Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1863-07-06
England,s Hostility to the South.

on Mcclellan and Burnside now Delal!S hlm LAt
Fighting JOe'"
England's Hostility to the South.
An editorial in the London Herald Of June the SIh,
contains paragraph which We put cord fer future
use. In ali human probability, the time is not very re-
mote when England will hasten to dispute With France
those commercial advantages 10 which the latter coun-
try entitled in vtue of her generous proposals in be-
hall Of the Confederate States. France solicited no in-
reference which could possibly result in collision with
the United States She desired merely to interpOse be-
tween the begerents the moral force Of European opn
ion founded 10 reason in jutice in humanity England
II fused coldy to sccede to the wishes of France and
so potent her simple negative that the friendly in
tcutions of the Emperor Napoleon completely
frustrated IS though the former nation had made CT
feusive alliance With Mr. Lincoln to put down French
nlerposOn by force of The prolOugatiOn Of the
American war With its attendant horrors is therefore
attributable England aud to England alone. This is
not the jauEdieed opinion Of few disappointed Conled
eIates-t is the deliberate and orepeated assertion Of
leading British newspaper, and it will be the solemn
verdict Of history.
The Herald says:
England has already cons'd ered and
refused the proposal of France for joint mediation
France made a Of tentative proposal to interpoSe
her good Offices and the offer decidedly rejected at
Washington But without any such ENHANCEMENT as
might possibly result from mediation it is in power,
and il surely is duty withdraw the encourage.
m-nt which equally giving TO the prosecution of
uch war by tacity s!lowirg-what few men in Eng
Aud be ieve-hat the hold OF the Federal Government
upon the Southern States not finally and rrerievaby
gone. So long as pubic policy permits the North to
81. mn has
pronounced it, enterprise hopeless there can be little
hope that that enterprise will be formally Abandoned
On tie other hand, the recognition OF the Southern
Coniederacy by France and Elgand would inAict the
heaviest Encouragement the party in the North.
To dean Of reSentiDg it would be madness to conceal
its significance impos ble it would be necessary for
the Northern Government and the Republican party TO
confess to themselves that the termination Of the strug
gle and the acknowledgement Of Southern Independence
was merely matter OF time; az hat as the proOnga
tioa of the could affect its issue, all that could
b. done TO end IL the best ems that could be
obtained. In all probability, European recognition
alone would terminate the within six months. Eu
ropean recognition is Withheld only by the obstinate
iuSA Of the English Cabinet On them. therefore, al
most as much as the Government Of Washington,
rests the awful responsibility entailed by the cOntLu
ance Of this savage flu H. and fatricda conflict;
them and those Nhc, sitting their own strong mis-
giviGgS, support them ia the sided inactiOn which
they call a'diguifed neutrality"
It must be admitted that, at the beginning o the
war too many hopes of British interference were enter
tanned Grant that this foly-grant that over
ratedhe power Of King Cotton and sought, or rather
expected, exercise that po~er a of coercng
British nterpOsitiOu grant all this and admit the sill
ness Of anita ipatOn5-nevertheess the most simple
minded Of US may be excused for not expecting and
making preparation for Eosans direct positive and
90 sIiuate opposition the coed offices Of other
tious Could this have been ioresesn would
have been different But the proportion OF Confede.
rates Who could until very recently have been made to
believe that Ergsh aumosity TO the South was so Bit
t.r as TO override law treaty spulaonS, common jus
tee and humanity, TO million. Two
years have produced vast change. Admiration for
Lugl nd has died OFT utterly respect is fast disappear
lg With the f c's before them. the people of the
South arc compelled to bleye that the Government of
Great Britain i, hostile them, aud that the people Of
Great BlAa though Of this hostility prefer the
administration of Lord PalmerstOn to any other.
So persistent was the good opinion of England and
Engishmen in the minds OF uine tcnths OF our people,
that it may with truth be said, that during the past
twelve OF eighteen months more thought has been
pended aud more ingenuity wasted in making excuses
for Grea, Bu,ns course than upon any other subject
whsteyer not excepting the mighty problem Of the
its,f All imaginable diplomatic and commercial diff
cutes have been raised, examined, and thrown aside.
Alter the mssi dill gent and indelagable searching,
sufficient explanation Of highlands policy towards the
Confederate States has been fouud-no excavation,
no excuse whatever has been or can be conceved-and
il remains only for to register upon the tablets of the
popular memory, beyond the reach Of erasure the de-
elaratou of the London Herald:
ia all probability, European recognition alone
" woali terminate the war within six months Eu.
rope-n recognition Is withheld only by the obstinate
" refusal of the E,glish Cabinet Ia Cabinet tole-
rated il not sustained by the English people,; on
them therefore, almost much the Government
at Washington, the awful responsibility Sntailed
by the continuance of this savage and iruitless but
not fratricidnll conflict"