New-York tribune., 1896-11-28


and the incident of the Trent sufficed to revolu-
tionize the attitude Of England on the subject
OF the bullying disposition shown by the political
classes in England toward the United States
at the opening of the War Of Secession. and OF
the unteachable ignorance Of American affairs
displayed by Lord Russell and even by Mr.. Glad
stone il Is happily no longer necessary to speak
However as the bitterness of some Amer
lean utterances respecting the Venezuelan con-
troversy has attracted attention in England IL
ia well to remember that the offence Is not WIN
out a precedent. Mr. Harris has taken pains 10
collate the unguarded expressions or Englishineh
in the time Of the American Civil War. as we'll
as the facts showing how much practical SYM
pathy for the sake of English commerce was
extended to the people in rebellion fnGlahu
wanted cotton and trade. and the new ldeas
about the rights Of nations emphasized by the
Franco Prussian War were not then much con-
sidered But after all. Great Britain and other
European Powers were too slow for the Confed-
crate States. and Jefferson Davis and his Con-
gress decided to commission men as "ambassa-
dors'' to obtain recognition. James NJ Mason OF
Virginia. and John Sdell. OF Louisiana. were Sc
Iected For obvious reasons these gentlemen
went by way Of Havana From that city the
steamer Trent was TO carry them TO the Danish
island Of ST. Thomas where they would be
picked up by an English vessel and carried 10
Southampton But Captain Wilkes. OF the United
States steamer San Jacinto, decided. after look
ing over such authorities in international law as
he had that they could be arrested as live dis
patches" The story Of the capture. and of the
excitement that ensued both in the United
States and In England is graphically told by
Mr.. Harris.
From the first President Lincoln held that
Captain Wilkes had violated the American doc
trine for which the War of 1872 had been fought.
The act of Captain Wilkes was his own. Hence.
when the excitement subsided and the facts
could be reviewed with degree OF calmness. an
understanding was reached and the captured
Commissioners were allowed to go on board of a
British ship. But their prestige was gone. The
whole affair Is one that Americans are not likely
forget. They remember the hot haste OF
Great Britain TO rush INTO war. the vast scale Of
her preparations. the masses Of troops which she
hurried to Canada. These armies were on the
way when the dispute was settled, and 1t was
midwinter Mr. Seward caused ripple OF in
ternationa laughter by a telegraphc message to
the British Consul at Portland. Me. announcing
that British troops would be allowed TO land at
that city and would be carried by rail TO their
destination so as to save them the icy hardships
of the St Lawrence. While Mr.. Plimsoll Is upon
his benevolent task OF expurgating American
history he might try his hand on some OF Lord
John Russers diplomacy. 1t is hard for Ameri-
cans to forget everything.
The author Of Southern Sidelights'' finds it
necessary in presenting his subject TO go back
TO Colonial times for the purpose Of tracing the
influences that shaped and created in sense
the peculiar characteristics which from genera
framework
the social intellectual and political condition OF
the people, so as to present the Traits OF the
Population" as given in his opening chapter
The parallels and contrasts between South and
North as drawn by the author, are suggestive
The labor systems Of the two sections respective
". In their influence upon the people. are faith
fully presented. and the consequences are pu: IN
a strong light by quotations from writer's or the
times reviewed. II. H. Trescott. OF South caro-
lna for example, contended that states IN
s,aveholding community could not afford 10
adop. a policy based upon the principle OF free
labor There protests like that or X /.
Manning also Of South Carolina, who believed
that the principle of majority rule was the
safest: but on the whole the DRIFT or southern
opinion was oligarchic-that Is. Southern publ
cists held that a limited number OF people IN
every generation had political capacity. ana tnat
the way Whether rich or poor says Mr. Ingle'
"Southerners had certain well-defned charac-
teristics No matter what their party may have
been they were Democrats when II was ques'
ton Of being governed by others; but some IN
clned TO be olgarchs when they were the rulers
The transition to cotton the ruler Of the
Southern country furnishes a chapter OF inter
esting statistics and comparison Of the sys-
TENS Of North and South for material develop
ment and for the accumulation Of wealth. The
North in its agriculture cultivated all crops that
were Of valu. for family use or for market en-
tered rapidly upon the establishment OF manu-
factories and also engaged largely In commerce.
Cotton sugar and tobacco were the Southern
trinity of like substance. but Of unequal power.
Cotton was king. Hence the South was depend
ent upon the North and West for bread
and meat Thus the South wore out her plan
tations without ever feeding herself. New land
was continual necessity. and Southern jour
nal humorously described the circle Of Invest
ment making more cotton to buy more
negroes. TO make more cotton TO buy more
negroes" Cotton as king became a tyrant. and
the South found that her Partially to 1t was
drawback to general prosperity in agriculture.
But its political value TO the few who aspired
to an exclusive rule was unmistakable. In spite
of this minority the wish for manufactures grew.
The prosperity of such enterprises cotton and
woollen factories. the iron works Of Alabama.
the blast furnaces near Nashville the tobacco
factories OF Richmond. the shpbuldipg and
carshops OF Wilmington. Del. and Baltimore,
Md. was a surprise to the people both North
and South The manufacturing interests Of the
Southern country in 1860 gave promise OF
Industrial future. In which the deeply rooted
pretudices Of the conservative or cotton plant
Ing class would be overcome. and the South
would find great increase of wealth In the equal
development OF her vast resources.
But 1861 at hand. The rivalry between
the South and the North in commerce and trade.
the steadily Increasing ascendency Of the North