Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1861-04-19
From the London Saturday ReviewI
Necessity for Action on the Part Il
England.

England.
1t is absolutely necessary that the Eng
lish should speedily decide on tile policy
it intends to follow with reference to tho
Southern Confederation OF American
States. Owing to the contradictory iegis-
Iation which the two parts OF the discover
ed Union have adopted on the subject OF
import duties, the English exporter finds
himself in the creates, perplexity, and the
Government is exclusively able to remove
his difficulty. The Southern States, which,
ultimately pay for British commodities III
their cotton, are ready to admit them at
low and reasonable du,y; but in the Nortll,
a tariff has, in all probability, already
been leyaIized which all but closes against
them the Northern and Western markets.
So far as this, the question for the English
Ministers seem to be the simple one,
whether in spite Of grave objections, they
will accept this liberal commercial policy
as reason fol recognizing the Souther'i
Union. But the circumstances or the case
are not yet completely stated. The South
ern Contederacy has announced that it
intends to treat the whole United States
us a foreign community, and that geo's
coming into the South from the North Il
Northwest will be considered by it 5
equally dutiable with shipments receivcL
through New Orleans. This consideration
adds greatly to the distress of tie Englr-n
mercantile interest. Even supposing ID
could bear up against the heavy ti-c i
burdens imposed by the new North,.n
tariff, it is quite impossible that it can pay
the double duty levied patty at the nv
York Custom house, and partly on all car
goes conveyed to the seeding States ~
Ihe route OF the Mississippi and its tribs-
tarios. Nay. it would appear as if gn"
shipped to New Orleans would, ul,icr
present circumstances, pay duty first !"
the floating Custom house established by
the Government OF the old States at t.
mouth of the Mississippi, and next to the
officers of the Southern Confederacy tbs
moment the cargo is landed on the wharf.
No doubt, such a state of things as tii~
injurious as it is, ought to be patiently
borne by the English importer, if 1t be
not unreasonably prolonged. 1t see:nS,
however, as if the Washington Govern
ment intended that it should endure IN
definitely Up to the present monen', ="
mode of coercion has been mentioned ~
the persons most in Mr.. Linco ms favor,
except the retentions OF Federal property
in Southern detences, and the compu.so y
oVY OF Quil AT Feuefal poltS. Ihie |" =
icy may obv o .s y last for one year, tw"
years, or a dozen and it is a grave q'c
ii, II whether 10 o.cign Powers are un rt
any o5liga ion TO submit to if. Hno point
OF time can be named at which it vii
come to an end, it is not easy TO see V
England or France could not demand that
the United States should either pnt dow.
the rebellion by etfectual measures, or ell ;
allow foreigners to deal with the new
Contederacy as an independent State :
The difficulties growing out of conflicting
claims of jurisdiction form always one OF
the most fslniliar knots which PublicislS
are called upon to unite; but new cas"
arises when two Governments, without
coming to blows or using any hostile n cas-
ure against one another, actually exercise
jurisdiction at one and the same point ot
! territory The old States cannot reasona-
bly, expect that they will be allowed to
establish what will be, in effect, a block
ade ofthe Southern ports without applying
that active, coercive and unremittlng force
of which international law vigorously re-
qnires the employment from blockadlng
| Power.