The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-05-25
DIR POPULAR ANIMOSITrEs THE BRITISH GOV
~ ERNNENT. 1900 stft.a..i.s

tons for long periods OF time Even tnouYn outwaruy
subdued they slumber for ages in the embers of old
srfes and need but little stirring to reappear in
hot living Goals of burning hatred. These animosi-
ties planted in the passions and traditions of the
populace, while the forms Of peace and reconciia-
ton are the work merely Of governments. The gov
ernments of rival nations may cultivate relations Of
peace for many decades with success but jealousy
and animosity will still brood and ranklei in the popu-
lar heart 4
1t would be idle to Disguise the fact that antpathy
to England is Of the strongest passions of the
American bosom. It's passion Of which our people
have, indeed, with noble magnanimity, faithfully
and strenuously endeavored to divest themselves
which has lost very much of its rancor and violence
which has long since subsidized from burning flame
of active luminosity, into Numbering embers Of
suppressed antpathy /; but the old passion still ex-
lists, and needs but slight provocationa at any mo-
ment to burst forth with all the ancient violence.
There are many circumstances which have con-
spred to perpetuate this sentiment Of hostility to
England in the bosoms Of our people. Not merely
do the recolecons of the Revolution which are pre-
served popular histories keep alive this temper
but the exasperatng occurrences of the last added
class of singing recoections to the old. The
arrogant claim then set up by England to the night of
searching vessels on arrogant pretexts; her inn
pressments of seanien from aboard Of our vessels
for her naval service the burning Of our Capitol ;
and the atrocities committed by Cockburn and other
officers OF his class on various parts Of our coast
planted crop of dslkesand exasperationsi in the
bosoms of our people which it will require a long
time to eradicate. NV t.,l. ,i.,, Iga ,,s ai, "
Superadded to the influence Of these recollections
upon our original stock Of people, is the hereditary
hatred to England which has been imported into our
country with the large Irish immigration which has
poured in upon us in such prodigious volume for
many years. and has engraed itself upon our native
population. This imported animosity to England
has not confined itself to the Irish immigration but
has infused itself more or less also into the immi-
grafton which has come from the continent of Eu-
rope. ie1a sB sa -H g r7 Hilp& t
But more active than all those stimulants to ILL.,
will and jealousy towards England has been the
sense Of injury which the whole southern section of
the Union has felt under her supposed Vaccinations
against slavery in our southern States. Since Mr..
Calhouns celebrated letter to Mr.. King in 1874, it
has been the abiding aud unanimous conviction of
the southern mind that the agitation against slavery
in our northern States originally instgated and
has been always actively stimulated, by British in
fuence The southern people believe that the con-
tinual outcry against slavery with which the Eng
lish press has resounded; the violent anathemas
which have been hurled 80 uninterruptedly for
many years against the institution by English au-
thors Of every class; and the tone Of denunciatiop
against slavery which has been infused into all Eu
ropean politics by English diplomacy, has been lev
elled exclusively at slavery in the United States,
with view of promoting the most selfish and sor-.
did ends of British policy. We are not ourselves
drawing bill Of Indictment against England upon
these charges we merely mentioning the ex-
stence Of this apervading conviction Of the south
ern mind as one of the exciting causes which ope-
rate to keep alive in country the ancient national
animosity against the mother country. IN 49,
Notwithstanding, however, all these untoward in
auences these old national animosities bave been
for many years rapidly giving way to sentiments of
mutual amity and regard, popular as well as polt-
ical. Commences has been fast accomplishing her
work of universal pacifcation, and rapid commu-
nication, with free and frequent correspondence
and intercourse, have done much to PROSTATE the
last barriers which divided the two nations from
each other in their interests and in their sentiments
The influence which the recent rash, giddy and
insulting proceedings Of British naval officers in our
southern waters will exert in rolling back the tide of
good feeling which had nearly embraced the whole
land, and in reviving tho old resentments against
England can, therefore, be readily appreciated
We have spoken Of the suspicious and eliminating
temper which has for several years actuated our
southern people towards England The construction
which that exasperated section win place upon these
late senseless naval proceedings in the Gulf is there
fore obvious. Some few months ago the public was
hoaxed with absurd story of the landing of cargo
of native Africans from slave ship, on the Pearl
river, in the State Of Mississippi; and already have
these late outxages upon our Gulf commerce, been
ascribed to the effect of this hoax upon the cabinet
Of Great Britain. The fa that these British officials
in the Gulf in thus involving the two governments
in controversy relating to slavery have chosen the
very time when it is thought abroad that our con-
federacy is in imminent danger of dissolution from
the agitation of this very slavery question, will be
construed by all the more excitable portion Of our
southern people into disclosure on the part of
England of her readiness and anxiety to make
herself party to the pending quarrel between our