New-York tribune., 1869-01-02
RETERDY,S MLSTAKES.

Mr.. Reverdy Johnson, in his letter to Laird,
printed in our last, reGchoes Laird's assertion
that fault is found with our Minister by cap
tous Yankees because he Syapdtht:ed icHh the
South in our late struggle. This was a gross
misstatement when originally uttered by Laird
and becomes something worse when echoed by
johnson. They are both protesting to state
the views of their antagonists, and are
morally bound to state them fairly and hon
esty Let us briefly set them straight;
Mr. Lairds sympathies may concern
him deeply, but do not at all concern
the American People. We do not inquire
into them, because we caro- nothing about
them. Thousands of his fellow Tories
sympathized warmly with Our Slaveholding
Rebels; yet we neither demonstrated nor took
oflenso They were the grandsons of men who
surrendered with Burgoyne at Saratoga, or
with CORVALLIS at Yorktown, or the sons OF
gallant fellows who TecOiled from the deadly
fire of Jackson's lines at New-Orlcans. The
younger brood thought they had at last
chance to "get evenn with us; so they shouted
and cheered for the Southern COntederacy,
like good, honest Tories as they arc. 1t was
human nature to do so; and we don't bear
them shadow of i'll will for it. Under like
circumstances we might have done much the
same.
Mr.. Laird's case is entirely different. He
was Member of Parliament. Parliament Is
the most influential pant of the British Gov
ernment. That Government, while recognizing
the Rebels as n belligerent power enjoined on
its subjects the strictcst neutrality In Our con
test Mr.. Laird conspicuously, persistently yio-
lated that neutrality. He made war upon u.s.
in defiance of the Queens Proclamation. He
waged mean, cowardly, vandal war upon us,
by building and equipping swift and strong war
steamers-swift enough to overtake our harm
less merchantmen and run away from our
National cruisers, sent out to protect
our commerce. Those steamers, built and
fitted out by Laird, trayersed every sea and
looked in at every port, cheered and feted
where Toryism, whether of the Old World or
the New, had votary, and lighting mp the
skies with the flames of our unaImcd vessels,
bound on voyages of peace and good Will TO
ALL The injury done US by Laird's pirates in
that hour of our National agony and peril was
far beyond the value of the vessels and cargoes
destroyed by his British-built, British-armed,
British manned corsairs. Not what we lost, but
when we lost it, and it's inevitable effect IN
driving our commerce from tho seas or under
foreign flags. is the vital consideration.
Mr.. II. Johnson was sent to England to de-
mand reparation for the cruel wrong done us
by Laird a. Co.. so far as reparation can now
he made. lie was sent to make Great Britain
realize that Lard's war upon us WAS as lawless
as It was cOwardy-that it was a wrong which
we could not overlook without eyincing era
ven, cowardly spirit-that it was one TO which
we had already too long submitted, and TO
which We would tamcly submit no longer
Can any one doubt that our ambassadors
hob-noObing and fratemizing with Laird, while
our claims were still under discussion, was cal-
culated to weaken. to damage our casef How
could the British public believe US aggrieyed
and in earnest in demanding redress for the
rayages of Lard's corsairs while our Minister
is feasting and frolicking with Laird himsefi
Is not such fratcruizltion plainly saying to John
Bull, "YOu see that we must make show of
=" demanding redress for those shp-burnngs,
"but We don't really mean it, and shall make
"the thing as easy as possible"
Mr.. Laird, we are assured by our Minister
now that the War is over, sincerely wishes IA
lasting peace between the two countries. We
rather think he does. But suppose we should
tomorrow be in such fix az we were just
after Bull Run, what would Men be Mr.. Laird's
feelings and wishes3 Would a new treaty of
peace and friendship with his Government bind
him more than the old one did 7 If Mr. John
son imagines that he was sent to England to
make peace with Mr. Laird, nc is grayey mis-
taken.
THE GOLD-FTELDS OF TENEZUEL1.