Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1863-04-07
THE CONFEDERATE STATES AND G. BRITAIN.
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Mr.. MASON 10 EARL RUSSELL.
No. 81 DEvONsHIRE STREET,
PORTLAND PLACE. August ! 1862.

No. 81 DEVONSHIRE STREET, [
PORTLAND PLACE. August !, 1852
Ny LoRD-In the interview had the honor TO pro-
pose in my late note had intended briefly to submit
the following views which thought might not be with
out weight in the consideration to be given by her Ma
esys Government to the request for recognition OF the
Confederate States submitted in my letter of the oath
July, utmo l ask leave now TO present them as sup
Elemental TO that letter;
If be true as there assumed that in the settled
judgment of England the separation Of the States is
final then the failure of so great Power TO recognize
the fact in a formal manner imparts opposite belief
and must operate an incentive 10 the United States
to protract the contest
In war, such that pending in America, where
party in possession Of the Government is striving to
subdue those Who for reasons sufficient to themselves
have Withdrawn from it. the contest will be carried
In the heat of blood and of popular excitement long a
ter its object has become hopeless in the eyes of disn
terested parties.
The Government itself may feel that its power is in
adequate to bring back the rcusant States and yet be
unable at to control the fierce elements which
round whilst the war RACES Such, it is confidently
believed, is the actual condition of affairs in Anne
RIGA.
1t is impossible in the experience OF eighteen months
of no ordinary trial. in the small results attained and
in the manifest exhaustion of its resources that any
hope remains with the Government of the United States
either OF bringing about restoration of the discovered
Union or OF subJugatng those who have renowned It,
And yet, the failure Of foreign Powers formally to
cognze this actual condition Of things, disables those
in authority frSm coHceding that fact at home.
Again, it is known that there is large and incrcas
ing sentiment in the United States in accordance with
these yiews-a sentiment which has its origin in the
hard teachings Of the as it has progressed
IL was believed Tor so confidently airmed) that there
large party in the Southern States devoted TO the
Union whose presence and power would be manifested
there as soon the public force of the United States
was present to sustain it. need not say how fully the
experience of the has dispeed this delusion.
Again, it was believed, and confidently re-
lied on that in the social structure of the
Southern States there a large population
of the dominant Indifferent, if not hostile, to the
basis on which that social rests in which they
not interested and who would be found the allies
of those whose mission was supposed be in some way
to break up but the same experience had shown that
the whole population of the South IS united, one
people, in arms to resist the invader
Nothing remains then, on which to rest any hope of
conquest but reliance the superior numbers and the
supposed greater of the Northern States
think the results of the last Tor pendng campaign have
proved how idle such expectations we've, against the ad
vantages of people fighting at home and bringing into
common stock OF resistance as free will offering all
that they possess whether Of blood or treasurea spec
tacle now historically before the world.
1t is in human experience that there must be those in
United States who cannot shut their eyes such facts
and yet in the despOtc power now assumed there by
the government to give expression to any doubt would
be 70 court the inequalities OF the dungeon.
One word from the Government of Her Majesty
would encourage those people speak, and the civil
lied world would respond to the truths they would
ter, "hat for whatever purpose the begun it
was continued only in vindictVe and unreason-
ing spirit shocking alike to humanity and civilization"
That potent word would simply be to announce fact
which frenzied mind could only dispute, that the
Southern States, in a separate Confederacy had
established before the world its competency to maintain
\ -.
to abide by it.
To withhold it, would not only seem in derogation
of truth but would be encourage the continuance Of
war hopeless in its object uinOus alike to the parties
engaged in it and to the prosperity and welfare of Eu
rope. J. NJ. MASON.