The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-01-04
Re YerdI's Mistakes.

hroni the ". Y. tribune.
Mr.. Reverdy Johnson, in his letter to
Laird, IeGchoss Laird's assertion that
fault is found with Minister by cap
tious Yankees because he sympathzed with
the South in our late struggle. This was
gross misstatemeutwhen originally uttered by
Laird, and becomes something worseGwhen
uttered by Johnson. They are both protesting
to state the views OF their antagonists, and are
morally bound to state them fairly and honestly.
Let us briefly set them strag ht:-
Mr. Lairds sympathies may concern him
deeply, but do not Az all conceIn the American
people. We do not inquire into chem, be-
cause we care nothing about them.
Thousands of his fellow Tories ympathizsd
warmly with our slaveholdiug Rebels; yet We
neither demonstrated nor took offense. They
were grandsons of men who surrendered
with Burgoy ne at Saratoga, or with CORVALLIS
at Yorktown, or the sons of gallant fellows
who recoiled from the deadly fire of Jackson's
lines at New Orleans. The younger brood
thought they had at last a chance to ''get
even" with us, so they shouted and cheered
for the Southern COnederacy like good honest
| Tories, as they are. 1t was human nature TO
do so: and we don't bear them shadow of
ill-will for it. Under like circumstances, We
might have done much the same.
Mr.. Laird's case is entirely different. Hs
was member of Parliament. Parliament is
the most infuen part of the British Govern
ment. That Government, while recognizing
the Rebels as a belligerent power, eDjoined on
its subjects the strctest neutrality in our con-
test. Mr.. Laird conspicuously,. psrsistently
violated that neutrality. He made war upon
us, in defiance of the Queens Proclamation.
He waged mean, eowardly, vaudal war upon
us, 10y building and equipping swift and strong
war steamers-swift enough to overtake our
harmless merchantmen and run away from
our national cruisers, sent out to protect our
| 1SA slA ga i
out by Laird, traversed 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 up the skies
with the flames of our unarmed vessels bound
on voyages of peace and goodwill to all. The
injury done us by Laird's pirates m that holr
of our national agony and peril was far be-
yond the value of the vessels and cargoes de-
stroyed by his British-built, British-armed,
British manned corsairs. Not what we lost,
but when We lost it, and its inevitable effect
in driving our commerce from the seas or
under foreign flags, is the vital consideration.
Mr.. r. Johnson was sent to England to de-
mand reparation for the cruel wrong done us
by Laird Co., SO far as reparation can now
be made. He was sent to make Great Britain
realize that LaiTd's war upon us was as law
less as 1t was cowardly-that it was a wrong
which we could not overlook without evincing
a craven, cowardly spirit-that it was one
to which we had already too long submitted,
and to which we would tamely submit no
longer.
Can any one doubt that our Ambassador s
bObnobbiDg and frsternizing with Laird,
while our claims were still under discussian,
was calculated to weaken, to damage our case
How could the British public believe us ag-
greved and in earnest in demanding redress for
the Iavages of Laird's corsairs while OuI
Minister is feasting and frolicking with Laird
hmselfY Is not such determination plainly
saying to John Bull, "You see that we must
make show of demanding redress for those
sbip.burnings, 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
lasting peace between the two countries w,
rather think he does. But suppose We should
to morrow be in such fix as we were jus
after Bull Run, what would then be Mr.. Laird'i
feelings and wishes Would new treaty o.
peace and friendship with his Government
bind him more than the old one did II Mr.
Johnson imagnes that he was sent to EuglanC
TO make peace with Mr. Laird, he is gravel.
mistaken.