The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1862-02-21
The English Press on American Affairs

So many abusive articles have been re-
printed from the English Press about our
country lately, that we are glad to copy, at
the request of an esteemed clergyman OF this
city, the following, of more just character,
from two of the prominent sound Church
papers, which usually favor the conservative
in politics:
From the Guardian.l
Who would have thought
that they the Americans would have
taken it so quietly? Who would have ex~
pected such an absence of angry defamation
so general disposition There are excep
tions of course) to acquiesce in the surrender
of the COMMISSIONERS course undoubtedly
dictated by prudence, not less than by a
regard for international justice, but still
very painful to people unused to conces-
sions, and whose chief defect is an irritable
national vanity. 1t is merely just to the
. Americans to say, il the men are really
giv6l Ep, thst their conduct in sais matter
has been such as We have no great reason to
condemn. There is no reason to doubt that,
when the capture was made, they really
persuaded themselves it was Iawful-too
easily indeed, as men are apt to do in such
cases, and on insufficient grounds, yet with
more show of reason than we in this country
have been willing to allow; and although
the manifest determination of England to
enforce her rights has certainly had great
effect in America, it would be ungenerous
to dispute the honorable self conquest which
high spirited nation must make before it
yields to a demand which, however concilia.
tory in form, is strict and imperious in sub.
stance.
From the English Churchman
The manner in which the Times has trea-
ted the question of civil war in America,
from the very beginning, calls for some no.
tice at the hands of those who desire to
maintain the character of English journal.
ism. The leading newspaper" of Europe
has not lost the opportunity which such
tempting subject afforded for once more
displaying its utter want of principle and
its unscrupulousness. Almost ever since
this unhappy contest began it has labored
to misrepresent the intentions, to bIacken
the character, and to depreciate the success.
es, of the Federal Government and its ad-
harents. 1t has launched the most furious
denunciations against the Unionists for at.
tempting in the most legitimate manner to
recover possession of the revolted States,
and described the civil war as the most
wicked and unjustifiable that was ever wag.
ed between fellow citizens. Had these ana.
themas been leveled against the Southern
rebels, we could have understood and even
endorsed them; although even then, more
temperate expression of sentiment might
have been desirable. More recently, in re.
gard to the Trent outrage-since it became
known that satisfactory reparation Was
probable-the same disposition to villify the
Washington government, and to foster Bit
ternees between the two nations, has been
painfully apparent. But our more immedi.
ate object this week is to point attention to
leading article in last Thursdays Times. in
which the Federal Government is charged
with being actuated by motives that would,
if they could with any show of justice be
imputed to them, suffice to place them nm.
der the ban of the civilized world. The
occasion which has given rise to this dia-
tribe is the publication of pamphlet by
M. Renouf-a work which appears to
have met with the hearty appreciation of our
contemporary. The leading assertions Of
this French writer, and which the Times
eagerly supports, are-1. That the North
has done nothing for the abolition of slave
ry. and that it cares nothing for that con.
summation-on the contrary, that "the
triumph of the North would be the triumph
of slavery!" 2. That the Federals would
make any concessions to bring back the
South, and will only resort to abolition in
the last extremity as deadly weapon for
coercing the Confederates. 3. That the
North does not fight for liberty, but rather
to deprive the South of that dearest of all
liberties the righ! of selfgovernment /! 4.