The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-11-15
from lhe London Times Oct D
THREATENED DIFFICULTY BETWEEN GREAT
BRITAIN AND THE UNITED STATES.

THREATENED DIFFICULTY BETWEEN GREAT
BRITAIN AND THE UNITED STATES.
The English Government is omittino no on.
portunity of reinforcing the West India squad.
ron, and thus interposng powerful fleet be-
tween this country and the North American
continent. This proceeding will, we doubt not,
call forth from large portion of the American
press that species of mild and temperate COM
ment in which they delight whenever the con-
duct of England is in question, and little
political capital is to be manufactured by ma.
king her the object Of invective and deprecia-
ton. We shall be told, no doubt, of the iendish
hatred of England to Republican America, and
OF the insolent menace behind which she wells
her insidious and treacherous designs. With
out the slightest wish to reflect in any way on
the press which allows itself to be made the
vehicle of such statements, or upon the constit-
uencles whose votes are found to be influenced
by such calumnies, we wish to point out to the
good sense and moderation of the American
people the causes which have led u.s. even in
time OF war, to increase our squadron in their
seas, and may possibly lead us still further in
direction, the first steps toward which we are
now most unwiingly taking.
We entreat, then, the American public to be-
lleve, Notwithstanding the assertions to the con-
trary with which they are SO assiduonsly Piled
that there is no party or body of men in this
country that regards them with any other feel
ing than that of the utmost good will, or would
wish for them any other fate than the enjoy
ment of the utmost public freedom which is
consistent with the utmost private liberty and
security. We have neither the wish nor the
right to intrude our opinion on that form of
government which has been established in the
United States but we have, and we claim the
IN fal- 10
against that spirit of unbridled license which
the present Government of the United States
seems inclined to tolerate. AT this moment,
North America is in profound peace with the
whole world; yet it is not the less true that in
her ports are fitting out at this moment pratical
hlibusteHDg expeditions, destined TO carry war
and bloodshed into the dominions of an unof-
Tending neighbor. These expeditions do not
receive the sanction of the American Govern.
ment, are not equipped by its funds, will not
be conducted by its officers but their prepare
ton is nevertheless well known to the President
and his Administration, and received no check
from that quarter. This federation, we are
willing to suppose, proceeds from weakness
merely, and would be exchanged for vigorous
action, only that the power to act is utterly
wanting.
The American people are so free that they
own creating, and, thouoh laudably eager for
the preservation of their own dignity and the
assertion of their own rights, cannot bring them
selves to tolerate an Executive sufficiently
strong to compel respect for the rights of neu-
trail nations. 1t is because we see no hope of
finding in the United States a Government
capable of preventing its citizens from waging
private war on their own account, against the
best friends and truest allies of the great Re.
public, that we are most unwillingly compelled
even in the midst of the great European strug-
gle in which we are engaged, to assume de-
fensive attitude, in order to trample out the
first sparks of this fire, and prevent conhagra-
ton which. if once allowed to spread, may
cause incalculable misery to the human race.
1t is the misfortune of the American Republic
that she contains within her borders so many
desperate and lawless men; it is still more her
misfortune thatshe does not possess an organiza-
ton sufficiently powerful to crush these criminal
attempts That which she cannot do, we are
compelled, at least SO far as the lawless enter
prises directed against ourselves 90, to do for
her.
We cannot wait patiently till these lawless
emlssaries OF Instruction and plumber have set
their feet within Her Msjestys dominions, and
encountered there the resistance which is sure
to overwhelm their wild and desperate schemes.
We cannot wait till we are placed in the terrible
dilemma of either sparing men 70 whom clemen-
cy Is cruelty to the human race of which they
are the enemies, or of inhictiDg a Just punish.
ment, which may be the means of infaming
against us the passions of the American people, |
and leading to disastrous and fratricidal war |
We will, If it be possible, prevent the crime
that otherwise it would be our duty most severe
ly to punish, and this we do in the name and |
in the hope of peace. We cannot believe that |
those who are now engaged in enrolling unhap- |
Ply men for these desperate and criminal enter
priSes really contemplate the success of de-
scent upon Ireland, for instance, as probable, or
even possible. All they can hope is, that the |
fate sure to attend such wretched ad-
venturers may be the means of inttaming the
public mind against England, and stirring up
The passions of the people to a point which
might render war inevitable. This consumma-
ion it is the duty of the American Government,
f it can, to prevent-and as it cannot, of the
Government against which such attempt axe
aimed, by all means to avert IF we can prevent
,hese expeditions from sailing, or intercept them
N mid-ocean, we shall have done much toward
averting the danger that must arise, should they
be carried out to their natural developrnent.
The course of action we hgya adopted is bold,
put for that very reason we believe it to be
prudent and SAFE
We are fully aware of the advantage that
iuch proceeding gives to those ever-active
,missaries of discord who are necessarily EN-.
,loyed in every State of the Union in stirring
Up the feelings of the populace against this
country. That which is a mere measure of
against lawless force, they will rep
esent as an insult offered to the lawful Gov
'rnInent of the country; they will declaim, they
will distort, they will exaggerate, but we must
lot omit 10 prepare against real dangers be-
ause our preparations may be honestly misun.
erstood or designedly misrepresented. Eng
and has every wish and every interest to &c
main at peace with America. The immense
rade which we csrty On with her, the com.
nuni.y o. language and of blood, the absence
I any ground of dispute or subject of rivalry
II plead forcibly in the same direction. How
TRANCE that, under gpca circumstances, we
hould be driven 10 arms merely because it is
40 will OF portion of the sovereign people to
lake war upon us, unsupported and pnap-
roved, out also neither prevented nor arrested =
the Government We desire above all things q
continuance of peace; but if it be the deter. Z
linatlon OF any large portion of the people Of t
ne United States to force war upon us, we I
hall know how to meet it and repel it, with. 4
ut relaxing for an instant our grippe on the }
troat OF the Keeling and tottering giant of the !.
forth.
But is it for the credit of those free institu- !,
ons so often Wanted all that is wise, perfect,
nd liberal, on the face of the earth, that a :
Iendiy and kindred nation, ardently desiring
eace, should feel itself compelled to ctand o..
lie defensive, not because it mas any serious
spute With the Government of this free and