Year: 1862

The Southern Blockade . Great Political


Question I'm England.


The surrender of Mason and Slidell, although
it has resulted in a satisfactory settlement Of
the Trent affair, may, after all, exercise but lit
tie influence in securing perfect harmony be-
tween Great Britain and the United States
There Is strong party feeling in England
antagonistic to the continuance of the Southern
blockade, and this party is concentrating its
forces to coerce the Palmerston administration
into recognition of the Southern confederacy
and the reopening of our ports. Already vio-
lent attacks on the stone feet have appeared in
some.of the English papers as preliminary
movement That the efforts Of this party will
meet with determined opposition from the pre-
sent government we well know, but that the
question of recognition will be violently agita-
ted in Parliament ON its meeting, early in
February, is highly probable.


The question is one out of which the
tory party will endeavor to make as much
political capital as possible, by creating
feeling In favor of the recognition and
urging the government to its accomplish
ment. The recognition would only be asked
for with view to the further step of breaking
the blockade-an act which would involve the
violator in war with this country. Mere re-
oognition, although unfriendly to the United
States, would not be an actual casus begi; but
the forcible reopening of our ports would be an
act of direct hostility which we could not
overlook. England, then, in adopting
such course, would do 80 with tho
full knowledge that it would involve her in .
great American war. Louis Napoleon, who 10
strenuously exerting himself to induce England
to assume that attitude of hostility towards the
United States which would entangle her in war,
very likely tries to blind her to the danger, as
we'll as the consequences, of conflict between
the two nations. See the allusion to the stone
feet in the Monitetr in another column.
But he must be regarded in 30 doing not
only as the enemy Of both, but of the
civilized world. His designs are purely sell
fish, With the English forces engaged in this
country, and those of Spain in Mexico, there
would remain no insurmountable obstacles to
the extension of his power on the continent Of
Europe; for while he, aided by Victor Emanuel,
made war upon Austria, and dictated terms to
the rest of Germany, Russia, in consideration Of
not opposing him, would take possession of Con-
stantinople, and cut off the overland communities
ton with India. Thus, in Central and Eastern Eu-
rope France and the Power Of the North would
be simultaneously engaged in destroying the
balance of power for their own aggrandize-
ment. What could England do at such a time
to oppose this tide of invasionf Her own
greatness would be destroyed, her
own existence imperiled. France and
Russia would become the dominant
Powers in Europe, and, with the peace Of the
world SO far destroyed, it is impossible to tell
how far the work of conquest would proceed.


For our own part we do not believe that the
Palmerston administration will either yield to
party clamor or become prey to the machina-
tions of the Inscrutable of the Tuileries. Il
will consequently expose itself to the danger Of
defeat, in which event it will have the option
of resigning or of calling for general election.
Probably 1t will have sufficient faith in the
sober thought and good sense of the people at
large to prefer the latter; and, If it does 80, we
have little apprehension of the party in favor
of war with the United States being installed
in power. The Palmerston government, being
thus restored to public and parliamentary con-
fdence, will adhere to its present course of
neutrality. 1t is only in case Palmerston
goes out Of office that we fear the blockade
will be broken. Even if the present admins
tration should be led to acknowledge the con-
federacy, we feel sanguine that so long as Pal
merston is at the head Of affairs he will
use every effort to prevent Great Britain
committing such piece of political folly, not
to say suicide, as going to war with the United
States when there is neither reason nor object
for il. The want of cotton cannot be alleged
as an excuse for such course as the supply in
the Lancashire warehouses is still large-larger
than II was at this time last year-and, with the
diminished demand for the manufactured ar
ticle, some months must elapse before there can
be any outcry for the raw material.


On the whole, therefore, although we antici-
pate period of great political agitation in the
English Parliament on the blockade question,
growing to some extent out of the affair of the
Trent and its discussion, we are sanguine, judg-
ing from the complexion of the news by the
Europa, published this morning, of being al
lowed to put an end to this rebellion In our
own way, without any interference on the part
Of foreign nations.


THE INADEQUAcY OF Our POSTAL SYSTEM
When we institute q comparison between the
postal systems Of Great Britain and the United
States, the utter inadequacy Of our own to meet
the public wants is as striking as the efficiency
Of that enjoyed by the people of England In
the matter of town and city delivery the
English system is especially excellent Letters
may be posted in London ut any drop letter box