The eastern clarion. [volume] (Paulding, Miss.) 1837-1863, 1861-05-31
Corresp1 p1ndeaee of the Neso 10 Times
Views and Intentions of the British
Government
LoxpoN. satnrday. May 4. ls6.

LONDON, Saturday, May 4, 1861.
The newspapers by the steamer bearing
this letter will inform you of the course
taken by the British Government with re
gard to American matters as announced
by Lord John Russell in the House It
Commons on thursday night, but believe
| am in a position to inform you OF what
has since then been determined on by the
Cabinet. If you will refer to your file OF
the Morning Herald of yesterday, you
will find the views of the conservative op
position very plainly stated in the second
leading article. In that article it is stated
that war between England and the FEEDER
al Government, is now inevitable as a less
evil than a suspension ofthe cotton trade
and question is put to the Government
whether il is in contemplation to send out
at once armed vessels to Lake Ontario to
protect, by force if necessary, British in.
.terests there. believe l am correctly
informed that the steamer conveying tins
letter bears dispatches to the authorize
at Halifax. with Enclosures to the BRITISH
Admiral on the station, requiring him a.
-lt'al'-,------z st= trQzit
the fleet for that service. From the
quarter whence this information reaches
me, feel assured that it may be received
with implicit confidence. and / regret to
add, that unless your affairs have now Ia
ken more pacific turn, that England will
shortly be either with the Northern
States or against them. In the highest
official circles, / assure you, war Is al
ready regarded as all but unavoidable
and such being the case, it may not be
difficult to provoke.
The question of blockade is, / need not
say, where the shoe will first pinch. Il
is alleged. whether correctly or incorrect
~ you will be best able to say, that Mr.
Buehanan's Administration played fast
and loo-e with the Paris declarations OF
the Great Powers at the close of the mus
sian war. The doctrine held bry you n
1872. that free ships made FREE goods, wa
assented TO by Lord CIarep@don, on me e@
press understanding that the Onlte'
States were to acced.e 10 what on othel
questions was gagreed to by the othei
Powers but 1t is said that you bav,
broken Off entirely from that engage
nept. ard are now 10 put in force tho,
doctrines which the country has discard
ed ard against which you fought. Thi,
i pronounced unprincipled, as IL will un
rquestIOnably prove lnconvenient and EN-
Z. barrassing. To warn off ships approach
ing the Southern seaboard. and 10 cap.
ture them If they persist in going in, will
as matter of course. upset all cSlcula-
tons of merchants and shipowneIs. MOI
70 say that II will completely cut off the
supply Of cotton. An early howl Is there
fore, to be looked for from our shipown
ers, and, smarting under the interruption
OF the Cotton trade as all classes will do
high words must follow the first authen-
tieated act OF warning, and should there
be any seizures, collision will not easily
be warded off. Ii Is pity that a resort
to blockade has been deemed necessary. a.
but for that trouble. war with bis country
would not only have been prevented. but
President Lincoln would have had the
+ sympathy ofa large section of the British
people. Perhaps be may have seen his
way TO make a blockade mere matter OF
form to British vessels, and in that case.
believe no harm will come of a powerful
heet being IN the Chesapeake. in perhaps a
week or ten days after you receive this.