Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1861-12-07

neutrality towards the parties now Mt war
IN the United States had kro~ingIy taken on
board their ship these distinguished enemies
Of our Government. in open violation Of the
laws Of neutrality, for the purpose Of placing
them in position where they could render
greater service to our enemies than il at the
head Of ltgions in the field. All this being
known to our Government, vessels were sent
FIR the capture Of them; and we believe that
every loyal man will say the Government
did bat what was right, and just what Eng
land would have done under similar circum-
stances, and what she did do in the destrnc-
ton Of the steamer Caroline. She success
fully justified her action before the whole civ
ilize,l world by virtue Of the great lar " ne
~css;,y. while she conceded the act to be vi
olation Of the letter of the law that regulates
the intercourse between nations.
We have said that the case of the Caroline
was analogousto the case under consideration,
Which is claimed to b. a just cause Of war ON
the part Of England, and likely to lead to
such result. England, like ourselves. was
engaged in putting down Formidable rebel
lion in her Canadian Irovinces, Just as We
are now engaged in putting down a most for
rnidabIe rebellion in several States. Our
Government had promised to observe strict
neutrality, and was in good faith doing all in
its power to prevent our citizens who sympa-
thixed with her rcvoltcl subjects from giving
them laid and comfort" The owners Of the
American steamer Caroline, in open viola
ton of the neutrality required of them by
their Government, and while pretending to
be employed in their ordinary. Legitimate
traffic with friendly power, was k~o~~ to be
employed in giving aid and comfort to the
rebels. When this became known to the
British authorities an officer of that Govern
ment was ordered to capture her, even at the
hazard of invading our Territory. They did
forcibly board her when quietly lying at our
shores, cut her loose from her mornings, and
sent her adrift over the falls, with all on
board as far as they knew to tho contrary.
Then, as now, the war-cry was raised, from
one end of our country to the other, and moth
ing would atone for the insult but blood and
the capture of all her American colonies; yet
our Government did refrain from dcclara-
ton of war, and was ultimately satisfied with
the simple disavowal of an intention to insult
our flag.
The British steamer Fingal, while pre-
tending to be engaged in her ordinary and
lawful commerce, in open violation Of the law
Of neutrality enioincd by her Government,
givas substantial aid and comfort to the rebels
by knowingly taking Oh board their agents,
with the promise to land them where they
could do our Government the greatest posi-
bic amount of injury. Our Government d.
reefs our cruisers to pursue them and leave
nothing undone to prevent the accomplish
ment of their Vaccinations. They overhaul
the recrcant steamer, take from her the rebels
they had unlawfully received on board, with
out doing the slightest injury to the ship or
any of her Majesty's subjects or their proper
ty. The analogy only fails in this We did
not destroy the steamer, as was done by the
English in the case of the steamer Caroline,
for the same purpose that prompted her de-
struction-to prevent her giving further aid
OF the rebellion, and thus save the destruction
of thousands of lives by stopping the pro-
gress Of the rebellion.
If our Government had desled war with
England for the conquest Of her Canadian
colonies, war would have certainly followed
the destruction of the Caroline.
If England now desires war war with us,
for the purpose Of making helpless dependen-
cies of the Cotton States, she can magnify the
taking of Messrs. Mason and Slidell (who were
known by the British commander to be two
of the greatest criminals that ever went un-
hung) from under their flag, that had been
prostituted to their protection, into a cause
for war. But in doing this she will not only
violate the golden rule. but will bring down
upon herself the curses and execrations of the
friends of freedom throughout the world.
Those who believe that England really be-
sircs war for this unholy purpose, and that
she is prepared to take the consequences Of
Of such course. will make up their minds for
war. But those who entertain opinions more
in accordance with her past greatness. and
her future reDown as the great leading Chris
tian nation on the globe. will scout the idea
of war growing out Of an ;wegissry insult
to her flag COMMITTED under the pressure Of