The New York herald., 1865-03-01

altogether surprised at it, pssvalenca Tho ardent
psssns Of the North In this country have 20 srenuousy
struggle for slavery on one side and emancipation on the
other that the fedsa may perhape have regarded our
Southern institution They may not unnaturally sup
pose therefore, that the removal o this barrier would
and terminate the impartiality which ws have
hitherto maintained. We do nos hesitate 70 my that
% n g Our s::
founded on any balance Of Northern add Southern
claims 70 favor Discrimination Of that kind has doubt
but \ has not regulated the policy Of government
We hsve bean neutral in this from mere abstract
Hsss q 3
because the war was none Of our war and because
soSs whom va =
dictated BY considerations applicable not 70 This CASE
merely but = IA IL such Gases and would b Wholly
or moral, Of the new oonfederacy. international
law and usage give US anple guidance for our con.
without offence, and whom tho Confederatss have
nition sps1 T nom any reference 70 Ssr Proposed iDs
tutions The emancipation Of slaves n the South would
undoubtedly dsmoish the arguments hitherto employed
possible for any orator 70 decam against saveholdng
empire or 70 describe the Southern armies lighting
uon II wo0ld make it absolutely clear that tho fsde
rails were nghtng not for the freedom Of the negro OF
This would certainly do but more Il would Leave
the question Of recognition exactly where Stood 70 b
decided a before BY the rules Of public law applied
without bias or favor.
The policy Of the fedsrals on this question has been
strange compound Of apprehension and defiance They
have expressed tho greatest alarm at the idea Of British
Intervention and yet they have almost necessarily cha
lenged It To judge from half Of their words and
acts there is nothing which they deprecats strongly;
10 judge from tho other there s nothing for which they
care 90 little. In one way another they seemed TO
have kept the vision before their eyes It'll It appeared
reality, and have persuaded themselves OF the i'm
minence Of event which in this country have not
30 much as contemplated. Our first knowledge OF
supposed intentions derived from American de-
scriptions We imagined that the resolutions of
General Lee on the subject Of slavery would pro-
duco any modification OF our national policy. We
should heartily rejoice to SEQ slavery abolished,
but the abolition Of slavery would not affect the
considerations which have dictated neutrality in the
American That neutrality has been steadily main
tanned, and We may confidently affirm that 1t has given
satisfaction TO the vast majority Of the people of this
country There is dissatisfaction with this policy now,
nor will the Confederaes induce depart from
principles Of action by domestic reforms however lauda
bic they be- That they should be anxious the
power Of Great Britain thrown into the scale against
their enemy is natural enough but that the fedeas
should be disposed to preciptate such event is abso
piely incredible What feelings or fances
them we cannot tell; but Of this they may be well
sured, that we have never willingly departed from
duties as neutras and that transformed
from neutras into begerents will be by their doing
and not ours