The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-05-15

altered. So long as the war lasts, pol'tlca
agitation must STOP. The public mind can
could, would be slow to follow the lead of al
enemy. So long as the war lasts, the
war will be the sole business Of Parliament
and the administrative and represslve power
OF government will be concentrated and aug
mented. The growth Of what are called Anne
rlcan-that is, Democratic-ldea as will be check
ed. II war against America should be sue
how long, just as they would have been hat
the rebellion succeeded in breaking up the
Union. I always thought the aristocratit
class Of Great Britain logically right in 81 IL
pathizing with the South, and desiring the die
solution Of republic which is standing men
ace to every ohgarchy in the world. From
their point OF view, they are equally right nov
| in preferring war to policy OF concession o!
concihation.
Stroneest OF all is the reason springing from
the relation of England ct this moment 10 the
other European powers. She has sunk from
the rank. of first rate to second rate. power
so lar. at least, as Continental affairs are con.
cerned. Bismarck, in his epigramnic way, ut
tered no more than common opinion when,
in reply to some English criticism on his
policy, he esald, 'slf I were an Abyssinlan, or q
Hludoo, or even an American. l might, per-
haps, care what England thinks. But being a
European, l do not" a year or two since
Matthew Arnold was bitterly reviled for telling
his countrynen the same humiiating truth,
in language scarcely less concise aud contempt
uous.. The causes Of her 1nferiority are m IRE
than one. but Europe knows that If all other
causes we're removed England dare not fight
while the Alabama remains a precedent,
and leaves her commerce prey to
priyateers issuing from nentral ports.
Now o power that does not fight is no
longer pow r. She may still be summoned
to European Congresses 80 is Turkey. Her
enyoys may be listened to with an aft citation
of respect-so was the envoy Of Greece. But
the moment will come when each country of
Europe has to support its counsel with the
word. France will throw hers INTO one scale,
Prussia hers INTO another, and on one side or
the other Russia will fing hers, and probably
Austria hers. and even Italy hers. But Eng
land England knows, and Europe knows,
that in that supreme moment the power which
used to subsidIzs one. half the continent and
fight the other, must abandon the place which
she has ceased to be able to MAINTAIN by force.
She must renounce her political authority and
shelter herself behind an Impotent neutrality.
There are men in both parties, like Mr.. Bright
and Lord Stanley. who look forward contented-
ly to such an hour, but the mass OF ofEnglishmen
do pos. The ruling oligarchy has here the sup
port Of an undoubted majority. They do not
want to resume the old system OF perpetual
inter erence, but they want to be free to de-
clare war wheu interest or honor bid them.
ConscIous that they are fettered by the unset
tied claim OF America, yet resolute not to
make reparatlon, they seem to have determin-
ell on the only other course which car restore
to England unchecked freedom Of action. They
propose to fight America first In order to be al
liberty to fight somebody else atterward. They
are not less ANXIOUS to be rid OF tho Alab INA
difficulty in order to deal with the Fenan
movement. but on that need not dwell.
Whatever may be thought Of the probable re-
suit of such policy. it is at least intelligible
and coherent. and the existence of such party
affords sufficient explanation Of the attitude
assums ID by such journal as the Pail Mall
Gazette. We afe indeb,eI to thai journal for
announcing publicly tho purp ,se which has
long been brooded over in private. II is fair
warning, which We cannot afforl to n glect or
underrate. G. W. s.