Year: 1869

To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD:-


In question which involves the dignity OF great
nation policy OF Cancellation or delay can have
only disastrous results. At such time wise statess
manshp will not hesitate before the consequence el
which It's action may determine. f justice and tbd
outraged honor OF people are on one sde the evila
OF deadly and protracted on the other are nod
q sufficient reason Tor submission. The nat
tional prestige is lost in such q cast
by inacticn. IL Will be generally believed
that q people which submits quietly to wrong, OF
does no more than protest AGAINST II, is afraid I'd
draw its sword and may therefore be .nsuted with
impunity. The result is q succession Of wars, intQ
which the country Is plunged through the lack OF
energy OF its government in the first instance or
which would be impossible with great people, q
tame endurance Of every kind OF alrront.


The state OF our controversy with Great Br.cain n
at present open to three souflccns Either that Of
peace at any rrice, which would result in the
evils we have just pointed out, or q postponed
ment Of action to more favorable opportunity.
or, lastly declaration Of war on a refusal to ACT
cede to our demands The first we believe has moi
a single supporter outside the peace denomnatonsi
the second is the one which, 30 far, has met with
most favor; the third desired by tue Irish part Of
our population eventuatng In the possible indef
pendence of their country, and by few impartial





with the dignity OF the nation We viii pass by thcl
first as unworthy Of consideration, and state bricn1
our reasons for holding that the second rs neithef
honorable nor expedlent


When at the commencement OF our civil war tho
capture OF the steamship Trent might have led I'd
the armed Intervention Of Great Britain 1t was uuis
Veisay iet that the cause OF dispute too riGIp3
compared with the importance which Its effect woAld
unquestionably have our affairs at such CT, ,sisi
One war at ume was the opinion OF all particss
make cdsns Oeat out OF q small point OF lnterna1
ti0na law In which the national honor was not IL
any way Involved.


The fitting our OF the Alabama, its depredationS
ON our commerce and the recognition OF the SOUTH
were questions which could not be decided at the
moment, for 1t needed time TO ascertain their ind
portance as well as to Judge them dspassionateiy.


NOW, however, there Is no longer any such reason
the subject and the rebellion has been suppressed9
What, then Is the good Of waiting cannot be that
tne administration is afraid OF a war with Eugs
course 70 be to wait uutil she Is engaged
In hostilities with some other Power, and
Is unworthy OF great nation. II we are AFRAID OF q
war with Great Britain because we believe we ara
not strong enough 70 cope with her, let us at oncS
acknowledge our inferiority. 1t would be In bette1
taste and less likely to result IN humiliation TO u3
than the assumption OF power which we DO NOT
possess. But IT, rs we believe, the people cong
scious OF their own strength and do not dread IA
enter upon Just war with any nation whatsoeverS
the maintenance OF their honor and the righteoug$
their cause demand that they insist upon Ins
mediate redress OF the wrongs they have suffered. Y
- That war with country so closely united to us az
England would be q great calamity, not to the twQ
combatants only, but to the entire word, we do not
deny. IL would not be right to conceal such facts
The people would be called upon to make great
sacrifices, greater, perhaps. than they have eveN
made, and they should be prepared to endure thems
The cause OF liberty also would suffer aud the proS
grcss OF mankind be retarded. These consderat
tons cannot aud ought not to be avoided. AT the
same time we believe that the only right course iS
TINT which IL directed by the desire for justice
and the vindicaton OF the national honor. IL
we are ready for now may possibly avoid
IL; n we conhno ourselves 10 negotiations aud
threats, we sow the seed OF nnumerabc causes Ot
dispute aud only make ourselves ridiculbus. what
the occasion needs IL firm and dignlncd policy
Let our Minister be instructed to lay our dcinandS
before the British government with oil courtesy, buf
NJ the same time without concealing the consequcns
ces OF refusal to .accede to them. by folowina
this course we may possibly obtain speedy settle
ment of.our claims while we maintain the dignifH
" our position. And n war should come, we need
not fear TO meet II, supported rs we would be ~
The justice OF our cause and the knowledge or o0f
power. Relying upon these, we can afford to oiYcf
jrea: Drithn the choice Of peace or war.