Year: 1863

correspondence of her ministers, all the
general sources of information compel
us to believe that they mean to observe
strictly neutrality. Gentlemen tell me
that they allow vessels to be fitted out at
their private ship yards


Well, it is for US to remember that we
are to be at peace before long, and Eu-
rope is to be at war, and whatever our
ship-yards or the owners of them, and our
merchants say, they will allow the Uni
ted States to forbid them, when Euro
pean nations are at war, exactly, that we
have right to insist that the British
Government shall prohibit the ship build
ers of Great Britain from doing, no more
and no less. We must live up to our
own laws Now, it is not violation of
any neutral act, in my judgment, in
Great Britain or here to build ship and
sell it to a government that is at war
with us, 1t is seized as contraband, if
you can get it-fair prize of war; but it
is no violation of the neutrality of Great
Britain, and no violation of our neutral
ity if our ship owners and ship builders
desire such an amendment to be made to
the neutrality act of Great Britain, then
it is fair matter of discussion whether
it shall be one. But short of that, be-
ieve me, he cannot compel them to do
anything more than we are willing to do
ourselves. But the Government and peo-
pie have unquestionably sympathy for
the people of the Southern States in this
contest, and while they do not feel at lib
erty to interfere, and ought not to be
asked to interfere, and in my humble
Judgment we have their good wishes, and
had never need apprehended any acts on
their parts of an unfriendly character.
Russia beyond all doubt is entirely
friendly The Emperor of the French
will do exactly as he thinks is for his
own interest am not one of those who
attach any importance to what he declar
ed he will do, because his declarations to
the French people were never kept, and
l haven't any idea that his declaration
to US will be observed unless it is for his
benefit. He and his prominent men
about him have nothing in their past lives
to offer as hostages for their conduct.
They live in the present. He holds his
government by force-whatever is neces-
sary4o maintain himself that is exactly
what he will do. And, in my Judgment,
when he sees he must go alone, that he
will have no co cooperation from other
powers, he will refuse to interfere in this
quarrel, and will let US alone But, gen
tlemen, we must depend upon ourselves
if we can fight this battle to victory we
shall-if we cannot we shall be defeated
But beyond all earthly considerations we
must unite-that is our highest consider
tion-and being united have no doubt
about the result. l do not look forward
to long war-a great many people do.
1t is not the habit of modern times to
have long wars. The great improve
ment in the engines of destruction ena-
Bile nations to bring war rapidly to
close. The Russian campaign was not
long; the Italian campaign was a short
one, and in my judgment this war will
be a short one if we are united and put
forward the whole power of the loyal
States of this Union With our immense
population and resources we ought to
end this war in ninety days, start your
troops in New Orleans, at Vicksburg, at
Charleston and in Tennessee. Charge
along the whole line-advance with en-
.ergy and Union-and my word for
it, in ninety days everv body will wonder
that this rebellion was ever regarded as
formidable in any portion of the United
States Prolonged cheers.