Middletown transcript., 1868-04-04
Lord Stanley on Am.riea.-ios

A dcputatioh from the Peace Society
waited on Lord Stanley, the Britislr.F For-
eign Secretary, to present a memorial cx-
pressive of the deep anxiety felt lin view
of the unsettled state of certain Questions
between the Government of Great Britain
and that of the United States, which have
arisen out of the civil war lately prevail
ing in the latter country, more particularly
those relating to the depredations commit
ted upon American commerce by cruisers
sailing from British ports, and the alleged
premature recognition by the British'Gov-
ernment Of the belligerent rights Of the
Southern Confederacy. 4s
Lord Stanley said that he thanked the
dcputation for the honor and pleasure Of
this interview He could assure Them
that the Government, and he thought he
might say any Government that might
come into power in this country, was as
anxious to maintain peace as they were.
War, no doubt, was the great antagonist
of civilization, and, bad as war would be
for any country, perhaps for no country
is 1t of greater Importance to maintain
peace than for England. We are burdened
with a very considerable debt, and our
taxation, though not intolerable, wifi not
bear augmentation without seriously Effec-
ting our productive power. lie was, fully
conscious of the magnitude of the interests
involved i'll the question of peace or war
with the United States. He must saw
that he never felt the same amount of alarm
on this subject AS had been expressed bv
some friends for whose Judgment he. had
great respect. He had listened with much
interest to the remarks of Mr.. Newman
Hall and the other gentlemen who had
visited America, on the state of public
feeling there. He had also been in Amer.
lea for several months. though that was
twenty years ago; and though no doubt
they often used strong language, he found
to use homely phrase, that their bark
was worse than their bite. The strong
language was perhaps their means of let
ting off the steam Of popular discomfort;
but when they came to the actual arra1ec-
ment of affairs, he thought they We're much
more moderate and reasonable. And he
thought they were not likely to be less so
now, for they were now, Ike ourselves,
bound in heavy securities to keep the
peace He felt, as the memorial said.
that it would be an honor and happiness
to himself and his colleagues to bring the
matter to satisfactory settlement. And
while he agreed that it might not be neccy-
sary to be very rigid about the terms, still
there must be feeling of reciprocity. 1t
is only reasonable to expect that il, con-
cessions be made on one side, concessions
should also be made on the other. If the
demands were too exhorbitant, it would
render it more difficult to bring about the
uuanimity which was so very desirable
lie could not state the precise terms, on
which compromise might be effected, but
he had little doubt that if they were met
as he hoped and believed they would be-
by correspondent spirit of Cancellation on
the other side, moaus would be found to
set the question at rest With regard to
the general as to the foreign policy of this
country, there had been great change of
late years, and he thought he could con-
gratulate the members of the Peace Soci
ETY. that their principles were becoming
more popular. 1t is now known through
out Europe, and, much as other nations
may have been puzzled by it, it is acLnowl
edged as fact that the policy of England
is policy of peace. Unfortunately at
the present moment it is not SO over the
world. Never, perhaps, was there a period
when ornaments were 50 large. and thoru-
nors OF war were more frequent But this
cannot last always. Out of this state of
confusion and transition there must Of ne
'issity come better state ofthings. There
ire financial, among other reasons, why
his cannot go on much longer, since mill
ary expenditure must nearly have reached
is limit; when there will come q period
Vt comparative disarmament, and, let us