Year: 1861

rho Toronto (Canada) Leader holds the Govern
,ont az washington responsible for the war which
has been begun. 1t says:


TuE IMPENDING WAR.-The Cabinet at Washing
ton, in the calm Judgment of the world, committed
a serious error in appealing to the arbitrament OF
the sword but it is now toe late to adopt the only
policy--to recognize secession as a
act accordingly, What has now to be
done is for the two Confederacies to do each other
as much harm as possible, in the least posslhle
time; to kill as many men, to sink as many shps'
to cripple as much as possible one another's re-
sources. 1t will be a war of brothers, and OF
brothers enraged against one another with an IN
tensity of hatred that only brothers can feel A
less edifying spectacle could hardly be presented
to the world and while the general sympathy of
mankind has been with the North, the Government
at Washington Will generally be responsible for the
issue of blood.


This is paper published in a foreign country,
and its statements are those Of an impartial wit
ness, except chat its sympathy, as it declares the
general sympathy of mankind to be, is perhaps
with the North. Yet, notwithstanding this, it as


serts that the Administration ut Washington will
generally be responsible for the issue of BLOOD.
1t is however, useless to be now discussing the


question of responsibility. 1t makes nc difference


so far as the issue of the contest is concerned who
comuenced it. The question now is what is to- be
| the result?


The Leader says it is "too late now for the North
l to adopt the only statesmanlike poEcy--to recog
| nize secession as a fact, and act accordingly.
| We think not. We think the North may save itsel
much of disaster much Of national disgrace and
| dishonor, millions of money and seas of bleod by


promptly recognizing at this time the independence
/ of the Confederate States. 1t is all that we have
! ever asked. We have asked only that we be rec
ognized separate nationality, and all questions
| connected with our future relations and our former


joint possession of national property to he settled
| by peaceable negotiation. What we demanded al


first we will eventually have, just so sure as fate
| except that since this inhuman and unnatural wal


has been precipitated upon us, the North will lose


much that it might otherwise have preserved.
We take it for granted that the Administration
| at Washington has of course some object in view
| 1t has, undoubtedly, a "policy.' Il that policy
| IS the subugatien of the South, aud the compel


ing of the Southern States by force of arms to re-
| turn to the Union and remain in the Unon agains
| their wishes, it is time the Washington Cabinet
| should know that the experiment will utterly fail


IT, however, they force the South to convince then
of the fact by cutting to pieces their forces, by
| destroying their commerce. by bankrupting the
Treasury and running their credit, and perhaps by


seizng their Capital and driving them therefrom
| precptate disgrace, as CHRIST drove the money


changers from the temple they defiled-so be it


A short time only will be given the North to retract
| its steps and consent to the Southern demand
| Otherwise we say it without boast, the harvest O
| loss and dishonor they will reap will be one o


which they little dream at the present moment


Every day that the North refuses to recognize us
involves loss to that section, gain and advantage
to ours. If they had received and treated with
| our Southern Commissioners, all might have been
well. Their insane policy caused them to reject


our overtures for peaceful negotiation. Itmay not
| be too late a0,o for pacific adjustment. 1t may
be too late in short time, and the future will then
be fruitful of unavaiIing regrets that madness in
stead of wisdom, ruled the hour when the South


ern overtures for peace were made. As we said


on the morning after the result of the Presidential
election in November last was made known, " they


may SOW the wind-let them take care that they do
not reap the whirlwiud "