Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1861-05-22
Our Foreign Relations.

d
nThere are at present." says writer in the
last Edinburgh Rtuie,c, "iour countries wnicn
...nd az the head of the civilized world, and
whose influence principally determines the
n,o,ch of modern civilization. These four
Countries are France, Germany, England and
the United States"
The interests of these four leading powers
are. by trade, commerce, literature, ana SOCIAL
,ntercourse, mutually blended. A war occurring
between any two Of them, would be a serious
calamity to all of them. No less would an IN
ternal commotion in any one, shaking 1t, as the
limited States are nov shaken, to its very CEN
,re he an event of the deepest interest and I'M
nortance to the other three. 1t 49, therefore
natural that the eyes of the statesmen In 'ne
most enlightened and advanced countries o'
Europe should be fixed on this country win OF
intense and anxious gaze
OF the three countries named in connecnol
with our own, our relations with france ant
ENGLAND are more direct and intimate tnan VIII
Germany, and with England the most direc
and intimate. Eogland and the United states
are mutually dependent upon each olher' no
only for much of their prosperity, but Tor TN
smn,oymept and subsistence of millions OF thei
nonulatiop Euelish capital Is invested In pub
lie and private enterprises in this country, AM
sn'immense amount of our surplus agricuitura
nroducts ia waited TO British ports. The cot
ton. alone, that is exported to England from ou
Southern States it lie said upon good authority
affords, by its manufacture, subsistence TO
least four millions Of British subjects. Wer
the supply of cotton withheld by a blockade
our Southern ports, it is easy to see what dls
tress and ruin must ensue to the operatives al
c,pitalisls in England engaged in its manuiae
tire.
France would be similarly affected by th
blockade, though probably not to the same e1
tent. Hence, il is, that the more tbougntiu
among our counrymen have, since the begin
ming Of our national troubles, been seriousi
agitating the question as to the course Wnic
France and England would pursue towards tn
vauipg sections of our Coniederacy' h ma!
ve think. be safely taken for granted, that thee
two mowers will not, for the present at least
sever ip their policy in regard to this country
but that we may expect very much the cam
treatment from the French Court that we re
ceiye from the English Cabinet
Wewill, then, for a moment, turn our atter
tion TO the latter Az one time, we bear
confidently asserted that the EOgish Govern
mept will lend its aid to our own GoVernmeD
in its efforts to suppress Southern rebellion;
another time, it is alleged that the indication
are strong that England will acknowledge th
ae 6acio existence Of the Southern Confederacy
We do not anticipite that for the present sh
will do either Of these things She will doubt
less preserve, as far as possible, strict neutral
ity between the cOntendiDg parties in this coun
try. We may expect her Government to pro
test in strong and unqualified terms agains
interruptions to her commerce by the blockad
of any Of our ports, and she will doubtless sem
Acct TO our shores to protect that commerce
This is the extent, we apprehend, to whicl
either England or France may, for the present
be expected to 60, in regard to our national dif'
Rculties. But what future complications ma!
arise between the United States and those coun
tries, it is impossible for the most sagacious tt
faFeaee