The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-05-18
ENGLAND.
British Bohemians the Alabama Dues.
tion-A Singular speech from the Great
American Turtle Eater.

British Bohemians on the Alabama Dues
tion-A Singular speech from the Gren
American Turtle Eater.
LONDON, May 9, 1862
Fifty-seven years ago. when the war cloud gath
cred over England and America. the English Chan
cellor of the EXchequer, the unfortunate Spence
Percival rose In his place in the House OF Commons
and preferred bin OF Indictment against the United
States the part OF the British government. "oul
charge against AMERICA were his memorable
words, spoken on the sth OF January. 1872 's that
she has been during our troubles too acquiescent and
too partial to France; too partial to her cause and
opinions, ana too acquiescent IN her DEGREES. A
great change has come over British states
men since those days, for not one Of them
can now be found willing TO concede that
TOO ready acquiescence in the wishes and
too great partaity to the cause and opinions OF an
enemy are just grounds OF complaint on the part OF
one nation against another. even though the enemy
be stained with the crime OF rebellion and endeavor-
ing to destroy liberal, benefcent and prosperous
government. Judging from the tone Of the English
press Great Britain instead OF being mulcted in
damages for the aid she extended to the slavehod-
ing States during the American rebellion, deserves
honors and rewards the hands OF the United States
government for having refrained from making that
aid more effective by drawing the sword openly and
CuStuR IL sCdlc VI tue slut vi tiic SOulu
Impressed with lively sense of their
national generosity aud forbearance the
English journals grow more and more angered
against the American people, who persist in de-
handing reckoning with their halfway enemy,
and especially against the United States Senator
who has SO happily put into forcible language the
sentiment Of that people and rescued the contro
versy between the two nations from the fumes and
fog with which tipping secretaries and diplomats
had surrounded it.
The English journalists do not, however, better
their side OF the argument from their loss OF temper
and one cannot but smile at the lamentabe igno-
rance Of craftsmanship and lack OF tact displayed
in their treatment OF the subject. England dreads
war. and, above ALL war with the great republic Her
army Is at the present moment insufficient In numbers
and scarcely to be trusted on the OF Loyalty.
Her navy, as an invincble power, Is thing OF the
past. Across channel lies France, across an
other Ireland; both dangerous neighbors in case OF
war. In her midst shoulders the restless desire OF
the masses Tor those larger liberties and equal
rights, the budding hopes OF which would be
blighted by the destruction OF democratic repub-
cansm on the American Continent. The bone and
snew Of England-the toiling laboring people VINO
have hitherto been powerless In the political arena
never sympathlzed with the anti-American sent
ments OF the government and the governing classes
during the great rebellion; and although their
voices were scarcely heard In whisper through
the press, and although their influence lay dead
the land, they watched with anxiety the struggle
whose result was TO prove the success failure OF
republican institutions. war with America, waged
only for the purpose OF justfying the sympathy Of
the aristocracy with the effort TO destroy republican
ism in America would therefore, be ruinously
popular with that class OF Engllshmen from whicl,
II at ALL the RANKS OF the BRUSH army must be re,
cruted. But. popular or unpopular, such u contest
would be utterly hopeless for England, unless she
could secure the aid OF France TO whom she would
trust-as In the Crimean campagn-to do the hard
lighting in the field. Yet In the teeth or all these
hrst, to render war with America utterly
unJustifable on the part OF Great Britain
by making the issue the justification Of England's
past and present hostility to republican government
and by assailing the ruling party in the United
states, and next TO offend and ALLEVIATE France, by
striving To drag Napoleon by the throat INTO the
test, willing or unwilling. The London Times, for
instance, IN its fourth direct article ON summers
speech evinces a most malignant spirit. 1t REEVES
the Old copperhead argument which has sent noto-
rous New York daily and several other sheets to
destruction, and accuses senator Sumner and his
party, now welding the power OF the United States
government, OF contributing more than any other
men ito the war which broke up the Union and to
tile differences which keep the breach still open.n
With uncomfortable stupidity and insolence IL thus
brands the great and victorious party who elected
General Grant to the Presidency, and whose MEN,
bers form his adm nstrat0n. OF the black crime OF
pwnOting the war OF the rebellion and or the equally
grave offence OF fostering hatred between tue north
crn and southern sections OF the Union. This sort
OF stang has been common among the freeaters OF
the South and the copperheads OF the NORTH but II
comes with peculiarly bad grace from leading
English newspaper, and 1t Is a curious method OF
healing the breach between the two nations without
resort to arms. But the Times In Its angry TRADE
titles the fact that 1.-The British people generally did
not take very much atnisS the prospect Of the
destruction OF the American Union on the plea
that America has always sympathzed With attempts
10 break up the union Of England and Ireland. The
incident OF the Canadian rebellion Is cited TO show
that America "largey assisted the rebels not so
much for their own sakes for certain feelingr
towards England. 1t Is known TO every person VINO
has intelligence enough 10 understand the position
OF the two countries that the American govern
Inent has with strong and determined hand put a
stop to every attempt 10 invade the sod OF Canada,
Cana dian asalt0 rlt.f
tenan raids and that Dut for the promptness, Wig
ana entire good faith OF the United states England
would at the present moment have no ootn0ld the
banks " the St Lawrence Had the American gov
eminent recognized some thirty years ago the .'be
gerency" Of the Canada rebels, ana closed its eyes
40 the organization OF raids along the borders
there might have been some reason Tor citing It's
u0n As seton against the course OF England IN the
American civil war. AS II II, England's cause can
be scarcely helped by such assau Il upon the people
and the government OF the United states. The
Morning Post, the organ OF tn; high tory party who
believe In the divine right OF kings and mobiles and the
serfdom OF the common people, Is equally angry and
equally impoiitic with the Times According 10 this
authority sumner and Chandler are "blatant dema-
gogues,d Secretary Fish Is a nnbuster and America
~ u whole Is a "howling democracy whose few re-
spectacle citizens are hidden under the "seetning
surface" of platform mobsn
The Standard, also Q tory organ, Affects 70 ind
IN Chambers speech more dangerous material than
even Summers contains, for the reason that wnils
people might laugh Al the RIDICULOUS idea Of one
nation being called upon to pay another nation
fabulous amount OF money In the shape OF damages,
territory Is quite another affair. There are In
England, says the Standard, and some OF them high
Ia power. who have shown already too careless u
regard Tor British honor, and who espe-
ciay have not hesitated 10 advocate the aban-
doment OF England's colonial Possessions.
"Philo- Americans, republican sympathzers, eager
TO advance the democratic cause and strike
any blow at monarchical institutions, have long
been In the habit Of assuming that In the pro-
gress OF events Canada must necessarily fall prey
90 the Union,' and hence the cession Of the British
North American provinces may not excite the same
feeling OF indignation that would be aroused by any
less familiar demand.
The Standard, therefore, desires 10 establish the
princplen on the part Of the upper classesr that
under circumstances will Great Britain yield up
Canada at the dictate Of foreign Power until every
John Bull shall have been turned INTO his fayorte
beef.
While the English papers are thus ashing shem
selves into q fury keverdy johnson, the American
h0ld-over Minister, continues 10 dine, drink and
declain. His last effort was made last even
ing at the Literary Fund dinner and vii
We read with surprise by Americans, az, indeed, 4
has been by EnglIshmen. Mr.. Johnson, 10 say the
least takes singular view OF his dunes rs the re.
prcsenfatiye oil his government I'm foreign court,
when he undertakes to crticse publicly It's acts IN