Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1862-01-10
Rebel Independence 20 be Won WIthout
Farefnn Iuferference

TFrom the Richmond Dispatch, Jan. 2.1
Whatever may be the termination of the
Slidell- Mason affair, the South has noreason
10 repine ct the developments it has brought
forth. 1t has enabled her to understand her
position before the world better than she bad
done before. II has informed her of tbs exist
ence Of hosts of friends that she had not
dreamed OF. It has brought forth expressions
of opinion that can not fail to powerfully
strengthen her cause in all lands; and il has
ELECTED a wide spread contempt for, and ha-
tired Of, the Yankees, which is as encouraging
and gratifying as the discovery of friends for
herself could be.
We are inclined to believe that IL Is not
the intention of Providence that we should
owe our independence to any agency but
our own exertions. Independence of the
North would certainly lose half its value,
and indeed its reality, If we should have to
owe it to the interference of Great Britain in
our behalf. Our security in the future
against invasion from the North would be
much greater if this contest were fought out
to success by our own unaided proWess than
if we called in the assistance of a foreign
power. In the teeth of such an alliance the
North might speedily consent to peace, in
order, by q system of chicanery and decep.
tion, to detach from US the affections of our
ally, and, after the alienation, to renew its
schemes of subjugation and conquest upon
ourselves.
1t may not be the design of Providence to
permit our independence to rest upon so
precsrious basis. Not OILY would success
so achieved be indecisive of the struggle we
are engaged in with the North, but the
| power to which we should apparently owe
| it, would regard US as debtors and depend.
ants to itself. This very feeling on its part
would be the fruitful source of reproaches,
ill-feeling, and at last of ill-blood; and our
wary Northern adversary, watching the
growth of the quarrel, would be quick to
avail himself Of every means of fomenting
| an outbreak.
In our case, as that of every struggling
nationality, ''who would be free, themselves
must strike the blow" To owe our indie.
pendence to any other aid than our ow1
right arms would materially lower our rank
among nations, and embarrasS our relation
with them for many series of years. Oul
independence, if selt-acbieved, would Civ,
US position of our own in the family O
nations, and we should not become the help
less part of a great system Of politics O
which patron Power was at the head Gu
international politics would be SUI generiS
and not the mere reflex of British, French
or any other phase or system of policy. w
should appear in the great tribunal Of tn
world SUI jurtS, and not as the ward o
protege of some powerful guardian. W
should be the masters of our own action, tn
fashioners of our own policy, not borrower
of the policy of higher and greater powers.
Our territory is 80 considerable and s.
well situated and our population and wealt
so great, that, if achieving our independence
without aid, we could at once take a higI
rank, and rapidly rise still higher an
higher among the political powers. To de
pend upon foreign assistance to make goo
our independence, which is perfectly within
our own competency to achieve, would be +
sacrifice brilliant future to the present,
great and unspeakable prospective pros perit
to the momentsry advantage of the presen
hour. This lesson can not be too firmly i'm
pressed upon the public mind, and we do no
doubt that it would be greatly to the perma
nent advantage Of the Southern Confederac
if no war should break out between Grea
Britain and the North. Let it suffice us t.
know that the intelligence of England an
all Western Europe is on our side, and let
nerve our armies to victory to feel that mill
ions of admiring and sympathizing eyes il
Europe are watching their proceedings.