Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1861-12-20
THE NEWS FROM EUROPE.

The excitement in England on the taking
Of Mason and Slidell from the 7reM, and
the reported action of the British Govern
ment thereon, naturally makes an excitement
IN our own country. Yet we think the pre-
y.iline sentiment is that direct rupture
between the two nations is not probable
Certainly we do not wish to 60 to war with
England. Our war with the rebels is as
much as we care for at present. We will
take another on our hands, however, if it is
forced upon us.
The English papers are loud and bOastful
enough, to be sure. For instance, the Lon
don Morning Post says:
ain one month we could sweep all the San ia
cintos from the seas, blockade the Northern ports
and turn to speedy issue the TIDE OF war now
raging. This is SO obvious that we find it almost
impossible to suppose that the Cabinet of Wash
ington can commit act so madly suicidal as tc
reject oar earnest and positive demands"
All are not quite 50 staggering as this
but sufficiently positive and threatening il
their tone. Some however deny that rh'
British Ministry have taken any such often
sive stand as the Observer states. For in
stance, the London Morning &0r declare:
the statement that instructions had been
sent to Lord Lyons to obtain che restitution
Of the confederate commissioners or to taxi
his leave of Washington, was premature
and 80 exaggerated as to be virtually untrue
And we have lisde doubt that it will turI
out to be so. Ii is well to notice that tn,
only aspect of the case before the English
public and ministry thus fer, has been tina
given by the officers If the Trent and tn,
British mail route agent on board of her.
To suppose that the British Ministry will
make up their opinion and lay down an Of
fensive ultimatum before our Government
without first hearing what it has to say a,
10 the circumstances of the case, the actor
and authority of its naval officers, and tn
purpose and spirit with which their action
was carried ut,-without any mutual dis
cussion Of the international law bearing OF
the subject, is virtually supposing that the,
have been predetermined to pick a quarrel
and care not how slight pretext they cal
fad for it. From all that we have yet seel
We are not prepared to believe this. Th,
clamor of the English press that the United
States wish to pick quarrel-or at least t,
provoke England to begin one-is ridiculous
and we see that some eminent Englishmel
are reported to have said the same thing
Among the items of news by the CITY o
Washington, is the following
"At banquet at Rocbdale, Mr.. Bricb, mad,
an elaborate speech on American affairs He de
ciined to give decided opinion upon the Treu
affair but believed, if Illegal, America will max
fitting repsration. He strongly condemned tn,
warlike feeling exhibited, and secuted the ide,
that the American Cabinet was resolved TO nick !
quarrel with England. He made an eloquent De
roration in favor of the North. letter wa,
read from Mr.. Golden, of pacific tone, urging a
suspension Of Judgment"
By the time the diplomatists of tn,
two governments shall have finished the
discussion of the subject. the English popu
lar MUD will have had ample time to coo
down and to think over little in detail
what the consequences OF war between tn,
two nations might be to themselves. Mean.
while, and so long as the high fever is on.
they can indulge themselves in singing
Rule Britannia" as loudly as they please.