The Portland daily press., 1864-12-19
British Violation Of Neutrality.

There is much just indignation expressed
and more felt by the people OF the onlleo
States, for certain unfriendy acts committee
by the British Government in relation TO oui
aff.irs since the foul rebellion began.
But we think it is perfectly manifest t.
Oh )se who have the best means of Judging, a.
It might be to others who would take th,
pains to examine the British press, that th,
people Of Great Britain are very largely ii
sympathy with this Government, and woul'
rejoice as heartily at the overthrow Of The re
bslilou as majority OF our own people
However humlliating the confession, -
remains question whether the prop0f ny
the people of England - lavor OF 'ne : Nv
on the eternal basis of human liberty - NJ
as great as 1t is in this country u o'oA az wv
North.
National pride Il easily awakened on on
side and the other. This is Out natural
Bnt a nronar reeard for our own welfare, AM
for the mace and happiness of the world
wo.ld- saam to demand, in this time of ex
traordinsry excitement, that two Christian
nations, on whose course mainly depend tn
homes of mankind, should exercise toware
each other the utmost forbearance, and no
suffer mistakes or even unfriendly designs T.
involve us In a war whose horrors are now to,
fearfully realized to warrant the desire Of
continuance. There is evidently too .mucl
blood astir IN this matter-especiall ON tn,
part OF those who, in the event Of a serious
conflict, will not be likely to spill drop.
But not to dwell on this point, we have beer
led TO these remarks by reading. In reeeDl
number Of the Philadelphia North american,
q letter from that great and good man, Prof
GOODWIN SMITH, in reply to an article which
had appeared in the Boston Advertiser. Prof
Smith Says We quote only in part
Il is during the last half century, and since
the conclusion of the Napoleonic wars, tina
moral sentiment has made its gre 4test prog
ress on The subject OF national rights and obi,
cations, and especially in regard to the rights
OF the weaker nations. No one acquainted
with the tone of European morality would be
liese government capable now of doing
what governments were capable of doing il.
the time OF the French Convention. You are
cring deeds done in comparative darkness, to
warrant you In SHINING against meridiaL
light. The last great precedent in the inter
national history Q. E Igland, is the yoluutar,
cession OF the Ionian Islands, which had beer
put into her possession halt century before.
Such an act proves, in the eyes OF CANDID
judges, that the old age of aggression and vi
olence, with all its prscedents, Is rapidly be-
ing numbered with the past. ~a-
AS charges against English honor, cases
half century old are Irrelevant. You can
not push the fguratiEe personality OF ana
tion SO far. Scarcely an Englishmau is alive
who could, by any possibility, have been i'm
plicated IN the capture Of the Essex, and N,
man believes that If that act was what 1t
represented on your side to have been, their
Is single Englishman at the present time ca
pable of asserting TO Its preparation 10 tn
counsels OF Providence the sins OF the father
are visited on the children; but, bsfore a M
man tribunal, the sins Of the fathers must b
ratified by the children before they can be laic
to their door. When praising the liberty o
conscience enjoyed in this country, have en-
countered the objection that the New Eng
lAnders prosecuted the Qaakers; but have
not paid much respect to the objection.
II is not to be forgotten, either, that since
1915 the English Parliament has been reform
ed, and something like the sentiment of tn,
notion has begun to prevail in the counsels o
our Government. Before that time we were
ruled by an oligarchy, whose proceedings were
sometimes as violent abroad as their govern
ment was oppressive at home Legally, o
course, this change does not affect our identi
ty or our continuous responsibility as a nation
-bnt morally it does. And you have neec
yourselves Of the same equitable consideration
You would be sorry to be taxed as a free ma
ton with all the international acts of your late
slave-owning government. I might, perhaps
from the history of those acts, Gull the materi
ais OF retort to the writer 10 the Boston AID
verflser. But do not wish to be familiar
with the criminal records OF nations. Lat the
dead past bury Its dead-and let us. as wisdom
and generosity alike prescribe, rejoice in the
improved morality Of the living" a,1