Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1862-01-09

favor. On all sides, moreover, it was held, !
that England, compromised as she was by
her own innumerable seizures Of like char
acter, and implicated as she stood in the
matter Of rebel transports and the Nashville, '
would not dream Of making complaint. : {
There were some reasoners, however, who I
family thought that if England were seek
ing pretext tor quarrel, she might hang
her intentions upon this peg; but to this
there was precedent cited in reply, which
80 entirely covered the whole case, that all
idea of dispute with Britain was instantly
abandoned. In lS47, when the United
States and Mexico were AT war, and England
had proclaimed neutrality between us as
bel!igerents, British mail steamer, Of the
same line as the Trent, conveyed from the
neutral port Of Havana, with full knowledge
of his character, General Paredes, to the
coast of Mexico. Our Government hearing
of the outrage, at once laid the case before
the British Cabinet, with demands for re-
paration. Palmerston WAS then Premier. =
lie acknowledged the receipt of our COM
plaint on tho 18th of October of that year,
and on the 2Oth ofthe following month,
answered that the act had been condemned
by the law officers of the Crown, that the
offending captain had been removed, and
that the proprietors of the line had been
warned against repetition Of such Illegal
acts in future. PalmerstOn, who rendered
this decision, is Premier now and the range
of inconsistency furnishes no example to
warrant 'he belief that England would stul-
tity herself with contrasted action in this
corresponding case. :,
Contrary to all expectations, we found
that, on the arrival of the news Of the arrest
of Mason and Slidcll in England, storm Of
| an .o ,t;,,,,,lotoJ h, tho ;ns,1;ouc organa M
the tory party, burst forth from one end Of
the country to the other about the insult to
the British flag. The returning mail next
informed us that the law officers Of the
Crown having, like all prosecuting agents,
furnished precepts agreeable to the inten-
tions Of the Government, a peremptory de-
mand would be made by Britain that Ma
son and Slidell be delivered up, and that u
, public apology be rendered by us in addition.
( In evidence that the alternative of this de-
: mand was war, transports and mailed fri
$ gates were ordered off to Canada; and salt
/ petre and other conponents of gunpowder
we're tabooed from further British export
e In fact, the English journals leave us in no
: doubt as to the intentions of their Govern
, ment, and they speak in a boastfu spirit OF
n the short work they will make of our en-.
c barrassed forces, in case we hesitate to COM
: ply with their extreme demands What
0 makes their conduct in the case more gross,
J. they unblushingly acknowledge We had the
n right to capture the Trent entire but that
inasmuch as England nor any of the despot
h ic powers had ever set an example OF mag
n nanimty in this way, the action of Captain
r Wilkes was irregular and consequently lille
d gal; ergo, his humanity was n reflective in
N suit to English antecedents, and cause fo
r war 1t is not the first timo that consider
J. ate courtesy has been translated by rufhan
- ism into an offence, nor the initial instanc,
t. when barbaric code, has struggled witt
s. arms against the modifying influences of al
c improving civilization.
,tI In this condition does the affair of Masol
is and Sldell now stand; and the Unite'
Or States Government, apprized of the con
E. science and intentions OF its enemy, is pa
lc tiently awaiting the formal presentation 0
= his requisitions. The highwayman has is
10 sued from his covert, and taking ndvantag
Of our bended posture over the sinking forr
ly of perishing rebellion, whrls his bludgeo
he for an impending blow. We ask the worl
st to scrutinize his attitude and analyso j.
u cause for the present complication is tn
to text ola dispute which may decide the fl
ly ture sceptre Gf the seas. What action tn
=. President will take, on the reception of tn
a British re0uisitions, do not care to spect
at late. In common with the whole Of the pee
he rle of the North, have confidence in th
b. wisdom and patriotism of tho Government
d. and am willing to believe they will safel
q. steer the country through. Were the que
n ton to be held amenable to the principles
of public law, any sensible man could predi,
ne the decision in moment; but foresight
,r. the result isnot 40 clear in relation to the IL
X. ton of u power, which is capable of assun
at ing that 'our offance was greater becaus
lar the injury was less, and which has also ii
re. effrontery to declare that, though there al
all several English prccedents which invalida
lat their present complaint against the Unite
States, those precedents were made whc
m England was fighting for existence, and N
o. not to be tolerated by her at the hands
ed others now.
all This is the undisguissd language Of ru
ofI fan; and it shocks our previous estimati.
on Of the British people, to see papers like Il
on London Times exhibit such knowledge
es its audience, as to expect liberation for SUI
not utterly disgraceful sentiments. We can
in ford, however, to treat the whole matt
nd calmly. The evil of this case is not destint
ent to fall solely upon the United States al
in. England will flnd ere many years have gon
off how foolishly she has passed away the gro'
md ing friendship of great and progressi
md people. Though our onward march may
III temporarily checked by the sudden interp
me lation of this black rebellion, nothing o,
red defeat our destiny, Lying midway betwe
of| two great oceans SO at to be able to contl
I'd, each Of them to the centre, with TWEEN
ali millions ofreadng and writing people, mi
,ell ed Of all the heroic races of the earth, 4
IN whole world in arms cannot do more tn
nd. inure us to adversely, and strengthen o
he hearts to the vast mission of the future.
in. Lot England therefore take thought in tim
an. and decide with wisdom, whether she Q
ey. afford to credit US with a store ofvengean
on, for the hour Of her peril, and our strengt
md To the resident good sense of the Engh
les peopte which has been misled by interest
ag- tories and local politicians to believe tina
,ult great insult has been put upon their flag,
md should only be requisite for us to say ii
,ers the flag was insulted by no one in tho p
1 Of misses but the criminal captain Of the IRE,
ing He prostituted it, against the orders of
the Queen, to the service Of the slave rebelic
hey II was Captain Wilkes who extricated
lot from that disgrace, and couiteously peru,
|, ted il to redeem the forfeiteds ship and car
ain which it covered. II they want an exalnl