The Shasta courier., 1862-02-15
Get Ready.

Indications point with certainty to the fact
that we are to have war with England. We
are no alarmist, but it is impossible to avoid
seeing that the drift Of events point uner-
ringly to an early conflict with that power.
After so many years of peace and friendship
with that people,. we have got to fight them.
1t is pr ferable that the full truth should be
looked squarely in the face. Great Britain,
notwithstanding her importunate declara-
tions to the contrary, is not, and very prob
ably never has been the friend of this coun-
try. Before the breaking out of this hideous
rebellion, with which we are now coping, she
nrofessed the warmest friendship for this ma
ton, and an earnest admiration for our in
stitutions.. If there was any one hing in
the country that she could see to object to,
where there was 50 much to admire, it was
the institution Of slavery. Over this blot on
our fair escutsh1ap she had many tears, to
shed, and much and long did Her phiIanthro
sists sniveI concerning the curse of human
bondage which she herself had fastened upon
this continent. Like all Abolitionists, the
philanthropy of the English was most vocif-
rous and unremitting when there was no ap.
parent prospect of its costing anything
Time, the healer. she piteously trusted,
would remove this, in the meantime we had
her prayers.
The mask is now rent away, and we see in
Great Britain our meanest and most implaca-
BILE foe, casting about for cause for quar-
rel, when there has been none given. As
quick as the brigand Davis and his myrmi-
dons had succeeded in precipitating the slave
States into rebellion against Government
that never harmed one of their citizens in
life, person, character or estate, aye, even be-
fore that period, for the proof exists that Eng
land herself fostcred the rebellion when it
was newly born, Great Britain sides with
slavery she has always professed to hate SO
much. Her Consul at Charleston has been
detected in intimate colloquy with the
great chiefs of the revolt, and at all times she
has shown her earnest sympathy for the
away from the villainous bombardment of
Fort Sumter, before one Gregory moved in
the British Parliament for the recognition of
that bastard thing, the Southern Confederacy,
while as yet the moaster was unnamed, or
had done them the poor grace to ask for re-
cognition. They would thrust it upon that
brilliant band of ineendiaries, unasked. But
it is not with the vileness, the hypocrisy, the
unutterable meanness of this harlot among
nations that we are now to deal. All issues
become sinpi6ed when fight is made up,
and that we are to nave one is morally GER
tain. How is California prepared for it?-
She is not ready. Our coasts are unprotect-
cd. 1t is known that Great Britain has q pow
erful naval armament now lying at Victoria,
which could sail into San Francisco harbor
at any day, and effect landing at almost any
point That is the place at which the blow
would be- we may say will be, directed and
if the Legislature now in session does not
realize this fact it is matter of regret that it
ever assembled, It must make provision for
the defense Of the harbors Of the State. II
would seem that the presence of such an ap-
palling danger would have the effect of wax
ing them up to realization of the condition
of the State in regard to her defenses, and
that they might for time at least cease their
gibberish about Republican and Democratic
platforms, none of which professed in their
day to be fitted for occasions like the present
Six months from now they will understand
these things better than they now do. Will
the Legislature attend to this? We do MOI
mean by placing the harbor in state ofde
Tense toe mounting ofa few old pieces of rusty
cannon. but we mean that it should be mad,
safe from all assaults by sea. Will they d.
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