The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-03-10
CHI A r L E S TON.
TUESDAY MORNING, MARCH 10, 1868.
Uncle John and Brother Jonathan.

Uncle John and Brother Jonathan.
1t is not likely that the English Ministry
under the guidance of the new premier,
Mr.. DIsRAELI, will adopt any vexatious
policy on the subject of the Alabama claims.
Lord STANLEY will still be Foreign Secre-
tary, and there is reason to believe that
England will adhere to her offer of refer
ring the demands of the United States to
arbitration, but will continue to refuse
steadily to allow any discussion of the right
of the English Cabinet to accord belliger-
ent rights to the Confederate States Pub
lie opinion in England is opposed to war,
and, above all, to war with this country,
but it is held that an acquiescence in the
suggestion to refer the matters OF dispute
to arbitration is as great concession as
can justly be made or reasonably expected.
In the question of belligerent rights France
is concerned, and it being once admitted
that it was unlawful to accord belligerent
privileges to the Confederates, France
would be exposed to proceedings similar to
those with which her neighbor is threat
ened.
A war between England and the United
States would be worldwide calamity.
Begun perhaps with lukewarmness and in
difference, it would still arouse the 6ercest
hates of both peoples, and end in strug-
Gle that must be disastrous and ruinous to
the contending powers. Nor would the two
great nations stand alone. Foreign entan-
clements would arise; new alliances and
combinations would be made; the whole Of
the old world and the greater part Of the
new world would be exposed to the horrors
and vicissitudes of morta! struggle for
national existence. With the incoming war
commerce would die; with its continuance
would come the death Of liberty and the
destruction of national freedom. The
strong and arbitrary would become stronger
and more despotic. The weak and help
less would become more feeble and irreso-
lutte. Civilization would be retarded, and
for years at least the prestige Of constitu-
tional government would be destroyed.
These are neither theories nor fancies
and, already, public opinion in Europe pre-
diets terrible and crushing responsibility
for those who would push the dispute to
extremities, and, in their own interests,
foment anger, discord, and misunderstand-
ing.
There is more danger here in America
then there is in England. Mr.. SEWARD
does not appreciate the passive strength of
the English character, and confounds the
patience growing out of conscious power
with the endurance that springs from i'm
potence and imbecility. England believes
that she has already done enough, and also
that refusal to be satisfied on the part of
the United States can only be accounted for
upon the supposition that war at any price
is what MIR. SEWARD demands. Political
affairs, and the strife between Radical and
Democrat, as we'll as the Cancellation of the
Irish-Americans, may enter into the calcu-
lations of the Washington Cabinet; but it
cannot be believed that the sober and think
ing men of the country are disposed to see
new war complete that industrial beggary
which the late war unhappily began.
Great Britain and America have been re-
garded by the struggling nationalisies of
the world as the bright exemplsrs of
progress, intelligence and public wisdom.
They have been thought to be the leading
champions in the cause of foreign enlight-
eminent and domestic decorum. At home
they may have been irrational and incon-
sistent, foolish and vain; but when it is seen
that the honor Of neither need be exposed
to stain, will either of them persist in a
course that will show all their assertions to
be false-all their glory that of the brag
CART rather than that of the warrior?
England has gone far enough already; it is
now the part of America TO be sensible,
frank and generous. One side or the other
must give way; for we cannot, however
threatening the horizon may be, force our
selves to believe that the cloud of war is
again about to burst over the land.