The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-12-21


to the same quarters the rebel Field Marshal
Phillips and his aids.
smith O'3ricn on Our Difficulty with
Ensland-The Irish Feeling In Favor
of America.
In another page we publish a letter from
William Smith O'Bren on the difficulty be-
tween England and the United States II is the
best he has yet written upon American affairs.
He is beginning to understand our position, and
his warm sympathy with the people and the
institutions of America is characteristic of the
Irish race, and is only equalled in intensity by
his hatred Of peridious Albion, the bully Of
nations whose felon flag is stained by every
international crime recorded in the pages
of history. BY long experience and by
deep study he understands the character
OF the British government like a book.
and he is competent, therefore, to give
us some useful counsel in our present
troubles. He knows that the policy of England
has ever been to bully the weak and pay re-
spect to the strong, as it does now to France
and would do now to the American govern
ment were not the country, in consequence OF
our domestic feud, the disunted instead of the
United States. But the British aristocracy find
us engaged in struggle for national existence.
and they meanly take advantage of our situs-
ton to provoke us to a war when our hands are
already full, or compel us to yield to unjust and
insulting demands. The advice of Smith
O'Brien under the circumstances is not TO let
our craftsmanship be carried away by our
national pluck, but to ''bide our time" give up
Mason and Slidell, and, after settling our diff
cultes with the South and making ample pre-
paraiions. then proceed to settle our reckoning
with a Power who acted towards us when we
were at disadvantage just as the highway rob-
Der does towards his victim when he cries,
Your money or your life." The traveller has
to yield his purse; but in doing 80 he does not
give up the idea of vengeance al future day.
Better for England we went to war with her
now; better for us to 60 to war with her at our
leisure, when we shall be sure to sweep tho
last vestige of her sway from North America.
Hereafter England's difficulty will be Americas
opportunity; and her difficulty will yet assur;
cdiy come. 1t is true proverb, that "it is q
long lane which has no turn" She has taken
Us at short notice; but we will play hcr long
game, and pay her back in her own coin
For time at last sells all things even
And il VIC do but watch the hour,
There never yet was human power
Which could cvade, If unforgiven,
The patient search and vigil long
OF him who treasures up wrong
And when the day arrives for ssorsspg the
wrong that now ranklcs in the American heart,
one thing is certain, and that is that the Ameri-
can republic may count upon oppressed Ire
land as faithful ally who will stick closer to
her than brother. There are five millions Of
Irshmen ready to throw off the British yoke
and to aid the American republic when she
gives the signal for retribution Of British
wrongs, never to be forgiven till they are re-
dressed and avenged
Mr. O'Brien advises that Mason and Siidell be
not only set at large, but sent as ambassadors
| Of peace to the South. In this he is mistaken.
| There can be no peace with the South till
| peace is conquered. 1t is far more likely, II
England demands the Southern commissioners,
that we shall deliver them to her under protest,
rescrviug to ourselves the right of discussing
| the merits OF the question hereafter. The
| English aristocracy are the hereditary enemies
Of this republic, as they were of the French re-
| public OF old. They hate human freedom;
| but it has been too strong for them.
! 1t defeated them in France--it defeated them
! in two wars on this continent; the third defeat
| awaits them when we arc ready, and that will
Il lie LAT Of the British empire 1t is the die
tltc OF wisdom 10 show sublime patience-to
control our wrath. but nurse j. for future &C
ton II does not answer to have too many
irons i'll the fire. One war at a time IL ers,nugh
Just wars do not injurc, but strengthen vigos<
| oas nation, unless she embarks in too many
wars al the same time. "Rcmc," says Montcs-
Jacu ..bccamc great because her wars with
otacr uations were successive; each nation, by
an inconceivabie good fortune, attacking her
! only after another had been vanquished." What
fortune did for the ACKNOWLEDGEMENT of Rome,
The cider Napoleon pursued as foreign policy
for France. As long as lie was enabled to adj
here TO Il he triumphcd. He only fell at last
because fate and the elements consprcd against
him in his Russian expedition. Let MS take
leaf out of the history Of Rome and another out
Of the history Of France