Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1863-10-13
NEUTRALITY.

consisted In merely knowing notn'nS aDouV
one of the belligerents, while she has main
tanned constant friendly relations with the
other-but, in the meantime, permitting her
merchants, manufacturer and ship.builders
to sell their wares indifferently to everybody
who could pay for them. Public opinion in
England, represented, by the Press, has shown
its neutrality by dividing itself into two par
ties, the one awarding barren praise and by
pocritical "sympathy" to the Confederates,
while the other, strong in the legal position
of it's party, has steadily denounced US as
"rebels," and has at length forced the Gov
eminent to interfere even with the private
dealings of English ship-builders, and prevent
them from d eli7ering to Confederates the
ships built to their order, whilo there is no
thought Of laying any embargo upon the vast
expectation of arms, cannon and ammunition
which is regularly supplied to our enemy.
It is not, however, very probable that the
| Government will do more than make a show
of some attempt to stop our iron.clad ships
To stop them really and altogether would not
suit the British policy Of neutrality OF ALL
That policy, in the main, is to help and en-
| courage each side to hurt the other, and espe-
cially to aid in the destruction of Yankee
commerce by means Of our cruisers. Thu.
the London Times" protests against the
| Government interference with those useful
| craft. The Times says:
"The aim of the persons who argue the
matter would appear to be not to promote. but
| to prevent the exercise of neutrality. They
| make no demand that measures should be en-
forced for stopping the supply of munitions Of
war to the Northern States, nor to the entic-
ing Of British subjects from Ireland and else
where to recruit the Northern armies. The
Confederates may be shot down by English
made cannon, but the Federals must not have
their cotton and tea seized by English built
ships. In matters of this sort the only safe
plan must be to declare that We are ready to
build or make any instruments for which we
| can find customers to pay us-even o supply
of Greek fire. if it should be wished for
Even the Federals themselves 20 as far in their
pretensions assome Englishmen are found to
20 for them. And only three weeks back the
New York ".Iournal of Commerce" admitted
that if England stopped the iron clads, it
would be only fair she should stop the supply
! of arms and ammunition to themselves"
Certainly, this would be only fair; and it
| would by no means suit the interests of Brit
ish industry. 1t would be cutting off the
profits which are justly expected to flow to
England from the war, and preventing her
%7irtuous neutrality" from rearing its re-
| ward.
We may be quite sure of ono thing-that
| the conduct of the government in this matter
is in no degree Influenced by the late act Of
the President in Withdrawing Mr.. Mason
Earl Russell, had already, before that event,
given orders to seize Theron. clads so as 10 make
them await the decision Of the law courts;
and had shown, so far as he was concerned,
the most lively anxiety to find some rrcte1t
for stopping them.
! AT any rate, the withdrawal of our Com
missioner could have been no longer deferred,
| with any regard to the dignity Of our country.
Its natural consequence and complement must
be the dismissal of ell persons calling them
selves British "consuls." We shall, then, st
last, be in the exact position with regard to
Great Britain which she occupies with regard
to us-that is, we shall know nothing about
her. Then will at last arise for the British
| government the practical question, (which it
| has heretofore been saved from considering by
our extraordinary "foreign policy,") whether
England can afford to leave her subjects in this
Confederacy without protection altogether. In
Ill this there will be no hostility, nor appear
ance, nor rretext of hostility. 1t will be moth
ing more than acting towards her as she acts
towards US. When she is ready to recognise
US, and send representatives here, and make
the proper application through them, then it
will be we'll. we shall be ready to listen when
she permits consuls of ours 10 hoist the Con-
fcderate flag over consulate offices in Liver
pool and London, why we shall allow her flag
to fly in Richmond and Charleston.
Herein, perhaps, we are reckoning without
our host-that is, without our Department Of
State. No matter how plainly and perempto-
rily our dignity may call on US to dismiss the
| British "Consuls, it does not follow that the
thing will be done. 1t appears from Mr.. Full
~larton's letter that an authority" to a Con-
sui, though not addressed to our Government,
and taking no notice of that Government, is,
by our State Department, approved and re-
cognized." We are still forcing upon Eng
land our attentions and ccurtesies, greatly to
her surprise, while she desires none of our &C
quaintance. Lord Campbell lately admitted
that we were comforting a gratuitous courtesy
upon his country, which it had by no means
deserved. The "Inde1," organ of our Con-
iederacy in London, still issues a flaming
poster, (now visible in o window on Main
street, displaying tho Confederate flag and
the British flag waving amicably together; al-
though, when an Englishman looks upon that
blazon, he cannot but regard it DC an imper-
tinent familiarity.
What need have we to 60 on paying court to
q power which will not know us2 We have
received no farors, and ask none from the
British Government. This Confederacy is
vindicating its own independence with power.
full armies which could destroy all the armies
of England. At home. our position is o proud
one; it is only in our "foreigu relations" that
we find ourselves in a seryile and crouching
attitude. There is no need Of it; no compen.
sation for it. The Confedefacy has Ssn, and
dearly won, the right to hold its head high,
and to deal with all the world on equal terms,
Until We do SO, all the world will refuse to treat
US as equals. These considerations are so OBJ
vious and undeniable, and touch so nearly the