The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1869-05-13
Politicians and the Alabama Question.

The Chicago Past Of recent date con-
talGs tue fOuOHiug sensible article on the
subject Of our difficulties with Great Britain
which We unhesitatinEly endorse aud com.
mcnd to our readers without regard to what
politicians may think or say a journal
that fears to express it, honest convictions
Of what the peace, dignity and prosperity Of |
u" government require is unworthy respect |
or lairouag. from any quarter
The danger in the matter Of our claims !
against England, - one inscparable from all
international questions in the decision Of
which an appeal lies from the action Of the
President and the Senate, to the passions
aud preJudIces excited hy the poltlciaus.-
LAKE away this power OF appeal, aud that
which Is now 50 threatening would adjust
l'seH IN ninety days and nobody would sug-
ges' war. But a. long as the Republicans
ana Democrats use the disagreement for the
purpose OF making political capital; and AZ
.I"e as neither one party nor the other dares
'hTouRh It's representative men in Congress
ana the press, TO say the plain and manly
words that the case requires, lest II should
give It's opponent the chance to make the
charge that It was about TO surrender the
national honor into the hands of our old al
yer,ary that II threatened to pluck all N,
tail feathers out of the American eagle, +
tran our lag Of glory in the DUST to dun GU
bright escutcheOn. 10 bring everlasting dis
grace upon the American name, aud to d
generally and seyeraIy many other direfu
things of the same sort-the dispute will
We suppose, 90 on, until the Imminence O
At lag h. = .
uuwouted action for the rebuke oil the mad
ness that challenges the peace Of the world
II is unfortunate that talk Of war is AWAY
popular n this country. II am 10 favor O
this war, the last war and the next war" il
not an untaithful rescript of the public opin
ions Of the average American politician
General Cass based his career on a chroaic
necessity for whipping England Perfdiouq
Albion was as hateful to him when he had "A
speech TO make or a dispatch to write, az il
wAs to Napoleon; and if he failed to be
President the fact was due to no imprrfec
ton Of his war record The other Michi
gander Chandler, is his faithful successor
with all his weaknesses and none Of hi
sense. Cass was probably playing game
Chandler is deceived by his own poor bla,h
er. But each is the type of a large class O
men TO whom Jointly the present fate Of thu
country ID entrusted. We look back howe,
er INTO the past, and take courage. W
have seen several great national crises. il
which we were told that the "perpetuity Of tn
Repubhc and the representation oS PoPnt
liberty throughout the world depended j
each emergency upon annlhllating Lngsn
then and there-whppng her out OF he
boots, right on the spot The Countr
passed through all these, in spite Of the eI
forts Of the politicians, without losing 0
drawing u drop Of blood; and we are Of thu
opinion, now, that in the case in hand !
Will be discovered lust as the work of ami
hIIiatlng England is about to begin, tina
there is fear, when the work is over and W
have well nigh annhlIated ourselves, tina
the people may require an account at tn
hands OF the politicians that they could nc
settle up or explain away. This fear i
wholesome, and it should be cultivated
" ar, as we have had recent occasion to lear
is no holiday Job War with England
any time would be depIorable; war with En-
land now would be the worlds calamit
Hence, while We would not abate 90 item
the account that honor and justice reQuiI
that We should present, and while we wOHl
Always TrserveIthe right of an appeal to fore
~ uashmcnt for the denial Of Just claim
We deem It to be- the duty Of every goo
man TO DO his share in rebukiug that ma
ana reckless -pirIt in which this matter o
ln'e'"eNoIat difficulty is now discussed
ne resources VI Christianity aud ciyilza
tou are no. y"' exhausted aud until the,
iali, we ShaI' 10. cease to hope tina. lu,ucI
VIII be cone ana peace preserved. An,
would the politicians oH each country ceas
the pursuit of partisan and personal edvar