Civilian & telegraph. [volume] (Cumberland, Md.) 1859-1875, 1864-06-30

smart man who in playing with edge'
tools cut his own fingers. If his heat
and his throne adhere to him long enoug'
he will feel this lesson.
The policy of nations is not and canno
be unlike that of individuals. The for
mer is only an amplifcation of the latter
The policy Of governments is dictated
matured and executed by individuals, ane
the smaller the number of individuals en-
gagged in debating that policy the more
nearly it appsOaches to individual charac'
ter and manifests individual sentiment
and feeling. individuals have their moods
and so have governments, because the ac'
of the government results from individual
thought, and that is shaped more OF
less by individual feeling. 1t is a lameh-
table fact in the history of man, but not
less lamentable than true, that the wisesi
and best of men will sometimes perpctrate
very foolish things; and so with govern
meuts, though less frequently and to a
less extent, because governmental acts
are rarely the result of one single indi-
yidual mind. But as iron sharpeneth
iron" and "the countenance of man his
friend" so does the mind of one cabinet
minister mould to his own will the mind
of his colleagues and make the policy Of
the governments. If then, individuals
do control each other and are liable to do
foolish things, so also are governments
liable to perpetrate foolish acts, or liable
to commit public plumbers.
The history of modern times will per-
haps show no parallel for the folly, if not
stupidity, of the British Government as
it regards her policy towards the United
States-more especially since the COM
mencement of the rebellion. We are
descended from the same stock; have
founded our political institutions on the
same fundamental principles; have COM
mon language; in short, assimilatc each
other in blood, religion, politics, and every
element which constitutes national char
acter. From these facts and the tendency
of events, we have long held the opinion
that the time might and would come when
we should, for our safety, be compelled
to lay aside our policy Of attending to our
own affairs only, and let others take care
of themselves; to stand " shoulder to
shoulder" against her enemies for the
security and perpetuity of free institu-
tions. We have borne her i'll temper and
surliness with kind indulgence; her taunts
and insults with great forbearance; have
fed her starving subjects, and, in every
way compatible with our policy, discount
tenanced insubordination and rebellion
against her lawful authority; and even
when she clustered over fancied wrongs,
we have promptly rendered indemnity
greater than her well-known p:osump-
ton anticipated. Notwithstanding We
on all suitable, and even sometimes on
unsuitable occasions, have submitted to
acts and demands at her hands which we
would not tolerate from others, she, in
the insolence of her folly, expended a
very large sum 30 enforce redress for an
act which she well knew was less than
the law of nations justified us in doing,
before asking for redress or explanation.
This, too, was done after deliberate acts
of bud taith not justifable by the law of
nations, and the like of which has not
been done by any other Government on
earth, neither civilized or uucivilized,
and only partially initiated by Louis Ma
poleon. They recognized the Legitimate
Government of the United States and
the rebellious States alike as JeItiyercats,
thus, either denying the nationality ofthe
United States, or recognizing this Gov
crnment and the States in rebellion as
equal nations; an act which even her
presumption has not permitted her to do
openly and manfully. She has furnished
them with the means and men to perpe-
tratc piratical warfare against our law
full commerce on the high seas she has
furnished the rebels the vessels, the NUM-
tions and materials to break a blockade
which she had, though unwillingly, to
acknowledge sufficient under the laws Of
nations. but also to enable the traitors to
carry on the rebellion and bloodshed
against which, in her Parliament, some
of her worst as we'll as best men are rails
ing their voices as we'll as hands in holy
horror. Do they suppose that this peo'
pie are so far removed outside the pale o.
civilization and the knowledge of current
history, as not to know of her barbarities
and Savage bloodshed" in her East In
dia possessions, or her inexcusable ag
gressions in China, or that we are ignor
ant of the fact that her vast Empire i
the result of rapacious aggression. pitt
less carnage, and that its seeming powe
is the cement of oceans of blood whic
will erumble before the first rude shoe
her folly or stupidity are inviting to as
sail her? We may continue this Subje'
at another time, for it is not half cz
hausted.
National Debt.
Tic Secretary of the Treasury. in r