Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1866-06-28
From Harper's Weekly,l
A DishonorabIe Proposition.

We are fast depriving ourselves Of
tie right of censuring the incincerity OF
British neutrality. We are initiating
the conduct of General Rosseau who, on
Monday disdained to become a rival
blackguard with Mr.. Grinnell, and was
approved by all honorable men, but on
Thursday broke his cane over Mr.. Grim
nell's head and became no better than
he. So the dominant British public
opinion supported with the most stren-
uous sympathy the late rebellion de-
signed to destroy this Government and
perpetuate slavery. 1t wished well to
every escaped privateer, and justified the
British Government in relaxing its law
of neutrality. We are doing virtually
the same thing, and busily earning
the contempt which such conduct
merits.
Thus in Congress, Mr.. Ancona Of
Pennsylvania, introduces resolution to
repeal the neutrality laws of 1918, be-
cause they authorize the Government of
the United States to prevent mad and
bloody raid upon the peaceful homes of
Canada. And Congress, instead of
branding the proposition as utterly base
and unworthy an honorable nation, re-
| fers it to the committee upon Foreign
Affairs by vote Of 81 to "a, while the
motion of Mr.. Hale to lay it Immediate
ly upon the table, since he could not
move to kick it under the table, was
lost by vote of 1l3 to s. This is an
act more disgraceful than any action
taken by the British Parliament upon
any similar proposition during our war.
Whether the controlling consideration
with Congress were the desire of treat
ing England as she treated us, or Of
propitiating the Irish vote, the act was
equally contemplate. If Congress
wishes to fight Great Britain, let it offer
a manly and honorable defiance, and
not connive, in the spirit of sneak
thief, with an attempt to transfer the
horrors of the July riots Of 1868 to Can
ada.
While this was the lamentable con-
duct Iof Congress notorious offender
against the neutrality laws was brought
up for examination before Commissioner
Belts, in New York. At the opening of
the examination the lawyer of the ac-
cused openly denounces the person who
| mas glNGu buC uPoh "hlSh
the complaint is founded, and in the
most violent manner "advertises" him
to the excited Irish crowd present. The
intention was plain. 1t was to intimi-
date other people by fear of personal as
sault from making similar complaints,
and to frighten the witnesses from testi-
fying. The commissioner tolerated this
intimidation, and the result was inevi-
table. Many of the witnesses were
frightened and refused to give evidence.
Others after testifying were chased
through the streets, and the crowd stim-
ulated by the harangues of the lawyer
and silence of the commissioner, went
in body to the residence of the informer
with what feelings and purpose may be
imagined. The district attorney, there
fore, abandoned the case in the Com.
missioner's court, upon the grounds that
neither the lives nor the property OF
those whose evidence was essential could
be considered safe if they appeared to
testify. The district attorney, Mr.
Courtnay, in speech of admirable tem-
per, added that, although it was neces-
sary to withdraw the case from the COM
missioner's court, it would not be alto,
gether abandoned, but would be prose
cuted before the grand jury.
These are things that make every hon
orable American vince. They turn up
on ourselves all the burning reproaches
that we hurled upon England during
the war. But the consolation is, thai
the executive department Of the govern
ment has not hesitated to maintain oul
most ancient and noble traditions. Oul
friends in other countries, of whose sym
pathy we were SO proud in this country
during the war, may be very sure that
neither the action of Congress In this
I matter, nor the conduct of the commis-
( sioner or the Fenian counsel, nor tht
tone of the New York Tribune, represent
+ the feeling Of the great body of Ameri
can citizens, who do not mean thai
British neutrality shall be q model fol
ours, nor that our neutrality laws shall
| be repealed because they happen to bt
, coincident with the interests OF socla
order and humanity,