The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-04-17
ENGLAND AND THE UNITED STATES.

the Central American Question. In relation
to the rights involved he sustained the Ameri-
can view, but deprecated in strong terms an
appeal to arms for the settlement of the contro-
versy. His counsel, briefly stated, is, "no war,
if it can possibly be avoided with propriety;
settlement by self-adjusting negotiation long
drawn out; and, as last resort, negotiation
nugatory, arbitration" The presumption is,
that he gives utterance to the prevailing senti-
ment of the Slave States.
We notice the speech, not account of its pa
ci6c tone, but for the purpose of commenting
upon paragraph in which he holds up Eng
land as hostile to our interests, "almost an
enemy"
"Of all wars, war with England is most to
be deprecated. The advanced position both
countries occupy, as the exponents of civiliza
ton and free institutions, would make war
between them disastrous in the extreme. 1t
would do more to retard civilization than any
event which could occur; it would put back the
clock of time half century. Our intimate
commercial relations, the general spirit of our
institutions, our common origin, the fraternity
of literature, all speak trumpettongued against
calling on the sword as the arbiter between us;
and when l say this, do it not because 1 am
in any degree affected with an Anglomania,
for look upon England as our great rival
almost our enemy. The olgarchy who govern
England, like all oligarchies. are selfish in the
extreme. They would sacrifice and trample
upon all nationalities, to advance the policy of
England. The main sources of English su.
premacy are her manufactures and commerce.
Hence her antagonism to this country. She
sees that the energy of the Northern people is
impingiDg upon her dominion in both these
great particulars. Her fixed purpose is. there
fore, to paralyze the progress of the United
States in these departments. Hence we have
felt her i'll Offices in every part of the world-at
the Sandwich Islands, in Texas, in Cuba, in st.
Domingo, and in Central America. Hence,
above all, her Abolition crusade in behalf of
her West India slaves. Her purpose is, if pos
sible, to break up our Union; and to do this,
she stimulates the Slavery agitation at the very
time she is holding hundred millions of white
men in the worst kind of bondage in India.
She has naturally no antagonism with the
South, for her prosperity in a very great degree
depends upon the cotton Of the South. Her
antagonism is to the North. She uses the
Slavery question as a means to break up the
Union. Once this purpose is accomplished,
she would trample upon the North, and court
the South. Such is the policy of England, and
/ cannot but look upon her as the worst enemy
of our country. Yet, even with this impression,
l am averse to war with her, because we could
not mend matters by going to war, but make
them worse"
We have often wondered how men of sense
could give currency to such representations.
1t suits the purpose of certain demagogues, at
times, to decaim against the bitter rivalry of
England, her envy of our greatness, her insidi.
Gus purpose to set bounds to our empire, and
foster dissension among Us. There are poll.
ticians whose vocation seems to be to cultivate
a national antipathy to England; and, unfortu.
nately, some influential journals, of liberal
ideas, can never allude to that Power, except
in terms Of repugnance.
Among the many wise lessons inculcated by
Washington in his Farewell Address, none has
ever impressed us more deeply than that in which
he inculcates the true mode of preserving peace
with foreign nations.
"Observe good faith and Justice to all nations;
cultivate peace and harmony with ALL"
"In the execution of such plan, nothingi is
more essential than that permanent, inceterate
antipathies against particular nations, and
passionate attachments for others, should be
excluded ; and that, in place of them, just and
amicable feelings tOacards all should be cultiva-
ted. The nation that INDUCES towards another
an habttual hatred, or an habitual fondness, is
in some degree sldre. 1t is q slave to its ami
mostly or its affection; either of which is sufi-
cent to lead it astray from its duty and its in
terest. Antipathy in one nation against an.
other, disposes each more readily to offer insult
and injury, to lay hold of slight causes of UNI
bragg, and to be naughty and intractable when
accidental or trihing occasions Of dispute occur.
Hence frequent collisions, obstinate, enven-
omed, and bloody contests. The nation, prompt
ed by i'll will and resentment, sometimes unveils
to war the Government, contrary to the best
calculations Of policy. The Government some.
times participates in the national propensity,
and adopts, through passion, what reason would
reject; at other times, it makes the animosity of
the nation subservient to projects of hostility,
instgated by pride, ambition, and other sinister
and pernicious motives"
Now, read the columns of the New York
Tribune, read the war harangues of General
Cass and other orators of his class, and say.
what can be the purpose of their frequent dia.
tribes against Great Britain, if not to cultivate
an antipathy against her?
We have no fondness for England or any
other nation, but we dislike to see her misrep-
resented, especially when such misrepresenta.
ton inevitably tends to awaken unfriendy feel
ings among our People, and disturb the peace
full relations that ought always to exist between
two great nations, speaking the same language,
and maintaining, substantially, the same insti.
tutions.
Where is the evidence that the British PEG.
pie are hostile to us, or their Government is in.
tent upon our humiliation? At times, their
newspapers, like our own, break out in words
of defiance and denunciation, moved by some
temporary provocation, but this is the excep-
ton; their ordinary tone is friendly and re-
spectful. As to the disposition of the masses
of the People of England to cultivate fraternal
feelings towards US, no American who has so.
journed long enough among them to under.
stand them, can doubt. Nowhere can he find
the indications Of a national antipathy, such as
we know exists in certain portion Limited. we
beleve) of our own People.
Look at the arraignment of the English Gov.
eminent by Mr.. Boyce:
ut would sacrifice and trample upon all ma
nonaiities to advance the policy of England
What nationality in Europe has it trampled
upon? Wars in Europe to extinguish nation.
alities have been common enough. but not nv
that Government have they been waged the
most that can be said of it is, that it has at
times been silent, when it should have snoken.
inactive, when it should have resisted. Has it
not just come out of formidable war, one of
the objects of which was to preserve the ma
tlonality of Turkey? And was it not its policy
to recognise and encourage rathar than