only the points nomnoly in dispute, but
how they shall adjust the damages which all
parties have already incurred in the quarrel
and what is more than all, to put at rest the
/ great question which underlies the whole,
and which h.,,i,.s boon. in ".asg for htt, gears,
is now actually up for aHSrcr--viA who Is
to control Europe, and perhaps Asia, and
what power there, if it cannot put it, heel on
the neck Of its neiGhbor, shall at least be
/ able to keep its neighbour heel of from it,
own neck lie would fad something Of Il
task before he got through with it, we think.
Again We ask, how is the business to be
done Give us programme. Let US see the
scheme of the play. TO our view the rropo-
siton is an absurd one in any practical sense
We could hardly look upon the suggest on
when we first saw it, as serious one. The
case has no analogy to that where Great
Britain offered Il mediation between France
and the United States in Jacksln's time
There the point in dispute was substantially
of small consequence, and the disagreement
sprang from point Of etiquette, and n quar-
rel had begun 1t was only threatened, Me-
diations are not uncommon but they are re
sorted to in cases of very simple conditions.
The European dispute is complicated, and ari-
scs from the relations Of several governments.
relations which are oflons standin: and Who'll
ly unlike any which our people have anything
to do with, Of which they have but i most
imperfect knowledge, and can not look at Is
Europeans do. That the European govern
monts know as well as We d., and will he pref
ty sure to let our government know ii, if any
such proposal il made They are in It ter
riblo strife abroad, and they must arttlr 1t
themselves as they best can. We "a" no.
help them. 10 intimate that W. can Is a
prctcnsion to ability whore there i-nouc-a
mere piece Of governmental .uy'5cr,, is We
look at il.