Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1862-02-21

the British Parliament the question o.
British and French intervention in our af
fairs is earnestly discussed in the English
papers. We give below an extract from an
article from the London Spectator, an able
Liberal paper, which has from the beginning
of the war leaned strongly to the cause Of
the rebels, but has not, therefore, forgotten
that armed Intervention in their favor
means only to make Great Britain the power
ful ally of a slave government:
[From the LoRdon Spectator, Jan. 25, 1891
THE SOUTHERN BID.
1t is understood, in that indirect but accu-
rate way in which great facts get abroad,
that the Confederacy have offered England
and France price for active support. It is
nothing less than treaty securing free trade
in its broadest sense for fifty years, the cons
plete suppression of the import of slaves, aud
the emancipation of every negro born after
the date of the signature of the treaty. In
return they ask; first, the recognition OF
their independence and, secondly, such an
investigation into the facts of the blockade
as must, in their judgment, lead to its dis.
avowal.
The first two items may be very speedily
disposed Of Free trade is always an excel.
lent thing, and free trade with the South-a
really free trade, that is, unembarrassed by
custom houses-would be undoubtedly Of
the very highest Importance both to Eng
land and France. With uninterrupted SUD-
plies of cotton, and the command of great
tropical market for our manufactures and
for French silks, wines and articles de lure,
both countries would, in twelvemonth,
receive ample compensation for the Morrill,
Tariff and the losses of the past year But
earnest as they may be, their offer on this
point is neither more nor less than a bribe-
an offer of so many pounds sterling for perp
mission TO build State whose corner stone
is the divine institution of human slavery y
aud needs only to be stated to insure its in
slant rejection, When England or France
have sunk to the point at which such brbes
have any perceptible weight, it will be time
to prepare for the calamities which follow
so fast on an avowsl of national cynicism.
So, too, with the suppression of the slave.
trade. The South may be quite honeat in
that offer also, for though the planting STAKES
undoubtedly desire importation, the slave
breeding States are as bitter against itas the
most ardent of Abolitionists. Every man
smuggled in from Congo reduces the price
of the children annually exported from Vir.
ginia.
1t is the offer of a future emancipation
and that alone, which demands aud will re.
ceive careful consideration. In making it.
the South give up, it is true, the only princi..
pie they have ever professed, destroy their
only Tdison d'etrS, and declare their revolt
from Government which they themselye;
controlled, a purposeless act of caprice. On
the same offer, even now, they might govern
the Union for century longer, till the
irrepressible dislike which springs mr.
between men Of Northern and men of 3
tropical civilization once again urged them
to try the power Of Southern, and there.
fore capriciouS, race to stand alone.
1t is tOdr these men Wdnt and not RECOGNITION
breach of tho blockade, not merely a ri0h
to have Mr.. Mason received at the ForeigE
Office. Weare to declare war on the free in
order that shareholders may promise one day
to commence emancipation. A more cy,aicG
proposal tpds never made to O great state, OF
one which, if accepted, would tend more di.
rectly to demoralize the few principles by
which nations contrive to save themselve:
from utter selishness and contempt of right
Enfranchisement On nlGsse would, we ac
knowledge, guarantee ITSELF for millions Of
men once free can not be again enslaved, ex.
cept at a cost which makes them peculiarly
worthless. But ph0 IS to guarantee that til,
treaty made to-day t0iH not be torn up nex
gear or at the first moment lohen European
DGr leaves the South free 10 act. Is England
to administer the South2 Or is France tc
give Prince President to the new Confede-
racy? Even on those monstrous supposi.
lions, involving plans which, if successful
would overturn the whole balance of power
and if unsuccessful, would make Western
Europe the laughing-stock of two worlds
where is the justification for q purposeles!
and unnecessary war