New-York tribune., 1870-01-01
NATLON1L HOODWINKING.

Unfortunate is tho American newspaper
which merits the fatal praise of The London
Times. On the other hand, that organ OF what
n distinguished Englishman has well named
British Philistinism has reason to rejoice and
be exceeding glad whenever it finds an Amer
lean to its mind. Such coincidence is apt to
be that of the spider and the fly. We take
nothing from the proper credit of a newspaper
which is formidable on its own side of the
water. 1t is the representative of the worldly
wisdom and the worldly folly of great
metropolis and empire; it is the most compact
establishment known in current literature OF
that high order of intellectual vice whose busi-
ness it is to work into daily history the cowardice
of the hour. Mr.. Bright and MIR. Golden have
described it with equal felicity. Too calculating
student of expediency to delude itself with
the notion that it possesses conscience, Its
science is to tell how the wind blnws. If snch
newspaper is stupid, it is most elaborately
so; if it is wrong, the chances are that it Is
altogether wrong-root, stem, and branch.
Accordingly. at this moment. The Times
cherishes the absurd expedency of mistaking
the temper of the American. Government and
people. That temper is neither trivial nor
menal and is most ably, amicably. earnestly
set forth in the letter of Secretary Fish. BY
this letter The Times is advised that the United
States while sincerely desiring to approach the
negotiation of the settlement of their claims
with an effort to set this vexed question at
rest, fully realize the nature and extent of
those claims, and await a proposition to open
their negotiation rather than beg for one.
There is probably nothing so well assured in
E,-t hat hotr
proper cause for complaint and second, that
we can afford to wait. Our grievances like
their guarantees, have only to grow, not with
any help of ours, but merely through English
neglect.
We repeat these truths with emphasis in
order that the, firm faith of the people in their
diplomatic cause shall not be msrepresented
or misunderstood. Especially and Indignantly
do we repudiate the unworthy and un-Ameri
can plea made by one of our journals to the
English Government for the reOpening of nego
tiatiOns at Washington. Our people, remarks
this authority, "would have no cause for sus-
"pecting that their agent had been hood
"wnked if the arrangements were dis
"cussed and settled at their own doors"
Though it is common for all peoples,
French as well as English, and En-
glish as well as American, to suspect
that their agents may be overreached, we be-
lieye that no nation has ever erected its sus-
picon into positive plea for being INDUCED
by some other nation anxious to Outwit it, The
petition to have our people humOred because
their representatives are not wise, or those
whom they represent are foolishly susceptible,
would sound better in London than here.
but would in neither place be SEN
sibe. When England comedies 60
us it will be with an indubitable recognition
of equality in every point of view, and for
her own advantage as well as ours. 1t will be
with wholesome sense of what is due to a
nation which has fought and conquered those
causes which produced the Alabama Claims,
and whose cause is too safely invested to be
put in jeopardy by a quarrel.