New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-05-18
THE EXCITEMENT INCREASING.


IoNDoy. MAY 6.-The irritation caused by Mr..
Summers speech goes on increasing instead of dmin-
ishipg rs hoped it might after little reflection.
have already described it as extending through all
classes turning old friendship into illwil, and unit
ing those who were for US and those who were
against us in one common purpose of resistance to
the demands supposed 70 DC made by Mr.. Sumner.
With a good deal o. reluctance and with some quail
fcations said we had few friends left if approval
or even liberation of Mr. Summers speech was to be
the condition of friendship. With good deal more
reluctance but without any quafncation. Isay to-
day that 80 far as | know we have not, in that
sense. a single friend in England. Of course
do not mean that men long conspicuous
for their sympathy with Us have on sudden become
enemies or that they recant anything they ever SAID
on our side. But they dissent wholly from Mr' sum
ners statement Of the American claims and griev-
auces They find fault with the tone OF the speech.
and the extent of his demands. In more than one
particular they are misled or of them are, by
the Misrepresentation of the London papers, all OF
which make Mr. Sumner say some things which he
clearly does not say. Comment on the speech contn-
ues daily in the press and everywhere else and while
there is difference in the degree of resentment ex-
pressed in different quarters the agreement OF opin-
ion is practically unanimous. England Will hght
rather than yield to the claims made or indicated IN
this speech She will fight rather than even nego-
tiate on any such basis. If Mr. MOtey's instructions
cover anything like the ground taken by Mr.. SUM-
ner he will be met by point blank refusal to con-
slider his proposals At this moment doubt whether
any proposals whatever would be listened to. IL
popular feeling counts for anything in the Foreign
Office, they would be simply secuted. OF course,
do MT mean that Mr.. Motley is likely to be received
with inciyility. The most furious would greet nm
with pOliteness enough, but all parties VIII resist
with equal resolution an attempt 10 enter upon any
negotiation which does not dsayOw in fact II not IN
terms. Mr.. Summers authority TO speak for the
American Government.
do not care TO follow the London papers any fur
Their in their attacks on Mr. Sumner That would
only be TO rewrite my last letter Language intem-
perate enough at first has grown daily more violent
Mr.. Sumner is brackcted with Mr.. Chandler, and the
two are held up together public hate as men who
have gone mad in their aversion TO England. HE
TRIBUNE comes in for its share OF yltnperalOn, spite
OF It's diguifed protest against MI Chambers eN-
cesses It's real ofense is in being the leading Radi-
cal journal i'm America; Radcalism being III England
tbe chief of the seven deadly sins, of which new
catalogue needs to be promulgated by ecclesiastical
authority The talk about Canada inllanes the
popular fury and IL does So notwithstanding inc
known opinion of leading Englishmen that Canada
Ouuht to and some day lnuSL 80, anu "llch oiio
goes must he absorbed into the Republic. The most
thoughtful among English statesmen would reJoice
70 be rid of costly dependency which keeps them IN
nerpetua fear lest it should be lost disgracefuy in
tbe first war that may break out. But they never
will let it 20 under menace, or while Its
ce,sion might expose England to the sus-
melon of surrendering it from fear. Hence even
the suggestion of THE TRIBUNE that England might
offer il 10 America with the consent of the colo
msts themselves, provokes wrath. The Daily Nees,
misled suppose by The Spectator, denounced it as
"scandalous" proposal, that England should be re-
oured TO hand over her province penalty for her
Alabama wrongs. Next day The Nelcs which GER
tainly does not mean to be unfair corrected its mis-
take and to-day it copies enough of your article on
Mr. Chandler TO show its real drift But even The
Nars is swept away by the irresistible current of
popular opinion against Mr.. Sumner and his speech,
and every American view on the Alabama question.
do not however, think the war party is a MAORI
ty here, any more than it is in America Between
dissenting from Mr.. Summers speech and declaring
war the interval is long Some of the men who
are most vehement against the speech are most EN-
phatic in protesting against war, and even those VINO
say they would fight rather than negotiate on sum
ners basis do not all desire hosities. They persist
in believing that Mr.. Sumner has bill made out iol
some four OF live hundred millions sterllne Du' 'n0S