Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1862-05-31
Our Turn to Demand.

The business of conquering the rebellion
being nearly accomplished, the Government
of the United States is beginning to turn it'
attention to foreign affairs. During the whole
of this civil war, while our hands wer~ tSsf
and there seemed to be an uncertainty will
regard to the result, England assumed die
tatorial and unfricndly position, which, under
the circumstances, amounted to almost the
same thing rs taking sides with the enemy
She vaportd continually of the rights Of ma.
tions, insisted upon her own somewhat novel
Interpretation Of the laws of blockade, and
threw out vague hints of possible recogni-
ton of the Southern Confederacy. Her ports
were open to Confederate vessels and their
prizes, and number of steamships and swift
sailing craft were fitted out in them to run the
blockade, laden with enormous quantities Of
arms and ammunition for much of which
British capital had undoubtedly paid. This
state of affairs was MS well known ut Wash
ington as was the current news, but to run
risk of an open rupture with England at a
moment when all our resources were employed
in healing the unfortunate dissensions that
had sprung up within our own borders. would
have been to invite destruction. The Gov
crnment, therefore, gave up the Rebel Com
missioncrs and conceded without argument
the point involved in the question of the
rights of ncutrals, but the ominOus silence OBJ
served on our part was more significant than
words. 1t was as much as to say" You
have got me now at a disadvantage, with the
power upon your side, but wait until l get
this little private quarrel of my own off my
hands, and shall call you to nh account for
your presumption" We believe and hope
that this is the present attitude Of our Gov
ment, an attitude which it is bound, from Or
dnary considerations of self-rcspcct to as
sumo, and which the people. who have not yet
overcome the modification sustained by our
National PRIDE in the Trent affair. demand
that it should. Under preceding Admin.
istrations our Government had been rapidly
taking the back track with regard to its for
eign policy, until the little prestige it retained
was, for the time being. entirely lost by the
assumed inability of the Uuitcd States to pro-
tect itself from the rcbcllious conduct of its
own citizens. Even degenerate and i,nbecilc
Spain was allowed to insult our flag with inn
p,,nity. and an American steamship was fired
into by a Spanish man-of-war while leaving
the port of Havana, without demand made Of
reparation or apology. All this sentiment OF
contempt for our fag-avery natural and de-
served one under the circumstances-is being
rapidly dispelIed by the success with which
our Government has thus far met and dis
charged the gigantic duties which lately have
devolved upon it. Hcnceforth, the course of
tho Administration must be as positive and
as energetic as it has hitherto been vacillating
and weak. The country will be rejoiced to
learn that, as preliminary step, our Minister
ut the Court o. st. James, Mr.. Adams, has
been instructed to make demand upon the
British Government for return Of all Brit
ish ships which have eluded tho blockade.
If this bold and manly policy is unilinchingly
pursued for the future, not only will there be
actually essdangero Of our becoming embroiled
in forei gn war. but we shalt make much firm
er and more admiring friends and allies among
distant powers than we could by following
any other course.-Hr' aid and Mirror.