The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1888-10-13
England's Designs Have Always Been
the Sans.

England's design upon our traIe Is OF
long standing
AZ want now to introduce TO you
for moment another speaker-an
Englishman. Within the last year |
have been reading, without any view
to politics. the story of our diplomat
&c relations with England during the
Civil War. The motive that most
strongly Influenced the English mind
In sympathy with the South was the
expectancy of free trade with the
Confederacy cries of That is right
and Give 1t to them = and among
the most influential publications in
tended to urge English recognition
and aid to the Confederates was a
book entitled THE American Union
by James Spence. 1t was published
in 1852. and ran through several edi-
tions. Speaking of the South he said:
No part CT the world can be found
more admirably placed for exchang.
ing with this country the products of
industry to mutual advantage than
the Southern States of the Union.
Producing In abundance the material
we chiefly require, their climate and
the habits of the people indispOse
them to manufactures, and leave to
be purchased precisely the commOdi-
files we have to sell. They have nei-
ther the means nor the desire to en-
ter into rivalry with us, CONNER
cially they offer more than the capa-
bilities of another India, within a
fortnight's distance from our shores.
The capacity of q Southern trade
when freed from restrictions may be
estimated most correctly by compar-
ison. The condition of these States
resembles that of Australia, both
non-manufacturing countries, with
the command of ample productions
to offer in exchange for the imports
they require"
The author proceeds to show that
at that time England's exports to our
country were only thirteen shillings
per capita of our population, while
her exports to Australia were ten
pounds sterling per capita. Let me
now read you what he said of the
Northern States 1.-THE people of
the North. whether manufacturers or
shipowners, regard us as rivals and
competitors, to be held back and
cramped by all possible means. APP
plause and cries of THAT is it, and
Give 1t to them u They possess
the same elements as ourselves-coal
metals, ships, an aptitude for ma
chinery, energy and industry, whilst
the early obstacles of deficient capital
and scanty labor are rapidly disap-
pearing. tApplause, and a voice,
'Exactly.'] For many years they
have competed with US in some man
ufactures in foreign markets and their
peculiar skill in the contrivance Of
labor-Saving machinery daily in
creases the number of articles they
produce cheaper than ourselves.
loud cheering and voice, 'We
will knock them out y Thus to one
part OF the world our exports are at
the rate of ten pounds sterling per
head, while those to the Union
amount to but thirteen shillings per
head"
l have read extracts because they
seemed to me very suggestive and
instructive. The South offered free
trade to Europe in exchange for an
expected recognition of their indie
pendence by England and France.
[Cries of You are right! The offer
was very attractive and persuasive
to the ruling classes of England.
They took Confederate bonds, and
sent out armed cruisers to prey upon
our commerce. They dallied with
Southern agents, fed them upon illu-
sive hopes. and thus encouraged the
South to protract a hopeless struggle,
They walked to the very edge of
open war with the United States,
fOrgetfuI of all the friendly ties that
had bound us as nations, and all this
to crafty a commercial greed. We
may learn from this how high price
England then set upon free trade
with a part only of the States. A
voice. I'VE remember it!] But now
the Union has been saved and re-
stored.
e Men of both armies and of all the
States rejoice that England's hope of
a commercial dependency on our
Southern coast was disappointed.
The South is under no stress to pur-
chase foreign help by trade conces-
sions. She will now open her hospi-
table doors to manufacturing capital
and skilled labor, 1t is not now true
that either climate or the habits of
her people indispose them to manu-
features, OF the VirpiniaS, North