The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-11-15
THE UNITED STATES AND ENGLAND.

The London Times, Of a late date, has an
ambiguous and threatening article in reference
to this country, which is stirring up no small
amount of wrath and Indignation on this side
of the Atlantic. The American people are
ridiculously sensitive to the touch of foreign
criticism and the Thunderer of the Times has
it in his power, at any moment, to throw a na-
ton of twenty-eight millions of people into a
paroxysm of rage, by flourish of his pen Is
it not clear that our people are deficient in
that pride of national character, which they
ever knew John Bull to be goaded into a pas
sionby the demagogical rawlings of the Wash
ington Union?
The Union is the acknowledged organ of the
Administration, and yet, from week to week,
and year to year, it belcbes forth the most vim
dictive and Understanding abuse Of the Gov
eminent and institutions of England. 1t has
openly sympathized with Russia in the exist
ing war, and has prophesied 1.-THE wish being
father to the thought) the downfall of England,
with her fabric of free institutions-the only
free institutions in Europe. Yet John Bull is
the OK in the fable was of the gnat upon his
horn. Would it not become us to treat the
London Times with equal contempt? The
Times is not the organ of the British Govern
ment. Its immense circulation and ADVERT
sing make it Independent of Government patron
age. But even if it were subsidized and sup
ported by the British Government, as the
Washington Union is by that Of the United
States, it would still be beneath the dignity of
this country to lash itself into passion about
a newspaper paragraph. When the British
Government speaks, officially, the language of
the Times, it will be proper to reply to it; but
a sally of newspaper only deserves retort
from some American press, and there an end.
The writer's for the Times must feel flattered
by the consequence we give to their squibs !;
and we wonder that they are not tempted to
fire them off more frequently, merely for the
fun of Witnessing our prodigious excitement.
The paragraph from the Times, which has
called forth the present shout of Indignation,
relates to the squadron lately despatched by
the British Government to the West Indies. 1t
is evidently the object of that paper to put the
American Government or people on a wrong
SCENT by intimating something very vaguely
about flbuster descents upon. Ireland-a bald
humbug. The squadron has probably some
thing to do with either the st. Domingo or the
Nicaragua question.
The flibustering of Kinney and Walker, and
the schemes, openly avowed by the Administra-
ton of this Government, in reference TO pro-
curing foothold in Hayti, with a view to ex-
tending Slavery into that Island, are well cal
culated to awaken jealousy on the part of the
Government Of England, and TO prompt the
course which has been taken. 1t is incredible
that the Government of England would insult
or menace that of the United States, at time
when her hands are full with Russia. The
trade of the United States is essential to Eng
land, and that of England is equally necessary
to US. 1t is therefore madness and folly, on
either side, to talk of war; What would become
of England's manufacturing and commercial
prosperity, if cut off from the markets of the
United States And what would become of
the South and Slavery, without the English
markets for cotton and tobacco? Ruin would
be the consequence on both sides, but most
surely on this since the South would not mere
ly be threatened with ruin from the loss of
market, but from the direct assault of the mill
tary and naval power of England. Slavery would
not survive a war with England; and if we were
madly bent on the abolition of Slavery, as the
people of the South habitually charge upon all
Anti-Slavery men, we should welcome such
war. But we cherish no such bloody or de-
structive philanthropy. We sincerely labor for
the peaceful abolition Of Slavery, in order that
blacks and whites may be benefited by the
change. The abolition of Slavery by bloody
revolution, precipitated by foreign war, would
be as disastrous to the blacks as to the whites