The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1864-07-16
COMMUNICATIONS.
Letter from an English Gentleman on
American Affairs.
To the Editor Of the Press
13 WENTWORTH STREET,

To the Editor Of the Press
l3 WENTWORTH STREET,
Euerton, liverpool, Nay, "a.
SIR:-Some twelve months ago copious ex-
tracts from letter of mine, addressed to a
friend in the State of Maine, found their way
into the columns of an American paper. Hav-
ing something more to say aboutthe events now
transpiring In your country, thought 1t pos
sible that my cousins across the water would
again listen without impatience to the
thoughts Of an Englishman on their domestic
affairs. And this time have preferred di-
rect to an indirect communication with the
American press, through the. columns, Il am
SO favored, of your paper
Politicians are impelled TO action here, as
elsewhere, much more frequently by the inter
ests and passions of the nation than by the
claims of Justice and Reason; and in view of
this, there is one fact, here, the importance OF
which cannot be overestimated. 1t is that
the full weight Of the calamity which the
wrath of "King Cotton" has inflicted upon
our country has been felt and borne, with this
result, that the sceptre of that monarch is
broken, and his terror no longer disturbs the
serenity of statesmen or people. The staple
commodity OF Lancashire industry is fast
flowing in from other quarters, under the ir-
resistable inducement of high prices; and the
market value of manufactured goods having
established its true relation to the cost of the
raw material, the number of persons in full or
partial employment is steadily on the increase.
Lancashire, then, is not perishing of hunger.
No infuriatedmob perambulate our streets the
stability Of the state is not endangered, and
the throne still rests firmly on its old founda-
tions. England will not therefore, be impell-
ed by her interests, as your rebels supposed.
10 arm aud strengthen the sacreligious hand
that strikes at law, order, and the inalienable
rights of men and States. Even when the
worst threatened us, duty, declaring itself by
the strong, clear voice of public opinion, over
awed the clamor Of the heartless, noisy few
who gave to interest the precedence of right
But now interest does not even appear TO op-
pose itself to the claims Of justice and reason
and II, when this opposition existed we we're
English enough to prefer right to Gotten bales,
in the presence OF starving millions. nor the
rebellious States win vainly wait for a helping
hand from those who so heartily hate the sla-
very which the South would perpetuate.
1t is true that there are people here who
lean to the South because they desire to see
your great Union weakened, and the expert
ment Of purely popular government end in
failure. The people who live by privileges OF
doubtful character, who get fat by making
other people lean, who look upon arotten-ripe
abuse as part Of their daily bread, and defend
it as they would their hearths and homes,
these are the people who wish TO see your re-
public dismembered, and who would dance
wildly over the grave Of freedom anywhere.
They know that if your people failed in the
will, wisdom and power, to repress internal
rebellion, they could point the finger of scorn
at the signal failure of popular institutions to
secure the great end of government, the pre-.
servation OF order and liberty within the bor-
ders of the republic. They look forward, per-
haps, to the time when they can play of the
rival republics one against the other, when
each win be compelled to waste annual mil
lions 10 the maintenance of fleets and armies
as a protection against its neighbour Nor
would slavery itself be very abhorren to from
the feelings ofa class who believe that the
people exist TO obey laws, pay taxes, and
serve their superiors, and should have nothing
else TO do with laws, taxes and their betters,
but TO obey, pay and serve them. But this
small saetton Ia MT Tho Rrifieh patioo and ,bo
day is not far distant when it will smartly feel
that 1t is not. Toryism, which is, in general,
conservative of abuses and the darkness that
cloaks them. and destruction of liberty
and the light that promotes it, leans with
quite natural proclivity to the South And
the Times" which does not represent opn-
ion here, put repeats to the aristocraey of
money and rank, what they think or ought TO
think upon things in general, secured to IT,
self long ago sort of copyright in the epi-
thets Of abuse that could be heaped upon the
North.
But don't be afraid of the "Times." "The
one purpose of its existence is TO keep the
position it holds, and if money and rank here
are against you, it will vituperate you sound
ly in its excess of skin-deep anger; but when
you are thoroughly successful, it will Hur-
rah! for you with lusilness that will aston
ish even my American cousins. Nay, 1t will
have the impudence to take its place in the
triumphal car Of the conqueror, and bear
aloft the banner inscribed with the motto,
We did it," But the solid opinion of the
nation Is with you; and the South, so far as
England is concerned, fights single-handed.
But you will naturally place against this
the fact that vessels Of war have been built
here for the rebel States. 1t is trne that the
case of the Alexandra, brought at length, be-
fore our highest legal tribunal, the House of
Lords, has been decided in manner not sat
islactory to the friends OF the North. But. |
believe that the decision was based upon
grounds purely legal, and IL 1t does not ae-
cord with equity, the state of our municipal
law, and not the legality of the decision
must be called in question. 1t turns out, in
fact, that the Foreign Enlistment Act, passed
in 1919, does not prohibit the construction Of
vessels of war for fereign states, but, simply,
the equipment of them. Now, it was decid-
ed that the Alexandra was not equipped,
hence the ruling Of the judges. But when
the Act in question was passed. the construc.
ton OF ships of war progressed SO slowly,
that war might begin and end, between lay