The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-01-18

on the declaration Of belligerency,' areason-
able one.
The Pal MoH Gazette, on the other hand,
in recent article, departs from its usually
rational course, and represents our American
feeling towards England somewhat as the
London Times used to represent it during
the war. We are therein supposed to be in a
perpetually truculent state-threaten ing aud
exasperatiDg, like a quarrelsome bully, the
quiet and peaceful citizen John Bull. who
will scarcely even "turn against the foot that
spurns him." Such representations cannot
fail to have bad effect on the average
Englishmap, who is peculiarly ignorant
of foreign peoples, aud very sensitive on
the question of his honor. If they are meant
in any degree of earnestness, we need
not say to our readers that they have not the
smallest foundation. The PaN Mall writer
speaks of ''the rawlings of Senator Sumner,
when acting in an executive capacity as MEM
Der of body which shares the treaty making
power" of Concessions" in recent treaties
intended to be humiliating," and of our
arrogant diplomacy" If this is not in-
tended merely for smart writing, we SUBJ
NIT that there is no sort of ground for refer
ring to the incidents alluded to as evincing
spirit of hostility either in our Government
or people.
The truth is, that in free country like
England or the United States, thousand
things are said which mean very little. Mr.
Sumner, if he were Secretary of State, would
take very different tone from that which he
uses as Chairman of the Committee on Fo-
reign Relations in the Senate. MIR. Gladstone
when addressing his constituents or writing
for the Edin6urgh Reoieso, is quite another
person from Mr.. Gladstone as Premier.
Prominent as Mr.. Summers position was,
there was nothing executive in it, and no
especial weight was attached to his speech,
further than the arguments warranted. Five
words from President Grant would have
been worth volume of such speeches, as
showing future policy. And if the writer of
the PdH Mall will look over the recently
published correspondence between Secre-
tary Fish and Mr.. Motley, he will discover
that at the very time of these cravings"
President Grant was dissatisfied with the
friend of MIR. Sumner, about to represent
this country in London, for apparently en-
tertaining similarly violent views on the
questions at issue between the two coun-
tries. And at length the President, so far
from favoring arrogant diplomacy" re-
called one of the most popular Ministers of
the United States, for fear chat his tone was
not quiet or considerate enough towards
Great Britain. Nor were the concessions"
yielded by Lord Clarendon to MIR. Johnson of
any consequence as bearing on the question
of national dignity. The reference of a dis
pute to arbitration can never be ''humiliat-
ing to any reasonable being or collection Of
beings
The average Englishman," however,
ought to understand what Lord Hobart per
ceives, that while there is no bullying or
quarrelsome spirit in this country, there is
feeling, profound and earnest, that we have
been wropged by Great Britain-and wronged
in the moment of our greatest need and dan
ger. Under this feeling there is, no doubt,
with the passionate masses, an intense desire
for revenge. But our Government, though
the most popular on earth, is, in its execu-
tive direction, the least swayed by passion.
General Grant, above all, is the least likely to
be overborne by any such sentiment. This
| sense of wrong, as Lord Hobart
urges, can be removed by proper actions on
the part of Great Britain; by fair reference
of all questions in dispute to arbitration, and
| if they are decided against her, by combi-
nation of two courses-the payment of an
indemnity, and the declaration of principles
of international law as affecting the sending
forth of cruisers from neutral ports. Presi-
dent Grant very properly takes the position
that money alone is not sufficient reparation
for the wrong we have received. He desires
an apology; but a payment of money and a
declaration of war principles for the future
would seem to be all the apology we could
reasonably claim from a great nation.