The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-06-06
Tho international Aspect Or tho Fen,aa


The international Aspect or the Fenian
Was.
No matter how diverse may be the views Of
indvdu AZ to tho success or failure Ofthe Fee
nian war, there Is in this country unanimous
sentiment Of congratulation that Canada has at
last been made to feel some Of tho injuries
which the British inflicted upon US during the
recent rebellion. This sentiment may not be
very charitable, but 1t Is decidedly natural
England commenced her inimcal proceedings at
the very outset Of onr rebellion by recognizing
the bclligerent rights Of the seeding States.
Canada heartily approved Of this recognition.
Then English subjects. and Canadians among
them, took care that the rebels were supplied
with arms, ammunition, clothing, machinery
and all the necessaries of war, and one Of the
islands in possession of the British became .
regular rebel depot Next rebel privateers
were furnished by England, armed with British
cannon and manned with seamen trained
in the royal navy, and these pratt
cal vessels drove our commerce from
the seas, enjoyed peculiar privileges in
the British harbors, British dockyards and
British colonies, and were in every respect
better treated by the official representatives Of
England than were the ships Of the United
States navy. A British yacht was on hand to
rescue Captain Semmes when he was fairly our
prisoner, and British judges repeatedly con-
| nived in the most fragrant manner at the
escape Of rebel crews. When we captured
Mason and Slidell England was ready to 60 to
war with us if they were not released. Thus
by thousand outrageous acts Of hostility Eng
land has created an enmty against her on the
part of the American people which exceeds in
bitterness the feeling generated by the wars Of
the Revolution and of 1872, and which will not
soon be forgotten by nation 80 quick to re-
sent an injury. This enmity towards Great
Britain in part accounts for the general salts
faction with which the news of the Fenian in
| vasion Of Canada was received.
| But, besides this, the Canadians have them
selves run up score of ill will which the
Fenians are now assisting us to settle. A
neighboring people, bound to us by innumer-
able social and business ties and enjoying
nearly all the benefits Of Reciprocity treaty
that has since been abrogated as pun
ishment for their offences, we had .
right to expect their sympathy during our ter
rible troubles. Instead Of this the Canadians
no: only cordially endorsed the hostile proceed
ings Of the homo government and echoed the
Parliamentary rejoicings over the supposed
ruin Of the American Union, but they were in
sane enough to undertake to attack us upon
their own account During the whole war
Canada was simply rebel rendezvous. The
rebel leaders used 1t as q northern base of
| operations against US. In Canada rebel ennis
saries labored, rebel expeditions were organ
lied and the rebel communications with Europe
were maintained unbf0ken. From Canada
came the incendiaries with black valises to
burn our cities, the gangs Of rebel pirates to
seize the Chesapeake and other steamers, and
the secret conspirators and assassins to muir
der our President Canadians sent US in
fected clothing to devsstate the country with
smallpox and yellow fever and laid projects
for poisoning our citizens by Wholesale by in
fusing deadly minerals into our reser-
| voirs. Out Of Canada came the bands Of
highwaymen who robbed the banks and
plundered the inhabitants Of our frontier
towns. Canadian judges refused to con-
denim these men and the Canadian police
were known to be in league with them. These
facts and others Of the same character are mat
tiers Of history The American people remem-
Der them well, and we should DO either more
or less than human If we did NOT look upon
the Fenian invasion of Canada az Nemesis
and smile to see the Canadians suffering from
some Of the same injuries which they were 40
anxious to infict upon us.
Aside from this natural popular COM
placency, however, there is nething in common
between the neutrality observed by the British
in our war and by US In this Fenian war.
British neutrality was a sham; American neu-
trality is real. British neutrality was merely
a diabolical device to aid the rebellion with
out openly fighting ms; our neutrality is 40 un-
compromising THAI il assists our enemies, the
British, and hurts our friends, the Fenians. We
have not recognized the FeniaRs a bed
ligerent power, nor allowed Fenian Aha
bamas and Shenandoahs to leave our ports,
nor supplied the Fenians with arms, am
munition, artillery, uniforms and provisions.
Had we done so, or had we done nothing, the
Fenian flag would now be floating over Mon
treal and Toronto. If the Fenians be defeated
it will be by our government and not by the
British regulars and Canadian militia. Our
government cut off the Fenian reinforcements
and thus compelled them to retreat, when the
Canadians fed before the handful fhst had
crossed the border. Ourgovernment has seized
| the arms and ammunition Of the Fenians, thus
depriving them Of their power to fight. This
| il neutrality as We understand II and n Eng
| land did not understand 1t when we were in
difficulties Whether or not our government
has acted wisely is question for the future to
determine. The majority Of our people believe
that our neutrality ought to have been modelled
exactly upon that Of England, and that, in
/ - H.