The Portland daily press., 1869-05-15
The English Feeling against she United

States.
British subject who happens to be in New
York undertakes to explain why Mr.. Summers
speech has had such an extraordinary effect
upon his countrymen. The correspondent,
Mr.. Justin Mccarthy, in his letter to the New
York Tribune says:
On the day that YOU published Mr. Sum-
ner's speech several New York frends asked
me, "What will the English people tnink OF
this speech?' l answered, ~Ihey VIII regard
it as declaration of war. MY 1rIends We're
mncb snrnrised. and declared that the speech
seemed TO them eminently pacific in tone. So,
from the American point of view, it naturally
seems. So Mr.. Sumner undoubtedly intend
ed ii to be. 1t is only calm, explicit state
ment of grievance. personally do not think
Mr. Sumner has overstated the case. But Mr.
Sumner i. looked upon in England as the
most pacific, the calmest, the most enlighten-
ed of American Senators, and the warmest
friend of England. When, therefore this de-
claration came from him, of all men, English
public opinion at once accepted it as the most
moderate utterance any American could
make, and naturally assumed that, when
Charles Sumner hoped the question could yet
be settled without war, the vast mass of Amer
lean people had determined to settle it at once,
even if need he at the cost of war / am not
'contending that this view of the question is
reasonable and Just. But L am satisfied that
it is the English view of the question; Eng
land is jusi now convinced that Gen Grant IS
government means TO. put pistoi 10 uer neau
at once, and then demand the settlement OF
Of the Alabama claims. am sure YOU NM"
England TOO well to believe that sne is HRely
to enter into any negotiations under such CIR
cumstances.
ment nor the people of America has any in
clination to bring on hideous ana barren
war. this view of Mr. Summers speech will
doubtless appear extravagant To me, here,
it likewise seems unfounded. But to people
there in England it appears the only rational,
the only possible view. Now, think if you
and other American journalists of influence
will endeavor to make it little more clear
that the American people are not presenting
a pistol at England's head, you will do more
than any diplomatist can do toward the salts
factory settlement of the question. One thing
is certain: If America does not want war,
England does not. The leading members of
the present English government and the
whole mass of the present working population
will never consent to declare war against
America until America has declared war
against England. But the Alabama claims
will be settled nevertheless. The English pub
lie mind has for some time been waking up to.
the fact that England did you heavy wrong.
The fact will weigh more and more upon the
public conscience, and people will begin TO
think more and more about it, and despite the
Times and the Pail Mall Gazette, it will lead
in the end TO a generous admission of error,
and to a just reparation. Reverdy Johnson's
mission was downright mis- ortune, because
it led the English people utterly astray quite
into a fc ol's paradise-and people don't like to
be even driven out of a FOOLS paradise. But,
with a little time and thought, Fngishmen
will begin to understand, first, what the Unit
ed States really claim, and next, their just
grounds for claiming it., At present, the con-
viction in England is that the United States
want nothing but war with England, or Eng
lands utter and abject humiliation.