Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1869-05-19
The War Question.

spectators in government funds on both sides OF
/ the ocean would endeavor to multiply the rumors
Of war between the United States and Great Bri-
tain. and to the Spectators we may add the scn-
sat0nal writer's for the New York newspapers.
" Our own careful correspondents in England
says the New York Times. "conirm the bclligor-
cnt representations Of sundry British presses, de-
claring that they embody the feelings that exist
throughout all cas-cs of English society" viii
the Times be m good MS to inform us whether its
careful correspondents in England are any more
careful than It's correspondents in Washington
/ Il they are not, we know exactly how to Ntc
them. They are careful to catch whatever may
excite public interest for the moment, and the
truth or rcns,uableness Of the matter is reserved
for "a future letter or two, to be paid for by the
I printer and the public Here is specification
from one Of these careful correspondents in Lon
don We have printed il once and now do it.
again to illustmte the sensational style
" The least accident may now precipitatc that
CONFUSION to which Mr.. Summers speech plainly
points and which peoplcon this side the Atlantic
are gradually making up their minds to uce.'
/ The least accident? Then If any body is airud
/ let him 90 Immediately to A. c. Brown, room
over the post-oilice building, and mkeouta policy
OF insurance. We venture to promise it can be
bad at moderate premium Little accidents do
not usually plunge great nations into commissions
nor even great Incidents for The fact that an net
is accidental Is "a good defence The Govern
ment TINT is held responsible has only to apollo
gze and explain that the thing wnS not intended,
OF was done through misunderstanding of the
rights Of the parties, and, in case Of injury, TO
tender rcpamtion. But did Senator Sumner
plainly point to any CONFUSION at alp Was he
bellcosc2 Did he threaten war; We think the
London correspondent of the Times has not care
fully read the speech or If be has done that, he
has not iairly Judged il. temper. There is but a
single sentence in the speech that incidentally
intmntes danger Of war from this question: and
that is followed by an earnest declaration against
war. We quote
" BE the claims more or less, they are honestly
presented with the conviction that they are just,
and they should be considered candidly, 50 that
they shall no longer lower like cloud ready Ia
burst upon two nations, which, according to their
nclinati0ns, can do each other such infinite in
jury or such infinite good. know it is some
times said that war between us must come sooner
or later I do not teicrc IL. But il il must
come, let il be later, and then ! ann sure it will
never come. Meanwhile, good men must unite
10 make it impossible
Here are calmness, prudence and wisdom which
the London correspondence the New York Time,
has neither appreciated nor initiated And now
we introduce a witness ON the other side of the
case, an Englishmon in New York, who yolun-
teers without fee or reward to contradict tho
Yankee in London, who writes for pay by the
column. Justin Mccarthy, formerly editor o
the London Star, testifes in the Tribune as fol
/ lows
al personally do not think Mr sumner has oycrstao,
the But Mr.. Sumner Is looked upon in England
the most pacific, the oamcs the most enlightened
American SENATOR aud the warmet friend Of England
when, therefore, this declaration came from him Of al
men English public opinion NJ once accepted il tn
most moderate uttcmnce any American could make, an,
naturally assumed that whou Charles Sumner hope,
the question could yet be- settled without war the
mass Of the American people must have determined t.
not coutcndng that this view " the question Is
sonabo and just But am satisfied that it is the Eng
lish view Of the question. England s Just now conyinc
cd that Gen. Grants Government means to put psto
10 her head at once and then demand the settlement
the Alabama claims. / am suru you know England to
well to believe that she is likely TO enter into any
c gotiati0ns under such circumstances
One thing il certain II America does not want wal
England does not. The leading members Of the prcsen
English Government and the whole mass Of the Engs
working population will never consent TO declare
: against America until America has actually declare
war against England. but the Alabama claims will d
y come time been waking up 10 he net that England di
> you heavy wrong The fact will weigh more and NOR
= more aud moro about TO- and despite the Tmss and n
PaA Nal Gasene, 1t will lead in the end to gcncrou
I admission Of error, aud to a just rcparation.n
That is reasonable view Of the matter. Whe
\ we remember that the British and American
r Ministers both proclaimed to Engishmen tina
@ the great question had been settled by the treat
r and that President johnson and Secretary Sew
ard accepted it, we ought not to be surprised tina
:, the unexpected and unanimous rejection of it b
5 the Senate astonished the people of England
IL When we add to that the incoming of Presider
C Grant, great military leader, after the proph,
: cies of his enemies that his cnreer would be any
h thing but moderate or peaceful, it is not stranq
+ that Engislmen think and talk of war, and iea
3. it bat Mr.. Mccarthy has suggested the ia,
It that ought to relieve us of all anxiety Engnn
d cannot declare war against us on the question O
i it stands, because the United States is the con
plainant, by the rejection Of the treaty we ha,
sr put the British Government just where it stoc
before the treaty had been made We were d.
manding satisfaction, they refusing to give
We cannot have war, then, unless IRE begin
IN That is a question for Congress to decide an
, we renewedly declare that we see no probabi
e. nor possibility that President Grant would reso
10 to war if he could in the present condition Of Il
IN question, even if we were financially ready for
=, The truth we think is that there is less grour
: for war now than before the treaty Then Il
err British ministry doggedly rcpulsed all our d
mands, but by the treaty they quit that grounC
p they consented to try and see if the two Cover
he ments might not reach a peaceful solution of Il
n. question. 1t was good step in advance t
40 Great Britain, and she to-day stands 50 mu,
nj better for it that war is less easy now than it W
ar a year ago. Instead then of war, we believe OF
ar new Minister will convey to the British Cover
ment from the President assurances of good W
he and the hope and expectation that all the pen
an ing questions between the two Goyerr'ro-'- W
he be justly and peaccaby settled. lie may or mi
me not propose to reopen negotiations Mt preser
is but doubtless the action of the Senate will
est fully explained, and the British people will lea
that, by the Constitution Of the United States
re- treaty with foreign Government has no for
M until it has been ratified by two-thirds vote
er the Senate. We think it would be well also
,lv people in both countries to remember that,
Re- the same Constitution, Congress, not the Pre-,
n dent, has the power to declare war. Let us Dc
lie ST, "uS'N'0 III p'flt'l peace theni NJ least un
he the meeting Of Congress at the next regular $,
ed sion, or the issue by the President of procl
err nation for special session.
TnE Los RoARs.-The detailed accounts, TIN
st, the press OF how the ruling classes in Engal
he received senator Summers speech are now col
ate ing to hand. For once the London Times is ai
he ly 0utdone in is unlrendly criticisms bv /
ina Neics, the Spectator and the Pal NAL Ga:et
irg which 60 to great lengths of abuse and defanC
pa The Necs declares that whatever else Mr.. Sun
M her may represent, he does not represent 4
ew American Government. This is about as ne
ia the truth as the English press ever comes iniud
ler ing of American opinion, The PdH Nal g
rty cate comes out almost without disguise for wa
'de Mr. Smalley, whose letter in the Tribune civ
en- the best view we have had of English opinion
DO, this question, asserts that this paper 1.-THE p,
Nal Gdsote) and the landed aristocraey.
which il l. the orosn tneau a. bo,. 49, Al