The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-02-08


cans.
Mr.. Senator Trumbull evidently belongs to
that class Of conservative statesmen who Hud
cause for sorrow in the decay of stage coaches
and the invention of telegraphs. This will &C
count for his hesitancy to vote for resolu-
ton asking for information as to our relations
with England, because such Q resolution
would be based upon what he calls ''mere
newspaper canards." The doubling Senator
has to learn that the press is the only remain
ing medium of diplomacy entitled to respect
and If he questions the Information published
on Monday he will see a confirmation of
1t In the discussion between Gladstone and
Disraeli on the opening Of Parliament which
we printed on Wednesday.
This discussion confirms the estimate of the
HERALD upon the situation. Mr.. Disraeli itly
represents the arrogance and the ignorance of
the average British mind when he gravely
says that ''the American claims were greater
than those which would follow total
conquest, and that if accepted they would
prove fatal to the power and the honor of
England" Now the meaning of this extraor-
binary declaration u.s. that England, rather
than submit to verdict upon our case favor
able to America, would be justified in accept
Ing the hazards of war. This declaration is
made by the leader Of the opposition. He
has been Premier of England and may be
Premier tomorrow. Mr.. Gladstone virtually
re-echoed the opinions Of the tory chief.
He intimated that America had been
guilty of dishonest proceeding in submit
ting case that was not justified by the
treaty; for If We have done this we
have certainly acted a dishonest part.
To his view our claim was ''preposter-
GUS and absurd" And with strength and
passion of rhetoric extraordinary in Prime
Minister addressing Parliament upon a grave
question Of international courtesy, he added
that our case, as submitted by the administra-
ton, contained demands that no people in
the last extremity Of war, or In the lowest
depths Of national misfortune, with the spirit
of England in their hearts, would ever
submit to-" This was answered by loud
cheering, and especially when he added
that his government would "hold their
position in firm but friendly manner"
When we consider these declarations as the
| opinions of the head of the government as we'll
| as the leader of the opposition; when we
remember that the whole English press unites
in the declaration with q unanimity and
ferocity of tone which recalls the Mason and
Slidell discussions, we cannot resist the con-
clusion that England will either withdraw from
the treaty altogether or compel the Presi-
dent to amend his case to suit the
English views. The impression made upon
the Continent by this demonstration is |
instructive. Bismarck's organ in Germany |
distinctly charges England with attempting
by clamor, to anticipate the judgment of the
Conference, and make public opinion in her |
favor" The organ of the Austrian govern
ment keenly puts the whole case, almost in
the words employed by the HERALD, when it
says that England assumes to be party in
an action, and the judge at the same time"
Furthermore the London press has sud-
denly become silent; and We are informed by
our London correspondent that this whole
excitement is an expedient on the part of the
Ministry to escape from embarrassing home
questions: by exciting public opinion against
what is called American injustice and extrava-
gance
Now, as a nation, America can no more
afford to be unjust towards England than to
submit to injustice from her. Therefore let
us calmly survey the whole question. Have |
we, in our case, made any extravagant de- |
mand? Is there any statement of fact that is |
not true and cannot be made matter of evil !
dence, or any inference from those facts that |
is unreasonable? We contend, in our case,
as presented by the administration, that the |
English government gave premature life to the |
rebellion by hasty recognition of the Confed- |
crate States; that during four years Of war the |
ships of the rebel navy were built Of English |
materials by English artisans, and were
manned by English sesmen that although our |
Minister constantly demonstrated with the
British government against acts of war by q
friendly nation no attention was paid to these
requests, and until the end Of the war British
ports in every quarter of the world we're
simply bases of supplies for the rebel ships;
that by reason Of this apathy and unfriendli-
ness many ships were burned and a vast
amount OF property destroyed belonging to the
citizens of the United States that the effect of
these depredations was to practically drive
American commerce from the high seas; that
the immunity enjoyed by the rebels in using
England as base of supplies for their navy
was the main cause Of the prolongation Of the
war after the fall Of vicksburg; that navy
department and war department, with means to
buy munitions Of war, with authority to COM
mission privateers and men, war and con-
troll their movements, as well as to supply