The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1866-03-17
GheGntelliqer
The British Dilemma.

The British Dilemma.
No American commiserates the
British government on account of its
trouble with the Fenians. They cannot
complain that our government allows
the Fenians here to go on with their
schemes. If it should give them active
encouragement and recognize them as
belligerents at the earliest moment, il
would only be following the example
so recently set by Great Britain itself
The comments of the English newspa'
pers on the situation are amusing, when
compared with what they were accus'
toned to say during our civil war. The
London Times says coolly: DE
1.-The liberty which Fenianism enjoys
in the States shows how little American
institutions are able 10 protect the in
tereStS of foreign nations. We care lit
tie, because we are able to take care o.
ourselves; butif we were not, ireland
and Canada might be revolutionized by
armies raised, armed and differed In
the United States in spite of the United
States laws. What damage done by
the escape of single steamer can be
compared with the miseries which
might be inflicted on the united king
COtn DY Il OpNAAy
carried on in every chief town of the
Union? The law of the United States
is, we believe, powerless to prevent
such measures, and we approve the dis
cretiOn of our government in refralnlng
from protests against them; but it is too
much to claim for American law a SUI
periority to our own, when it is unable
TO prevent proceedings SO manilesIly
contrary to the comfy of friendly ma
tions."
The Herald, the court paper, assumes
a more hostile tone, and says
"The truth is, we might almost as
we'll be at open war with the United
States as remain as ne are, subjected to
the hostile incursions of their subjects
and exposed to the imminent danger OF
a civil war of their instigation, which
would prove far more disastrous, and
far more costly too, than any foreign
one we could be engaged in. The dig
niIied and decided conduct. of France
in her iccommunications with
the United States on the Mexican ques-
ton should form an example to be fol-
lowed by the British cabinet.
There can be but little doubt that Fe-
nianism might quickly be reduced to
harmless proportions, If Mr.. Johnson
and his cabinet, seeing the peril of fu r
ther inaction, would cut off the supply
DIV means OF WHICH pIODuBubNlSbS a. :
enabled to make their way into Ireland
to seduce our soldiers from their allie
glance and spread disaffection among
the people"
The. NeWs takes u more reasonable
view, and says:-
GAS Mr.. Gladstone truly alleged, it
would be unworthy in England to ad-
dress to the United States demands such
as those which we have often received,
and have always refused to listen 10,
from continental powers. The Ameri-
cans are MS Jealous as we are OF the right
of sanctuary, though they, like our
selves, do not vouch for the character
of their guests in atlording them an
asylum. we refused ut the bidding OF
the United States to alter the laws OF
England; they cannot be expected at
our bidding to go beyond their own
laws for our convenience. Further, II
NAV be we'll to recollect that we manu-
factured and sent to them the lnwless-
ness which we now ask them TO con-
troll. We exportto their shores in every
ennigrant ship that quits this country
for the United States muses. of burn
ing hatred to England; and expect that
they shall take measures for prevent
ing this animosity from venting itself
to our harm. To attack Fenianism in
its true source is not to- attack itin the
United States, but in the cuuses, what
ever those may be, which engender the
hostility toward this country which
every Irish emigrant carries with him
abroad, and cherishes in every place" !"
Ii