Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1861-11-02
From the Manchester Guardian of Oct. Is.
Recognition Of the COnfederacy In
practicable.

From the Manchester Guardian of Oct. 15
Recognition of the COnGederacY I'm
practicable.
No one can fail to have observed, with
in the last week or two, the growth of an
indefinite feeling that we ought to take,
or are going to take, some decided course
in favor of the South, as a means of sn-
wing ourselves from the inevitable conse-
quences of privation of cotton. 1t has
even been asserted that the Emperor Ma
poleon, the needs of whose subjects in this
respect, if not nearly so great as our own,
are likely to be much more speedily felt in
the policy of state, is about shortly to an
nounce his formal recognition of the Sou
thern Confederacy, and that our own Gov
eminent may be expected, or required, to
follow suit. If the people who talk and
write in this way would only reflect a little
on all that is implied in the line of conduct
which they suggest, it could hardly be
necessary to demonstrate the folly and
criminality of the direction which their
wishes tend.
Without much injustice to any one we may
recognize the independence of the South
ern Confederation as soon as we please
1t would not be consistent with our usual
practice to do so until the new power has
attained greater consolidation, and itwould
raise natural suspicious of our being
meanly eager to clinch the calamity of the
once mighty republic. Still we have an
iudubitable right to do it if we like, taking
the chance of any resentment or hostility
which our alacrity might provoke. But
there is not little moral cowardice in
continually speaking of the acknowledge
ment of jefferson DaYis's government as
all that is necessary to secure our Gus
tomary supplies of cotton. The mere rec
ognition of the Southern Confederation
would mauifestly not alter our position in
the slightest degree for the better, There
is, on the contrary, much room tor holding
that it would alter it for the worse. If the
ports of the South, towards which our
manufacturers are beginning to turn
such wistful eyes, still belong to the
dominiuns of the Federal Government,
the right of that government forcihly
to obstruct our entrance to them
may possibly by disputed. We have trea-
ties with the United States granting us
the rights of traders on stipulated terms,
aud it has to be inquired whether these
rights can legally be set aside to serve the
purposes of a domestic quarrel. In fact
we learn by the last mail that this view of
the case has been strongly contended for
on our behalf in the United States District
Courts. X But if, on the
other hand, the South be an independent
government in hostility to that Union of
which it formerly constituted a part, the
right of the latter to blockade its ports is
MS little open to dispute as any right which
can possibly exist under the law of ma
tons. What is it then that is required of
US? Not only that We shonld recognize. the
independence of the Southern Confedera-
ton, but than, having done that, we should
forbid the United States TO carry on against
it one of the most legitimate opera
tions of war, further, at least than it
might not interfere with our own con-
Eenience. This is, in plain terms, that we
should declare war against the United
States in order to prevent them from using
the only weapon by which, if by any, they
can have the slightest hope of reducing
their adversaries, call them rebels or enc
mics or what we will, to submission. We
cannot think there are many men in tbs
country who would, knowingly and with
their eyes open, recommend this course of
procedure. There are considerations tend
ing to show its manifest shortsightedness
and impolicy which may be urged on