The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1863-04-15
Correspondence ofthc Cincinnati Gazcttc.l
Critical Relations with Great Britain.

WASHINGTON, April Z.
"We mightjust as we'll be at war with
Great Britain. We are Mt war with her
now and have been for months, except that
3he has been committing her hostile deeds
with impunity. Within three months we
shall make it war in earnest and the soon
er the better"
1t was an eminent man who spoke so, no
longer ago than last Saturday. man OF
large experience in public affairs, of long
services and of high official position. From
the nature of the case hc must have been
familiar with our foreign relations, and with
the feelings and purposes of tho Admin
istration.
II may he that he ovcrrated the spirit of
the Government or underrated the pos
sibilities Of diplomacy in hands like Mr..
Scward's; but there is no question of tho
gravity with which our most eminent men
regard our existing relations with Great
Britain.
1t is asserted by high officials, in habits
of confidential intercourse ut tho Depart
ment, that Mr., Seward three weeks ago
sent dispatch to Mr.. Adams to he com
muDicated to the British Foreign Minister,
Announcing that this Government would
consider tho sailing of another vessel like
the Alabama from a British port an I'M
friendly act An "unfriendy act" is the
last expression of diplomacy. 1t means
cdsHS bcHi, and can only be followed by
apologies of war
There is no evidence, however, that such
dispatch has been sent, excepting Mr.. Sew
ards word. lie cannot wondor, if, after
his exploits for the last two years. his di-
roct issue of veracity with Count Mercier
al an M Of Fr;a H.,
about the success Of his "magnilicent ly-
ing H0 evidence is generally regarded as
of questionable weight. 1t is indeed not
improbable that Mr. Seward should respond
as he always has to the demands of the
commercial interests of New York, and their
tone is warlko in the extreme but on the
other hand his constitutional timidty would
seem likely to lead him rather into protrac-
ted arguments than shorter and sharper
measures.
Tending to favor this latter view also is
the fact that the secret agents OF the Gov
Crnment have been for some time in Eng
land, collecting and colating evidence, in
the form of depositions where practicable,
with regard to the whole subject of these
rebel vessels, with Il view, apparently, to
make up case to be tested by the statutes
rs Earl Russell tartly suggested that we
might do. 1t is even added that other
agents, (such names as Vanderbilt and As
pinwall are mentioned in connection with
the matter) are to make au effort to pU,'chuSe
the Chinese vessels" by going prepared to
outbid the rebels, and backed with plenty
of money to do it. Such expedicnts are
certainly more in consoancc with Mr. Sew
ards general policy than the reported
course of cutting the knot of diplomacy
with the short, stern, manly word that the
repetition of the oifense of which we COM
plain will he treated as an unfriendly act
! Meanwhile the President is being warm
! ly urgsd, both by the suffering commercial
interests Of New York, and hy many of his
most eminent and earnest political friends.
| Cnclulnr it ia said, the entire Committee
on the Conduct of the War; to sc k redrr =
! for the losses our commerce has already
met by making immediate rcprisals upon
| Bit sh commerce.. B tween this it is said.
ana the Il lOpt,uu Ot Il uuu-iItrrC mrs" pol
| icy. such as we tri"l IN The last war VITA
Great B.ita a. til Fra. dent still hcsitat,s ;
but one or the other is th"ught certain to
be relic upon, unlcss the English Govern.
mrnt should relieve Us irom tho necessity
ot "a choice made 10y u u,.lcal change in its
dealings with the rebels.
\ resort to non-ntercourse would proha-
bly, require a called session Of Congress.
! The power to issue letters of murQue and
rcprisal is already in the Presidents hands.
Even Il formal notice to the power upon
whose commerce reprisals are to be made
is not required. We might quietly have
our merchantmen called in and armed, and
the sea suddenly covered with our lniva-
tecrs sweeping Oft the steamers on half "A
dozen British lines and then securing hun
drcis OF millions OF dollars. before the Brit
ish Government hal found out how their
Iprivatccring under the rebel tlag was being
paid for. 1t is not without Significance
that within u few days, this very course
has been earnestly urged 10y 4 New York
! journal, generally so we'll advised as to the
policy of the Administration rs the EreRiiJ
! POST
Al this OF course points to war-war
with the first maritime power of the world
AT time when we are straining every ex.
ertion of our navy to keep up blockade
along three Thousand miles of coast. 1t
would Toe II grave step indeed, yet there are
those-and they form Il large and inluen,
tial pNrty-who are earnestly striving to
bring il on; and we are already beginning
to measure our resources for the new con.
test and estimate lis changes.
Five things may be set down as certain
|. Within three weeks after the British
Government received adviceS that our pri
vatecrs were preying upon her commerce
the blockade of half the considerable rehol
ports would I've raised, and through one OF
Two of them Hood of wlr.i&e sunpics
would be poured into the Contedcacy.
>. O2scentS would speedily be made on un,
protected points of our coast; aud oven
some of onr principal cities might be in
danger.
?. No attempt would be ma lc to land any
considerable force Of troops to co.oporatl
with the rebel armies.
4. We Should, in y very few months sweep
British commerce. off the sc Is, enrich oul
commercial and sea-going classes, and pro,
duce the utmost distress in Great Britain
,, There would be u border warfare along
our Northcm boundary, the end of which
with amy decent military management,
would hc the conquest of Canada.
but sufficient unto the day is tn,
evil thereof, Perhaps Mr. Seward II ay
take British advice and seek redress from
the statute, rather than from repriSals. Per.
haps the British Government may prevent
the sailing of more rebel vessels, Or per
hapS all present sigUs nay fail, and we
may bear dozen more as patiently as we
have borne the Alabama. AGATE.
TuE Nrmuoud Eaquirer, arguing ugaiust
Reconstruction and union of the South
with the Northwest, says;
To bring in the Northwestern States
would bring in Wade and Gidduys, and
Abraham Lincoln, of Illinois Abraham
would be our next President, He is q