Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1862-06-14
The Present Attempt to Dissolve the Amer
lean Union British Aristocratic Plot.

lean Union q British Aristocratic Plot.
The following important letter was written
by Sidney f. Morse, Esq, and published
(Dec. ls6O) in Harper's Weekly. The wri.
ter is well known as gentleman of intelli-
gencc and integrity, and just now this letter
las fearful signifcance:
A VIEW BEHIND THE CURTAIN.
In the Fall of 1863 the writer met in Paris
the late Mr.. Aaron Leggett, formerly a
wealthy merchant in this city, and member
of tho society of Friends. We conversed fire..
quently on the political prospects of our coun'
try as effected by the agitation of the slavery
question. Mr.. l.. said that, when he was
young man, he was an active and Jealous
member of Manumission Society, and that
he continued to cherish in after life very
compassionate feeling for the poor negroes.
At the time of the general cmanci patton of
the slaves in the British West Indies, Mr..
Leggett's business called him to the city OF
Mexico, and while residing there he met Dep
uty Commissary- General Wilson, of the Brit
ish army. an agent appointed by the British
Government to make the financial arrange
ments connected with the payment t" the
West India shareholders of their portion of
the sc2OOOO,OOO voted by the British Parlia-
ment as a compensation for the forced sacri-
flee of their property.
Mr.. Leggett said that when he learned Mr..
Wilson's errand he took occasion, while he
was sitting with him one day after dinner, to
express his admiration of the British Govern
,nent and the British people, for that noble
act the vote of sf2O,OOO,OO0 sterling. to pro-
cure liberty for 100000 negroes! lie gave
full utterance to his feelings, and almost ex-
hausted the vocabulary of eulogy to find the
commrndatory cpi.hcts which he applied to
England and Englshmen.
"Mr Wilson did not seem to syTpahize
will, me" said Mr.. L., land when had finished,
he TUNED to me and said, do you Mi~k, Mr..
Lcggcti, that Ills emancipation 9f tic negroes
wW pr0rc to be a wiSe measureF
"Crrtairly," said Mr.. l.. "uow can it be
otherwise I"
"The cool heads in England" said Mr..
Wilson, "do not think that it will be beneficial
in its effects on the interests of the people ci-
thcr in its colonies or in the mother country.
Nor do | think SO. We think that tie .frccl
acyrocs miN do rery lille work; dnd that Mr
lI'est Iadta Co'onies as TO their commercial
raisc To tie mother country, wiU be raincd.
Mr.. Lcggctt had been carried away with
representations of the enthusiastic friends of
cipa.ion-hat free labor was more pro-
duc,vc than slave labor; that when the ne
grocs were free they would receive wages,
and that this would stimulate them to raise
sugar and coffee in greater quantities; that
commerce would feel the benefit OF the new
impulse to agriculture; that lands would rise
in value; that the income OF tho planters
would b. increased etc. and his ardor was Mt
first cooled by Mr. Wilson's gloomy view OF
the case.
"Attcr a little reflection. however" said
Mr.. L., IL continued my eulogy Of the Brit
ish Government and the British people; and
| went now further than before in the ex.
pressions of my admiration, but went OH q
new tack. l said that the enemies OF
Englishmen, and of their Government, were
accustomed to represent them as always gov
erued by mercenary considerations, and too
willing to sacrifice justice, humanity, and all
the virtues, to the lust Of gain; but here was
a case in which the cool heads that directed
the action of tho Government, deliberately
burdencd their country with large debt, not
to open new fields of wealth, but in full pros
pect of destroying the commercial value OF
their West 1ndia colonies, and Of impOverish-
ing the people there, and the proprictors i'll
Encland-and all from humane feeling. and
a high sense of jus,ice-a high sense OF what
is due to poor, helpless, down-trodden negro
slaves. 1t was the noblest act recorded IN
history! Iknew Of no parallel to it any
where"
"When had finished" added Mr.. L., Mr..
w. again turned to me. and said: Mr.. Leg.
gett. do yox really Leliere that tile mes who
coxfr0i tie actiom of'Me BritisA Government
weyc lead by such mO'ires az yox ascv'be to
them, to sacrifice tile commercial ixtevests Of
their cox1try""
IL replied" said Mr.. L.. "thnt il the men
who controlled the action Of the British Gov
ern,ncnt really believed that the abolition Of
slavery in the British West Indies would end
in the commercial ruin Of the islands, could
not conceive of any other motive for their
conduct than the noble one which ] had as
signed"
"Well. Mr.. Lgsett," said Mr.. W.. "you
may believe this. but l do not. I6ciiere that
the action gf the British Government is made
to promotc, as. fir as possible. tie INTERESTS
IF tie Engiish arisfocracy."
Mr.. l.. then asked. What intarcst Of the
English aristocracy will he promoted by the
ruin of the British West India Islands 7"
Mr.. Wilson said that the abolition Of slave
ry in the British colonies would naturally
create an enthusiastic anti-slavery sentiment
in England aud America, and that in Amer
lea this would. in process Of time, excite a
hostility between tho free State sand the slave
States. which would end in the dissolution of
the American Union. and the consequent
failure of the grand experiment of democratic
government and the ,uin OF Democracy in