Year: 1869

the excitement produced in Great Britain by
the speech of Senator Sumner has not yet
died out. The London Times still thunders
away in a tone of mingled threat and apology.
The Pail Mall Gazette, rejecting the sentiment
of the clubs and the West End generally,
speaks out in a similar vein, with this add-
tional thought, however, that the United d
States in place of being angry should be
grateful, in place of demanding pecuniary
reparation for injury done should be ready to
pay debt Of gratitude for services rendered.
The Spectator, weekly journal Of high
political and religious respectability, is more
bellicose than either the Times or the Gazette,
| and reminds us that when so fast friend Of
| the North as Mr.. Forster denounces the speech
of Mr.. Sumner we ought to learn how united
is the sentiment of the British people and how
powerful is the force which will be arrayed
| against US if we press our extravagant and
| outrageous demands. We are prepared to
hear great deal more of this talk We have
stung John Bull to the quick by telling him the
truth; and, writhng in agony and with cha
racteristc stubbornness he does his best to
|
say, however, that any of the journals or any
| of the statesmen who have taken up the sub
ject have been very successful in this matter
The weakness Of the case-the total impossi-
bility of justiication-is revealed by both the
| Times and the Pal Mall Gazette. To say that
in the past we ourselves have similarly
offended, and to assert that France is in the
same condemnation with Great Britain,


are surely lame apologies. The ques-


ton is not what we have done to Eng


land in the past, nor is it whether we have


cause Of quarrel with France. These are


questions altogether aside. The question
between us and Great Britain is simple and
mary loss and we claim compensation. We
have, In business-like fashion, presented our
bill. We insist on payment; but with
patience and dignity which become us we are
willing to wait. This is the whole affair


Great Britain may fret and fume as she
! pleases. Our temper is not to be ruffled, nor
are our claims to be withdrawn. 1t will take
more than the eloquence Of Mr. Goldwin Smith
and more alarming thunder than that of the


Times to disturb our equanimity or shake our
purpose.


Il is not easy to disconnect the perturbation
thrown the British lion from conviction on
the part of the British government and people
that the United States have really become q
great rival Power, and that in the event Of
hostilities they would prove a mighty and dan
gerous enemy. 1t has long been the belief Of
British statesmen and politicians that If nothing
interviewed to check our progress we should,
in almost every department in which the British
people had won distinction, rival and outstrip
them. The revolt Of the Southern States, as


it promised TO check our growth and limit the


range Of our action and influence, was hailed


as a Godsend The cause Of the Southern


confederacy was thus In sense the cause Of


England. We do not say that 1t was not also


the cause of France and of other Of the mon


arches Of Europe but it was pre- -eminently


the cause of England. The success of the


South would have maintained that balance Of


power which it was England's interest
and desire to see maintained. Hence


her sympathy with and her encour-


agement to the rebel cause. The issue


Of the war was not, perhaps, surprising, but
II was certainly disapp ointng in the extreme.
The British government and people now see


the Union established on foundations which
are likely to prove enduring as the ever.
= lasting hills see the rapid development o.
our resources and the enormous increase o.
our wealth; see us spreading out our strons
), arms, claiming the Continent as our own and


binding II together with bands of iron; ant
they know that this young and vigorous of
!, !, shoot from their own noble race must 90 on
!. conquering and to conquer, until on the broa'
Q surface of the globe II shall know no rival
4 With Anglo-Saxon blood in our veins, quail


fed but not deterioratcd by foreign admixture
inheritng English traditions and speaking tn
]. English tongue, II Is our destiny to eclips


even the glory of the parent race. On
Q broader platform and in more enduring forr
: ours in the great future Is to be the role, nc


of Carthage, but Of Rome. All this Grea
a Britain knows well. We are marching rapid
o TO the foremost position among the nations
|. and she knows she cannot resist us. Ho
present mood is not, therefore, wholly unnatt
:, raj. Her rage is the rage Of disappointment
70 and despair.


II We cannot bring this article to close will
~ out expressing our disgust with the courf
q which is being pursued by some Of the journs