The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-11-25
sRxRIx or xHu PRnsg.
Editorial Opinions ofthe Leading Journals
upon Current Topics Compiled Every
Day for the Evening Telegraph
JOHN BRIGHT IN WASHINGTON.

There is no doubt that Great Britain is
growing uneasy at the spectre of the unset
tied Alabama claims. If there should be
general war in Europe-and peace now In
any part of the Old World is precarious in
the extreme--it would be impossible to affect
any longer a contempt for our sentimental
grievance" The precedent established by
the English Government in 1861 would be-
come a menace of terrible Import, and the
misdeeds of Mr.. Laird and Earl Russell
might bring their own punishment by
sweeping British commerce from the
ocean. The traditional friendship be-
tween Russia and the United States, and
the sympathy which has been manifested
in this country for the Cars position
on the Black Sea question, are naturally
considered with some anxiety in London; and
though it is of course well understood that
we should take no active part in any Euro
pean struggle, there are obvious reasons why
Great Britain should want to get clear of all
her American entanglements before she be-
comes involved nearer home The warlike
demonstrations of certain hot patriots in this
country are rated at their true significance,
and therefore cause no alarm but the Euro
pean prospects put the Alabama question in a
new light. 1t is not General Butler, but
Prince Gortschakoff, who has reused the Brit
ish conscience.
A good indication of the anxiety of Eng
proposition of a writer in the Pail Mall
Gazette to send John Bright to Washington
to conduct the negotiations. The Pal Mall
Gazette has never sympathized with our feel
ings on this question. 1t represents that
governing class which all through the war
was most hostile to us, and ever since the
war has pronounced our demands preposter
Gus. Mr.: Bright, on the other hand has
been more nearly in accord with us than any
thnR, TVNE nraI NlAE. L.
might take as the representative of his Gov
eminent, in respect to the main
question in dispute, he GER
tainly appreciates our view of the case,
and estimates properly not only the respon-
sibility of Great Britain for the ravages of the
Confederate cruisers, but the gravity of that
far more delicate issue, the recognition of bel
hgerency. No American needs to be re-
minded of Mr.. Bright's eloquent denuncia-
tions in Parliament and elsewhere of the
Birkenhead ship-builders, and the inefficiency
or completely of the Government which
allowed its neutrality laws to be violated in
the interest of the rebellious shareholders.
None of us have forgotten his scathing re-
buke of the sympathy bestowed upon ''the
great conspiracy against human nature" the
''portentous and monstrous shape" which
through the lips of Mason and Slidell "asked
to be received into the family of nations :"
But Mr.. Bright went further than this. He
admitted that the hasty recognition of the bel
ligerency of the Confederates and the general
attitude of the British Government towards
them, was grievance of which we had good
reason to complain. ''Tf have not done
thi ngs that are plainly hostile to the North "
said he in speech at Rochdale in December,
1861, ''there has not been that friendly aud
cordial neutrality which, if l had been citi-
zen of the United States, should have ex-
pected. Of the proclamation of belligerency
he declared in the House of Commons, in
March, 1865, that cit was done with un-
friendly haste, and it had this effect, that it
gave comfort and courage to the conspiracy
at Montgomery and at Richmond;" and he
went on to imagine what the feelings of the
English people would be it, in case of great
revolt in Ireland, the United States, by a
similar hasty recognition, should give COM
font and support to insurgents against the
authority of the British crown.
If Ar. Bright is we'll disposed to listen to
our side of the story, we are equallyready to
hear his. The American people have the
fullest confidence in his just and kindly dis
position, and would pay more regard to rea-
soning from him than from any other man in
England. We do not know that there is any
particular ground to believe that the British
Government will act upon the suggestion of
the London newspaper, but we should re- joice
in such an appointment, and we are confident
that good would result from it. Still, how
ever the question may be reopened, we trust
the English people will understand that we
have no disposition to take advantage of their
foreign embarrassments to force a settlement.
General Grants policy has the cordial appro-
val of the country, and that policy looks to a
settlement of the controversy on such terms
and in such manner that the ties of friend
ship which ought to unite the two countries
will be permanently strengthened.
CAUSES OF THE DECAY OF REPUBLL
CANISM AT THE SOUTH.
From the N. Y. Sun.