Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1872-03-05
The Question of War Between the
United States and Great Britain.

There is some truth, much English
buster and great deal of poppycock
in the following article from the
liverpool, (Eng) Daily Post on the
unsettled condition Of things just
now between England and the United
States. 1t is, however, we'll worth
reading as giving the English view
of the situation in tho event of war
between the countries:
Great as is the excitement pre-.
vaiiing on the Alabama question, We
are persuaded there will be no war
with America: for the best possible
reasons. The English do not want
to go to war, and the Americans
cannot. They have had enough of
war. They are still enfeebled by the
great struggle which cost them SO
much money and so many lives.
Their population is diminished by it,.
Their resources are curtailed. At
this moment they arc not in a con-
dition to speak hostile word. Hos.
tile words viii be spoken, no doubt.
but not officially. There will be- a
good deal of bounce, but the Govern.
ment at Washington will not indulge
in II. Appearances may be to the
contrary, but there is more danger
OF a war outcry being raised in This
country than in America.
70 q considerable number OF people
here al American war would make
u kind OF god-send. Holders eli cot
ton would make fortune in a month.
Spinuers would make two fortunes
within the same period. Farmers
would find their cereals greatly in
creased in value. An American war
would unquestionably be popular in
this country for time, especially if
the Americans brought it on by out
raging the opinion of the world
And if an American war were once
popular in this country, the United
States would find themselves in
very serious position. They are 10
no sense ready for a contest with US.
They are endeavoring to finance
They are straining every nerve to
revive the prosperity which the civil
war interrupted, and TO get rid of the
taxation which that war imposed
All such hopes would be frustrated
by war with England. The South,
moreover, would Immediately rush
10 arms. 1t would be impossible to
dispose Of the cotton. The new crop
which IS coming up would be value
less for there ls no country in the
world which can consume the cotton
produced by America except this
country. But while America can
find no adequate market for her
cotton except England, England can
get cotton from the Brazils, from
Egypt, from Turkey, and from India.
These economical considerations
must hold in check any popular
Indignation or martial ardor to
which the United States may be
prone. Nor are political cGnsidera-
TONS OF the same tendency wanting.
The South has never heartily
returned to its allegiance. The an.
nouncement Of war would plunge
Secessia in the flames of revolt A
pTotracted war would ensue. which
might well ruin the Republic, espe-
cially as we should be at liberty to
help the South, instead Of, as before,
abstaining from interference. had
we joined the South before, events
would have taken o very different
turn and now that slavery no longer
remains to ALLEVIATE us from the
Southern cause, there would be
nothing, in the event of a disagree
ment TO deter US from encouraging
the still robellious South to the
utmost. The West is even more
important. The loss of the great
market for the cereals, the bacon.
pork, lard and beef of the Western
States would absolutely suspend the
prosperity of those fertile regions.
The Western States are the backbone
of the Union. They give it balance,
weight, stability, and if ever terri
tories in this world owed their impor-
lance to physical abundance and the
trade arising out of il, these are they.
We, on the other hand, are indie
pendent of the American supply. As
to bread stuffs, Russia has already
encroached seriously upon it, and is
prepared to contribute still more
largely to our store. We should
have to pay more for our provisions,
but we should get them.
Even if the prudential copsidera.
tons thus recited failed to make the
Americans keep the peace, a glance
at the probable contingencies of
warfare would suffice. The United
States have no war vessels. They
have few merchant vessels. America
is impotent at sea, and there is no
possible ally whose navy could ops
pose for q moment that of England.
We could sweep from the seas in a
fortnight any hostile forces which
could be brought against US. As 10
invasion, we should attempt no
awkward, out of,the,way landing
We should have the choice Of a place
OF attack, and perhaps New York
might be the spot selected. God
forbid thas such a thing should ever
happen; but it is necessary to state
the whole case and all the contingent
cies, in order to show how exceed.
ingly unlikely it is that America will
be betrayed by any pique or passion
into a step the fatalities of which are
so easy TO predict. The Americans.
we repeat, have had enough eff war.
They are at present all for business.
They cannot abstract their young
men from productive industry with
out terrible loss. Many In this
country think, however, that we
could afford, and should be the better
for, tussle with America 1t has
long been a pretty general opinion
that we have stood too long and too
patiently the afronts of the Yankees.