Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1856-04-04
An EnglIshman in America.
WAR BETWEEN ENGLAND AND THE UNITED


ping and Mercantile Gazette
| SIR Il have now made the tour of the States o.
| North America, and think it probable | give
| your readers some useful information landed in
| New York city ten months ago, and have spent my
time In studying the character and customs of thOs,
people, and must confess that if remained ten years
the result would be the same; and know very Ii tie
| abont them. But upon one pOiht-national pride
men, women and children are all alike and the idea
OF any nation of Europe, or the whole of them put
ogether, conquerng this country is perfectly absurd
TO them Every body reads the papers, AID good
| humored urchin of twelve years used to raie me
Soundly at Philadelphia for failures at Sebas O.
pol. The best version of American sympathy was
l given me few days since. When the war COM
/ menced the Turks were the weaker power, and our
sympathies wete with her. After the alliance it was
| ,nfee against one, and sympathies went for
hussIa but, should France join Russia to- morrow
tgalns England, our government could not prevent
It's citizens from not only sympathizing with Eng
| land, but assisting her with material aid This !
heard from very intelligent man, who do not think
suspected my nationalily and | firmly believe it.
In the South spent some time upon the p9ntations
and many times held long conversations with the
! slaves, and always with the same result. They are
much better satisfied than | suspected and when
spoke of the probability of a war | was answered
that, g. white folks wouldn't let nigga fight" ''But,"
said q the blacks from the West Indies will come
mere and help you to gain your freedom.' "Whal! !
black soger come here; let en cum, den, massa let's
light dc nigga, know, and Gar Almighty we give
EN- gosh p if not expressed in The same language
the same feeling was ever expressed.
have VISITED all their national armories, and al.
though the country is peace the greatest activity
prevailed all the old aims condemned, and by
next spring nearly 500 900 MIME rifles will be
ready for distributions besides Colts, Clark's, and
Others A Mr.. Alger, at Boston, is now engaged on
a new kind OF gun for the navy. The range with
solid shot, is nearly five miles; with shell, some
what shorter and the explosion of the shell renders
To
called, by those at work on them the secret gun but
what the secret is could lot ascertain Since the
war rumors have been observant of all and every
thing that could give clue TO the feelings of the
people. his is not difficult 10 come at, for the feel
ing is general, and their confidence is so great in
their own strength that the most dfidcnt speak only
OF The consequences and The result In company with
a party OF merchants, most of W ON engaged
in trade with England, broached the war subject,
and was astonlshed to find them SO Indifferent about
the consequences. One of them largely interested in
clipper ships, IN answer to remark of mine, that he
would have to lay up his clippers ' Not bit Of
it,, said he, they will make capital privatcers the
government will furnish guns Of long range; no Bri
tsh man of war catch them except steamer
and they cannot in good breeze, so we must take
chances" But where will you get your men 2"
" Where We have "a, 600 enrolled fishermen, who
Will flood our ports, and will tell you canddly
that In less than six months after war is declared
there will he 500 OF the fastest vessels in the world
will not be able to show herself at sea- What if we
lose few, we will make it up in the end. Two
steamers were launched few days since, each about
1000 tons, built in eight months, AMI it is Just as
easy to build SO in the time less" 8! But
your coasts are not defended. Remember you have
no Sebasopol nor Cronstadt." g Nor do we want
any We have few very pretty forts but should
any nation attempt al invasion, he will be met with
hands and hearts equal to any, superior to most and
we can concentrate 5000 men any point on our
~
this moment, and in few hours 10000 men
will make their appearance armed and equipped :"
lhls sounds like Dragging, but 1t is fact. This
city New York; has near that number enrolled and
equipped every man keeps his rifle at home o, in
the private armory of the company to which he be-
longs and lind II the same throughout the country
| have frequently met with boys of II and a. with
guns and game be rs, starting early dawn for the
woods, for here they shoot game wherever found
War Is argued against by every body something
to be avoided, but the idea of backing ont avoid ii
does not appear 10 enter the mind of any body Some
OF the papers speak of the Presidents message lis
paragingy but the people with him. and | can
ddly believe he would be elec ed if the election came
off today. And | regret cannot defend my coun-
Try at this time | would wish The Bulwer- CLAY
ton treaty is plain and explicit, and these people
don't and won't understand double meanings in trea
ties. They say the with the white hat does nol
refer TO the individual in the white cap, and my
Lord John Russell acknowledges the American in
leTpGeldlOn l mere are tnOuSdn, OF men mere mat
the Americans would be glad to get clear Of but
that does not justify England in breaking then laws
by enllstlng them; and my Lord Palmerson's in
structons were something Ike telling man to stab
his neghbor but not hurt him.
If the treaty (Clayton and Bulwer) is adhered to-
we have the States pledged never to occupy it, (Cen.
trail America,) for, say what will, they will stick
to the treaty and will never be annexed abrOgate
it, and in less than ten years it Will be one Of the
States of the Union. The Canadians are a very 10y.
al set and think they could take possession of the
States at a moments warning, They have caught
the habit of Dragging from their relghbors without
having the wherewith to brag On. A trip up the
lakes is the most convincing proof we have of
the difference of the two people In the American
are well finished cities and towns, mills, rail
roads running in every direCOn-in fact, you seldom
lose sight OF the locomotive and there nnumer2ble
steamers al every landing. On The Canadian, where
there are settlements: you the well-kept. cantor
table dwellings. the smooth sheared lawn, and every
thing air of comfort but little or no bust
ness, with the exception of the great railroad Row
ever, they rapidly improving; but should there
be war the largest and best portions Of Canada are
lost 10 Quebec, Halifax and other POINTS would
bother them But TO sum up my observations
after every opportunity that could have af-
! forded him, the result would be as follows Mexico,
Cuba an! the whole of Central America would be
annexed to the South and have little doubt of Can
ada in the North mios of treasure, and thousands
of valuable lives lost England forever; our con-
merce crippled in every sea, and some fighting that
will gladden. the carts of our tried sodiery.
Now, what we gain? A foot Of territory g
We don't want ii and it we did, six feet for the
majority of our brave fellows, fear would be the
as for the sand beach OF the Mosquito King it is
decided humbug. What would be the result to this
county! 1t would put her back in prosperity for
half century. 1t would ruin thousands who are now