The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1862-01-08
protect charleston and Savannah from Federal
invasion, and also able to prevent the Yankees
from penetrating into the interior.
From the New Orleans Crescent.
England and the United States

England and the United States.
The news from The North yesterday with
regard 10 the surrender Of Messrs. Mason
and Slidell was of n somewhat con,rudc,o
ry character. First, it was reported that
The Lincoln administration had taken the
back track, and had determined TO deliver
these gentlemen to the English agent Neat
IL vas said that it was all mistake, and
that The administration, standing upon its
dignity, would refuse to acce8e to the de
manGs Of Great Britain, and defy the power
and resentment of that nation
These conflicting statements kep, the
whole community in n ferment and nobody
knew what was the truth Bets were even
made on one side and the other, and high
disputes occurred as to the reliability of the
adverse dispatches. For our own part,
without discrediting either . believing ei
ther, we believe that the result will be about
the same in the long run, whether the Fed
eral Government has changed front or not
1f the demand of Great Britain ne com
piled with, and Messrs Mason and Slidcl
are delivered up, it does not necessarily fol,
| low that thereby all cause of disagreement
between the North and England will be re-
moved. If the latter choose to do so. she
can have ample excuse for armed inierfer.
ence in the American quarrel, outside Of the
indignity offered her flag by the kid nap.
| ping Of the Confederate Commissioners.
The London Times which has been ex.
cceding!y cautious in its language, and mas
never pronounced in favor Of our recopni.
ton, says distinctly in one of its latest is
sues, that We will be recognized "when the
proper time comes and that time, il pro.
| ceeds to say, will be when we have shown
our ability {" maintain our independence.
Nothing will be easier. then, than for Eng.
land 10 say that the time has arrived, and
proceed at once To recognise us-a thing
that the United States Government has an.
| noun;ed will be n declaration Of war. Be-
sides this, Great Britain may do, what we
think she ought To have doue long since,
protest against the blockade. and destroy il
II it be not removed by the Federal Gov
eminent So /. will be seen that she is not
without other causes of war, even if il be
true that her demands with regard To Mason
| and Sldell are not complied with. One
thing is certain-ihat il an excuse he need
ed, that excuse will be fonnd War, have
been entered into by the British Govern.
mrnt on far less provocation than has been
afforded by the Federal Union.
lf it has been determined to surrender
our Commissioners and TO anologize for the
act, it is difficult to conceive of a lower
depth Of nfamy than that to which the
once proud United States will have descen.
ded. To the capture Of those gentleman
that Government is pledged by it's own
most au'horitntlv. sanction. We need not
rccapitua:c the evidence, as it has already
been given. But although humiliation seems
to be something Of which the Federal Ad
ministraiion appears to be entirely inscnsi-
bic, this last net ought to damn il not only
in the eyes Of the whole world, but il
ought to lose its own self respect, if indcd
it ever had anv.
The eagerness with which Great Britain
seized upon the Trent outrage shows the
bent Of her inc .inaiions We are WILING
to believe that she cherishcs the honor of
her flag, and feels sensibly any indigni,y
offered it. But the London Times, al.
though il tries To be fierce about il, and fl.
naliy drivels off into nonsense, admits that
there are other causes of complaint, invo.
wing the interest of England more than
this last affair does her horor; and the Lon.
don Chronicle comes out boldly and de-
clares the seizure Of Messrs Mason apd
Slidell, coupled with other things, makes
the present "situntion" uncomfortable, and
shows that j, Is, in every respect, "wi,hout
either scruPie or policy"
We conclude, therefore, that whatever
course may be pursued by the Lincoln Ad
m'nistration, "ths end is not yet" There
is no difficulty in finding excuses for war,
II it is the interest Of foreign powers to do
so. We believe that it is their interest. and
We believe moreover that the excuses are
most amply md sufficient There are eau.
ses enough. We will maintain our jrde.
Pendenee without foreign aid but il is
very certain, We think, that neither Great
Britain nor any of the other leading powers
OF Western Europe will stand the non.
sense OF the demcnted Administrator at
Washington much longer.
Tne Yankee Back Down-Messrs. Ma.