Year: 1862

little unless they proceeded by their active in
reference to make good that recognition. They
know that the rebellion would soon be crushed
if they kept hands off, Hence they are prepar-
ing to follow up the first step by second, and
that is armed Intervention in our internal
affairs This has been limited at recently in the
British journals, on the ground of humanity, in
order to put stop to the useless effusion of
blood, the conquest of the South being an i'm
possibility; and also on the ground of opening
to Europe the trade of the South, closed con-
trary to the law of nations by an inefficient pa
per blockade. The "barbarities" Of the war in
general and ''the stone feet" in particular have
been dwelt upon in the most pathetic strains,
and Earl Russell himself, it seems has remon-
strated with our government on this score. The
kindred of John Bull with the people of the
slaveholding South has also been urged by the
organs of the British aristocracy as reason
for putting stop to the war.


But this was in view of an expected collision
between England and the North arising out of
the case of the Trent, and, as on this side of the
Atlantic we knew that the matter had been /
settled, we paid but little attention to the
beastly believing of the British lion. Now,
however, the case assumes different aspect.
In despite of the settlement of the difference
about the Trent question, the hostility continues,
and is even aggravated. In fact, scarcely is
the ink dry on the London journals an
nouncing the pacific solution of the dis
pute, when the Observer, an organ of
the Cabinet, comes out in favor of the armed
Intervention of France and England "between
the federals and confederates of North Ameri-
ca" and quotes the articles of the treaty be-
tween England, France and Russia in 1927,
agreeing to an intervention to put an end to
the war between Turkey and Greece, and traces
the successive steps taken by the three Powers
with view to that end-first Offering their me-
diation, and, when Turkey declined their med
ding in her domestic affairs, then pouncing
upon her feet at NavarinO.


This is highly suggestive, considering the
powerful naval forces of France and England
now concentrated in the Gulf. But let us ex-
anime little more in detail what the Allies did
in the case of Greece, and what the Observer
says they will be called upon to repeat in the
case of the Confederate States


On the 9th of July, 1927, treaty was signed
between Russia, England and France, the object
sion of blood, and to effect the reconciliation Of
the Turks and the Creeks The mediation Of
the three high contracting Powers was offered
for this purpose, and the basis of paciication
was to be the practical independence of Greece.
An armistice was to be insisted on before the
discussion of the terms, and if the Sultan re-
jected this Intervention the three Powers
were to form international relations with
the Greeks, by sending and receiving Con-
suls and thereby recognizing the insurgent
province as completely Independent State.
The offer of these terms was eagerly accepted
by the Greeks in their extreme distress, but in
dignantly rejected by the Sultan. He stated
draw from his rule had for centuries formed
part of the Ottoman empire, and that those
whom the Powers protesting friendship to the
Turkish government proposed now to treat with
were rebels to their lawful sovereign. The
Sultan appealed to history as offering no exam
pie of such interference, which was in violation
of all principles of legitimate authority, and
also of the law of nations, by which every nde-
pendent Power has right to govern its own
subjects without the Intervention of any foreign
Power whatever He declared finally. his in
flexible resolution never to renounce his rights.


The Sultan was right. In vain we look into
the code of the law of nations for any justifica-
ton of such an Intervention. The English
jurist, Phillimore indeed, defends it, but ad-
mits it to be an exception to general rules. II
is a principle which cuts both ways, like two
edged sword, as the masters of Ireland, India,
Canada and Algeria may hereafter discover
Accordingly it was put forward at first family
and with hesitation by the diplomatists of the
great Powers. They stated that their mediation
was solicited by one of the contending parties.
But the request Of one only of two dis
putants is no sufficient ground for in
reference, especially If that party consist
of revolted subjects. Another ground was
that they desired to stop the effusion
of blood; and the third and main ground was
the protection of their commerce in the seas of
the Levant against the pirates whom neither
Greece nor Turkey could restrain, on account OF
the civil war. Unfortunately for the validity
of these two pretexts, the three Powers inter-
vened just when the Sultan had acquired a de-
cided ascendency in the war, and when it was
clear that in short time the contest would be
over. and the condition of the Levant restored
to what it had been for centuries. 1t is in
similar crisis that two of these Powers now pro-
pose to intervene under similar pretexts.


On the Goth of October, 1927, the combined
squadrons of England, France and Russia sud-
denly and steslthily entered the Bay of Ma
varino, where the Turco-Egyptian feet was
moored, and without warning was preparing
for hostile action. The Turkish fleet, though
overmatched, gave battle, and fought with
heroism and desperate valor for four hours, till