The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1868-12-04
THE REBEL PRIvATEE3s,

An Unpublished Letter from the Late Mr Golden.
From the Boston 4drcrtiser, Nov. 2S.
The following is copy CT private
letter from Mr. Golden, which we are per.
mitted to print, as it relates to public guess
tions Of peculiar interest:
MIDnURsT Jan. 8, 1864.
DEAR SIR - entirely agree with YOU
as to the consequences to be apprehended
from the operations of the privateers. But
| do not see how can interfere now with
any advantage. stated in the House last
session, when it was difficult to get a hear.
ing on that side, what | feared would be
the consequences of our lax proceedings at
Liverpool, dc. And took every opportu.
nifty Of impressing privately on thuse in
power my fear (Which seems to be your
own that the demand for indemnity for
captures would cost US war or a great bu.
initiation. don't see how one OF the other
is to be avoided. For bear in mind the
mischief is done, and the language, the
taunting and insulting language of the
Prime Minister in the House when the
subject was brought forward by Mr.. Foster.
last spring, (when was absen:,) remains
on record, and | fear is not likely to be for.
gotten. Then bear ia miud that Lord
John Russell, has refused in his correspon-
dence 6ith Mr.. Adams to recognize the
claim. For me to interfere now and ad.
wise the Government to pay the money
wo1ld neither be fair to the public nor my
SELF 1t must become the subject of regu.
lar diplomatic negotiation. The fact is-'
and the whole fact-that our ruling class,
and large section of the upper middle
class, (led by the Times and its satellites
have been so rampant in their hostility to
the Great Republic, of whose strength aud
resources they are dangerously ignorant,
that they have jumped instantly to the con-
clusion that-to use their unhappy phrase
=" the republican bubble has burst and
they commenced to treat that country as
they would Brazil. I am sorry to say that
the altered tone Of our diplomatic cores.
pondence in the Blue books shows that the
Foreign Office reflected this altered feeling
Meantime among the masses of the people
the feeling was unchapgeably with the
North. Lord Russell said at Blargowrie
the majority were for the North. But the
majority have no votes. If the whole peo
pie had been represented in the House of
Commons, the Prime Minister would not
have spoken as Lord Palmerston spoke, nor
would rLaird have been frantically cheers
ed when he rose in the House and virtually
said, " did it," HoGever, as | before re.
marked, the mischief is done, and now it
remains TO be seen with what grace the
people will allow themselves to be commit
ted to war or a humiliation by the ruling
class which has the powers OF government
in its hands.
But l confess think the money amount
of the captures the smallest part Of the fu-
ture penalty we shall have to pay. 1t is
the loss of productive value inflicted on
the whole of the United States mercantile
marine which is the most pregnant, for
it shows what half dozen swift steamers
would do to our merchantmen. And with
maritime power we may be at war,
we may be assused that the Americans will
pay us in our own coin, aud that it will be
impossible for the Government then 10 pre-.
vent privatoers from being fitted out
against us. This | have heard stated by
some of the best friends OF England among
The Americans. With such II prospect,
hardly see how we can 60 to war with even
Brazil. | have marveled at the shortsight
,dness of so many of our ship owners aud
merchants, who ought, the moment there
vas even the hint Of privateers being fitted
'ut in our ports, 20 have risen en- masSe
gainst it, and to have called on tho Gov,
to apply for fresh powers, if they
lad not sufficient for the purpose. Instead
# this, too many of them have, l fear,
huckled over the destruction OF a rival.
Cor English shipownels aud merchants to
70 found encouraging such a mode OF wars
are upon and through foreign commerce,
5 on par with the intelligence which the
roprietors of tho Crystal Palace would ex.
ibit if they were to invite game of stone,
hrowiug with their neighbors living IN
tone and slate houses.
| remain, truly yours,
(signed,) II. COBDEN.