The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-05-14
CHARLES TON.
FRIDAY MORNING, MAY "A, 1859.
The Triple Alliance.

The Triple Alliance.
A London dispatch to the New York Tri
bune says that initistory steps have beer
taken for an. alliance, both offensive and
defensive, between England, France and
Spain, against the United States; this meas
ure being taken in view Of the rejection o.
the Alabama treaty, the tone Of Summers
speech, the 6libustering tendencies Of
Grants administration, and the reported
oonnivance of the United States authorities
with the expeditions against Cuba. This
dispatch is entitled to consideration, be-
cause it is sent to q journal which has never
made practice Of cooking up highly-spiced
foreign news for the sake Of an ephemeral
notoristy. The foreign correspondence Of
the Tribune is both able and trustworthy,
and it may be taken for granted that it is
believed in the London Office of that paper
that the new triple alliance is in process Of
formation:
But there, is 8 broader and more emphatic
reason why qsuoh. an alliance may be looked
for. If there is any virtue in senatorial
speaking, in newspaper writing, and in the
popular sentiment which Is moulded by the
press, England will, sooner or later, be
forcedinto war with the United States
This must be as plain at the Court Of st.
James as it is under the shadow of the
dusky Goddess Of Liberty who broods over
the Federal capital. And it is equally evi-
dent that it is the desire Of the United States,
to make war on England alone. France has,
in every instance, escaped the opprobrium
which has been heapsd upon "peradio.s
'Albion." Her Msjesty's Government ne
oognizsd the Southern Confederacy as q
belligerspt power. Napoleon proposed to
recognize the Independence Of the Confeds-
rate States. Esrl Russell-s weak and ir-
resolute politician-alloHed the golden op-
portunity to pass, and France was not
strong enough ts act alone. Yet there are
sweet words and honied phrases fer the
Tuileries, while Summers defamation and
Chsndlsr's abuse are all that is voschsafed
Great Britsin. d..
= oItis, than, manifestly to the interest of
tfe English Government to form an alliance
which win make her so strong that d war
With her would be hopeless and ruinous.
There ia enough oonoeit in the universal
Yankee nation to goad on the sphinx-like
Grant to . war at any price. But with
France at her back, England has nothing to
fear, and Spain, which is cheated and bam-
aboozled at every turn by the Grant admin
istration, would find 10 q coalition with
England and France full security for Cuba,
and an armor of proof to defend her from the
i'll concealed enmity Of the United States.
Glsnoing over the field, then, it is safe to
say that triple alliance, suoh as that spo-
ken Of in tho Tribune dispatch, would be,
for England and Spain, master stroke Of
policy, while it would not in any way inter
,fere; with the purposes Of France. This
being the case, it is fair to assume that
there is some foundation for the startling
'rumor which in New York is generally
"disbelieved."
. In the meanwhile, every Southerner
should watch the political horizon with
oalm and steady eye. We know not what
might be the final result Of war between
the Government Of the United States and
the three powers; but. it. is. the part
of wisdom to keep our house in order
and be ready to meet every issue that
may arise. Our people now should be ohsry
Of contracting debts and of increasing their
outstanding engagements. The first seri-
GUS talk Of a war would drive, gold out of
sigh., and in the course of the war the his
tory of the Confederate currency would be
repeated. Wemust live quietly, and, as
fai as possible, within ourselves. Especial
attention should continue to be given to
raising breadstuffs. No opportunity should
be neglected Of increasing our msnufactu-
ring capacity. Our aim should be to make
the South as far as possible independent,
so that if the war cloud does burst over this
country, We may be in position to ride
out the storm with but little loss, and be
able to take every proper advantage of the
chanoea and confiu 1ano;ao ~ fbo f,,tr,o