Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1862-01-08
ENGLISH OPINIONS.

lord Derby's organ) is eminently salty:
Q"em Deus cut perlere prius dementat. The
conduct of the American Government has long been
such as, to Europeans scarcely seemed consistent
with the supposition of its being directed BY men
in full possession of their senses TIE outrages
the Constitution which have been every day per-
petrated with IMMUNITY in every State under the
jurisdiction of the Federal Governments the frantic
language in which its proclamatiOns have been
couched; the extravaganza of its boast and Ahe
mbecc weakness of its action the Savage excess es
which its troops have been encouraged to commit in
the border States, by which it has alternated Ken
lucky, lost its last chance Of preserving Missouri,
and exasperated Virginia beyond the possibility Of
forgiveness the wanton extravaganza OF Its tyranny
in Maryland-all seem to proceed from the head
strong fury Of men who never were under the coa-
troll of principle and are now beyond the influence
of reason.
Mr.. LncoiHOI his accession to power was thought
to be an honest straight forward man. whose firm
ness might balance his intellectual Deficiencies, aud
whose respect for law might atone for his utter g
norance of politics. Unhapply he has proved him.
self not only far more ignorant and unintellisent
than any one imagined him, but utterly wanting in
decision Of character, or in conscientious adherence
to the constitution of which he was the appointed
guardian. He las usurped power beyond the law
to exercise it. with feebencss and vacillation very
naturally allied with frantic and ungovernable rage
against all opponents. sri impotsns is the classic
phrase which most accurately describes both his
character and that Of his chief friend and adviser
Mr.. Stewards want Of common sense, rctcence and
principle have long been notorious to Americans ;
and recent circumstances have directed to him an
amount of English attention which has made him
equally we'll understood and despised in this coun-
try. Unhappily, until yesterday, we had not been
abe fully to appreciate the extent and depth Of his
moral and mental worthlesSneSs We knew that he
hadproposed to "aunex" Canada, but the idea
to US who know our strength, and weakness of the
United States, so utterly ludcrous that we did not,
and could not appreciate the utter folly and desper-
ate wickedncSs of the who could put it forward
serious proposal. Since then, Mr.. Seward has
done every thing in his power to insult and exas-
perate Great Britain he has encouraged the pratt
cal seizure of our ships, he has ordered the illegal
arrest of British subjects he has directed his ENJOYS
at foreign Courts to revile and menace Us. All this
we have borne little too quietly the nation has
endured it with the patience of contempt; the gov
eminent, with an INDIGESTION which, to American
eyes, looked like the irresoluton Of fear.
We trust that there will be no delay in aycnsing
an outrage unprecedented, even in the annals OF
American lawlessness We trust that no hesitation
will give the country reason to suppose that in his
manifold assaults on our national honor as in his
CioNuu5 HlSult, MI. SeNdfu HAS Uccn encouraged
by belief that there were in the British Ministry
men whose patience might be trusted to endure any
outrage their country, and whose ingenuity would
be able to devise in any quarrel plausible case fer
their countrys foe. Even the sophistcal talent OF
Mr. Gladstone frame no excuse for wanton
piracy" even Mr. Brights talent for invectve mus;
fail to deter Ministry from prompt pursuance of
course in which the nation will support them as one
man. Opposition to the vindicatidn Of the nat onal
honor will only consign to utter political insign6
canoe the politician who ventures to attemptit and
we would hope that there is but man in England
capable of apoogising for the piratical outrage Of
the San Jaeinto. What we have to de is sufficiently
clear. 1t is the duty of our Government to demand
the immediate return of the gentlemen stolen from
under flag, in honorable guise. together with ar
ample apology for lawless act of pratical aggres
sion and to prepare for the rejection of such de-
mand by dispatching forthwith to the American
coast such naval force as may ensure the total de
structon of the Federal navy, and the instant
blockade of all the chief Northern ports if due sat
'sfacton be not given without delay. We owe it ir
no small measure to the vacillation of the Foreign
Secretary that such an outrage has been ventured
it Is for the Cabinet promptly to redeem the disgrace
their colleague has brought upon them by the mos
effective measures for the vindication of the British
flag