Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1861-11-14
THE REPUBLICAN.

LSA " ILL ~ IA LIZ
Cotton and the BIockade-why England
Cannot 1uterpose.
~ From the London Times-l
Even now II is said that there prevails
among certain classes in Lancashire wish
To see our Government take q more active
part IN American affairs The manufac-
tuners. arc beginning to be indignant that
the staple OF the world should be withheld.
and all Europe brought snto discomfort
or actual want. in order that the ambitious
States of the North should extend their
sway over people who have rejected it.
and who. according to the canons which
American writer's themselves have laid
down. should be allowed to choose their
own institutions and work out their own
destiny. As tho interest of people is. so
fof the most part vii DO their principles
Whatever may have been the feelings of
the Manchester world on slavery, whatever
may have been their opinions on English
interference in foreign quarrels, they take in
this question the pare Of the cotton grow
ers of America 1t the North docs not g.
mancipate the slaves. why should il forbid
the transmission of the produce which
slavery gives to mankind? No principle
Is involved in tho contest. and so English
men. they think. may, with a safe sconsci-
ence. take which side they like. Their in
terests bid them to assist the South in get
tinS their cargoes across the Atlantic. and
as we keep up large navy. it will be bet
ter employed in raising the blockade of
Charleston and New Orleans than ciuis-
ms between Mediterranean ports or lying
at anchor at Spithead.
To break the blockade of the Confeder-
ate ports Is therefore likely to be the coun-
sci OF the extreme party among the manu-
tscturers. That such a step should be ia
kan by oqs~ Government they -will. per-
haps. hardly venture to hope. but they may
think that = lond outcry. producing a
chance of collision between the two
couutries.5 may dispose the people Of the
Northern States to come to terms. and put
an end to the war. Thus tho two COM
munities which live by cotton-the grow
1crs In the Southern States and the manu-
facturers .here-may be found combined in
the same poliey-that is. 20 enforce the ac-
acknowledgement OF the Southern indepen-
dence by embroiling England with the
North. 1t Is beyond doubt that the
Southern people have all along counted on
such demands being made in England as
those OF which we are now speaking
We should be sorry that any such convic-
tion should gain ground in the South. for
It Is no part of our duty to interfere in this
unrighteous quarrel. and we feel sure that
England would rather undergo much suf-
.sering than break through the plain rules
81 International law Having recognized
the Confederates as beligerants, we are
bound by laws which admit of no doubt
or debate to respect the blockade which the
Northern States have established. This
blockade has been duly notified. and it has
already been acknowledged by our Gov
eminent, and submitted to by our naval
officers on the station. To break it in
any way would be an act of war against
the Government of the United States, and
any hostilities which might follow would
constitute an unjust war on our part.
which. whatever its issue. would stain the
reputation of this country and expose us
TO tho just rsproaches Of the Americans in
after. times. Such acts. we feel sure.
England will not commit even to save her
great manufactures. When the Northern
crs shall have established an effectual
blockade they will be free to keep it mp
without interference on our part. But
here another consideration arises Is the
blockade everywhere effectual? 1t certain
'ly d not. AS might be expected when
few frigates and corvettes undertake to seal
up three thousand miles Of coast. there is
in the great majority Of places no block
ade 1t all. Few only of the American
vessels are steamers, and those are not of
the fastest class. The consequence is that
vessels are running the blockade every day
The Federal authorities are just now in
great passion because steamer. the Ber-
mnda, has got into Savannah with very
large cargo Of munitions Of war. That
such thing can be done at one of the
principal Atlantic ports show how ineffec-
tual must DO the general blockade of the
coast. We should therefore remind the
Government at Washington that it is only
a real blockade that foreign nations are
bound 20 recognize. But we must also re-
mind our Lancashire friends that the event
also shows that the cutting off of the cot
ton supplies is the work of the South as
we'll IS the North. 1If ships. can get in.
they can also get out; and.. If the South
desires to send US cotton, it has not
lacked the. opportunity. But it seems
to De quite true that all cotton expor-
fakioo has been forbidden by the Con-