, 1862-01-23

OUR RELATIONS WITH GREAT BRITAIN.
! That the two notorious traitors and conspira.
tors, Mason and Slidcll, have been given up to
the British Government, there can be no doubt,
reluctant as We may be to give credence to the
announcement We were 10th to believe that
our Government would so far forget its own dig.
nifty as to sanction the capture and confinement
Of Mason and Slidell, and then retract that sane.
ton and throw the whole blame in the matter on
the gallant Com. Wilkes. Itappears inconsistent
with the idea Of great and powerful nation, as
ours claims to be, but it seems to be true, never
theless.
Our information concerning the whole affair, as
yet is very limited but, from the little light we
have on the subject, we infer that Mason and
Slidell were given up from motives Of policy, and
especially to avoid a war with Great Britain at
this stage Of our national troubles If the latter
is the chief reason for setting these men at lib.
erty, it would have been about as well to have
kept them prisoners, and finally meted out to
them the punishment they SO richly deserve; for
England will not keep out Of this contest. She
has already, from the commencement, given to
the enemies Of our Government all the aid and
comfort she possibly can, short Of a declaration
Of war. Her press and subjects openly insult
the government, institutions and citizens Of the
United States on every occasion, and it serves us
right II England expressed an opinion on any
question or subject, we dared not entertain one
to the contrary. If she sent over shallow
pated prince to visit cur country, we were ready
to fall down and worship him. If she laid down
an Atlantic cable to connect her dominions in
Europe and America, (what blessing that the
attempt failed y we were wild with delight, and
burnt City Hall in honor Of the event. If she
sent US q singer or dancer, q book or q bird, we
priced them all before our own, very often Of
superior merit If she blew Sepoys from the
muzzles Of cannOns in the nineteenth century
for the crime Of fighting for their liberty, we sang
the praises, in almost every journal from Maine
to Florida, Of our "Anglo-Saxon Cousins" II
she committed any little act Of piracy or robbery
in the East or West gave opium to Chinese or
Manchester Christianity to HindOOs, we were
ever ready with sky-scaping phrases Of laudatiOn
for tour cousins Of the one faith, one language,
and one origin" If she, by an execrable policy,
drove her Surplus population to death, the
Poor-house, and exile, many Of us cried: Serve
them right what business had they to exist
contrary to the rules Of British political ecOnO-
myi"
Where now is ell the sympathy bOastingly said
to subaist between the two nations Of zone orr
Oin ~ An on ana eida ia u vnae H.. 4. Al
English reward such servile devotion in the past
on the part Of their "AnglO-SaxOn brethreng'
Of all the nations Of Europe, none Oi which lay
claim 70 the same ties Of cOnsanguinity which
were supposed to bind together the United States
and Great Britain, the latter is the 6rst to take
advantage Of our distraction and weakness, with
the view Of destroying our national existence
But let us glance at q few Of the items in our
accOunt A little more than Eve years ago, the
English press advocated Fremonts interest in
the Presidential campaign; one year ago, the
same press was loud and urgent for Abraham
Lincolni but no sooner was Lincoln elected and
the rebellion apparent, than this immaculate press
became strong advocates and supporters Of Sc
cessiOn. The dOgmas promulgated were: RE
publican form Of government Isl failures" "De-
mOcracy has been tried and found wantiug;"
Democracy can only exist amongst virtuous
peOPle-it can exist amongst u.s." (thsreiore We
are virtuOus people,. The les calumnies and
Misrepresentation are incalculabe which have
been written by men who knew nothing about
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