The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-03-12

Tyv T,ups, cable from London Informed i's
readers yesterday that it was gwen on. at 'ne
roo,sb roreicn Office that If this Govern
w., .,,emnted 20 enforce the act OF Congress
,.,a,irc % Behring Sea by Selling Canadian
vessels. the attempt will be resisted ny inc
Frolish Government which would be war
This ia no more than repetition of Lord
G.l;sburvs formal and official notice TO our
State Department, and. We have not the
| slightest doubt. is true. the clamor OF those
who shout that IT is only necessary for the
United States 10 take firm stand 10 make
England yield, to the contrary notwithstand-
ing. The firm stand advocated may produce
this result. but what if it does not? Are the
people of the United States prepared to go 10
war with Great Britain over the seal hsneries
in Behring Sea if that Government maintains
It's present position?
We shall lay no stress upon the terrible ana
disastrous results that would come 10 every
business interest in this country from such
war. blockading as it would al our ports ana
ending the export and sale of cotton gram.
meat petroleum and everything else 'n"' We
sell. If our dignity or our duty requires Us 10
90 10 war with Great Britain. we must 20 u
war with her without regard to Consequences
But do either require this dreadful aitern"-
tive? Instead of our dignity and our duty
reouirinp us TO 20 10 war with her, DO not
both REQUIRE us to acknowledge freely ana
openly that she ia all in the right and We are
all in the wrong
Every citizen can make up bis mind on TINS
ouestion for himself as easily as if he had the
advice of Pufendorf or Vattel TO guide hin'
He has only TO take down his atlas OF the
world and look at Behring Sea. lie VIII sec
that il is lust as much part OF the racine
ocean as that part Of it IN front OF San IRAN
cisco is. The United States Government
claims that Russia owned Behring Sea IN 1861
and that she sold it TO this Government. On
Russia's grant of Behring Sea our title to 1t
and its seals rests Can any man conceive OF
any process in the world by which Russia
could come 10 be the owner of Behring Sea
short of n grant of it to her by all the other
powers of the civilized world: This she never
received. consequently she could pass no title
TO US. and we therefore have none.
We are therefore rapidly drifting into
position out of which we can only come by
one of two ways. Either we must ignomln-
iously back out of our position when we find
that England really means to fight. or we
must fight TO maintain position which all
fair minded men must condemn, and. II we
whip England and force her to acquiesce in
our claim. we are liable TO have TO go TO war
with France the next day over the same mat
ter. for England's conceding the sea to US will
not bind France or any other power, all Of
which have equal and common rights in
Behring Sea.
There is one feature In this matter that has
n suspicious and also disgusting look. When
this Governments reply to Lord Salisbury's
notice was sent to him on the sth March, in
which the administration demands a renewal
of the modus vivendi. Mr.. Blaine was sick
and the reply was signed by Mr.. Wharton,
acting Secretary of State. But all the news
paper agencies in Washington have been in
formed. and all have sent out to the country.
that the reply was actually written by the
President himself The meaning Of this is too
plain for comment. The country Is TO be in
formed that it is Mr. Harrison himself who is
knocking the chip off Great Britain's shoul-
ders. This is too important as trump card in
the National Republican Convention for the
fact TO remain unknown, and the humbug-
gerry of the business is too transparent to fool
any one.