Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1861-12-23
! COElss & Co., Publishers
From Chieaas.
CHICAGO, Dec. l9, 1851.


! CHIcAeo, Dec. ls, 1861.
EDTORs LEADER; The exciting news Of
the WArlike feeling in England is the sub.
jeCt mostly discussed on Change and the
street corners ct present Aa 9 matter Of
course the discussions have eiioltcd moth
ing satisfactory any further than to make
il evident that public sentiment ia not pre-
pared to soqaiosos in the surrender Of the
aroh.rebels captured by the San Jaointo
etsn IN the faee Of the threatening aspect
Of s7eirs.
'Itis not generally credited that England
will proceed 10 desperate measures, but
men ere calmly looking at the probability
Of such an unfortunate event, and cOOlly
osleuiating measures of national defence
ahd sffsetual resistance to foreign intsrfsr-
enoe. The calm and decided manner in
which our substantial men are discussing
tie subject shows that an earnest feeling
ptrvadss the body polite that win rise su-
psriOr to sll difficulties and discourage
msnts, and become irmer and more effect
i've IS the clouds thioken about the nation
81 horizon,
With many il is g question to be viewed
from two points. Shall We be governed by
justice, honor, and the promptings Of
AFHsicGi blood and resist the demands Of
an encrosching enemy,-or shall we from
mptives Of policy surrender the oonspirs.
tors against our government, salute the
British ensign in humble apology, and at
the same time establish precedent which
even Briton's audaoity will not dare to
trAmple upon in future by insisting upon
the right Of searoh2
The right Of search upon the high seas
is B question about which the American
mind has ever been quite sensitive, and
from which arose complications resulting
in. the war of 1872. That we should now
seek Q future advantage by temporary
suppression of our finer sense Of honor
may be the policy Of fsr-seeing states
mhnship, but il hardly sooords with the
public temper, and its influence upon the
present it is by no means certain will be
Of q favorable character. It may be truly
said that We must frst establish our ma
tibnality before we raise up pFecedents for
~ A0AA NaAAAAAAl lIAAa4l4s
IL the release Of Mason and Slidell
would secure us from foreign interference,
the fact placed against the immense saori-
ioe Of life and treasure if involved in a
foreign war resulting from q refusal to sur
render, would 60 far, as an expedient, to
adopt such q policy.
But Of such nOn-interferenes is there
any moral certainty
From present indications it would seem
that, smarting under the supposed insult
to the British flag, lily atoned for, however
humble the American apology, the British
government will soon be constrained to
acknowledge the Confederate States Of
America" as 9 separate and independent
nationality. Such recognition would tend
% preeipitate @ war no less deadly and
fierce than if instigated by refusal to
abandon q position to which the United
States Government has already committed
itself, and fortified by numerous decisions
il English Courts Of Admiralty and the
assumptions Of the English Marine Power.
The moral effect Of the surrender Of the
high ground taken By Secretary Welles
| could bur be disastrous to our relations
with other maritime powers, and disheert-
ening TO those struggling races who are
1 looking to America for q successful stand
against the unjust demands Of monarohi-
cal systems. The flag so long respected,
because ever defended upon every sea,
Epuld lose the power to command respect
aad admiration, If the humilisting preced.
eAt shonld be established that Amerioan
T, interests have no rights upon the high sens
that England is bound to respect.
q AFTER al, it Is q nut for the diplomats TO
ctaoZ, and It is the general impression OF
present that they viii have ample time and
Opportunity to discuss the question before
it. assumes belligerent proportions. HUI
man passions are not to have sWay-there
ara other vast interests 10 be consulted be-
fore the two great organised embodiments
Of civil and religious liberty sre to be
hurled into q deadly conflict.
/ In this connection, the defense Of our
lake coasts is assuming g degree of i'm
portanoe likely 10 elicit more attention from
the present Congress than any Of its pred
eoessors.
The Establishment Of the new National
Armory and Navy Yard ct Chicago is still
elgpossing the attention Of our citizens
Although strong effort is being made BY
North western interests, there are indiea-
tions that Pittsburgh will win the prize,
bat as long ss the question is undecided il
Eilt be vigorously contested. P. B.
7