Year: 1862

3 Last Report


From the Manchester GuArdisn. June eel


From one point of view bis message may
present an appearance of modesty lot usually
prominent in American State papers. From
the remxrks We have Just made, it might be
considered confession of weakness. But we
fancy no Americans will regard it in that
light. For them it win bear the other aspect
which is plainly intended by the writer and
which is simply that of defiance Mr. Welles
is here challenging ali the world, Just as he
did England in the case of the Trent. To de-
mand the means of meeting hostilities an
nounced as impending, is Just to challenge the
supposed foe to begin. If there is really no
enemy now threatening the Federal govern
ment, the challenge is only another instance
of the empty bluster with which we are al
ready so familiar. But if Mr.. Welles is an
nouncing conclusion OF the Presidents cabi-
net formed on intelligence received from
Europe, then, as we said in beginning, we
must feel natural curiosity to know from
what quarter the storm is expected There
have been rather contradictory statements
made in this country as to the ability and the
will of the Northern people to embark in 3
foreign war at the close of the present struggle.
We have been told that the latter will only
come to an end either by the exhaustion of the
belligereRts or by the military occupation of
the South, and yet that whspever it ends the
North will have large army ready for any
conquest. 1t seems clear that the same ex-
haustion which would put an end to the civil
conflict would prevent any foreign hostilities,
and that an army which was garrsoning the
South would rot be available for any foreign
campaign. But there is little security in these
considerations. 1t is not easy to sound the
paths to which self-sacrifee will reach when
national passions are fully aroused. At the
present moment the South must have reached
pitch of suffering far beyond any known in
the North. Yet it shows no sign Of faltering
in its resolution. We have only to give the
North credit for equal determination, to make
it able to prolong the pending struggle, or
even to superadd 4 new one The Southern
paper is much more deprecated than the
Northern, yet it appears to serve its purpose.
Reputation may be certain whenever peace
arrives and yet there may be no want of re-
sources SO long as war continues


Where then, in Europe, does the Federal
Government expect to find foe Z? Its con-
science might point to this country for it must
know that if one tIthe of the provocation had
been given to it by English cruisers which our
merchant service has received from its vessels
although without exceeding the strict rights
of war, nothing could have prevented hostili-





time Federal statesmen must be we'll aware oi
the strong motives and deep feelings which
make Engfishmen desire, at any loss to them.
selves, to keep aloof from the American civil
war. They seem, indeed, not only TO know
this feeling, but even to exult in putting it to
trial in a way that may soon becarried too far
The recent language of our ministers in par
| lament, however, has shown that they do moi
contemplate the probability of war. Tie only
! other possible enemy seems to be France; and
/ there certainly are signs that our neighbol
may prove less reluctant to interfere than our.
selves. The Mexican expedition offeRds all
| the traditions of the United States, and there
have been some rumors, as noticed moi
long ago, of a transaction between the En-
peror and the Confederate government. While
we write, we learn also from some of tn,
French official journals, that Admiral Jurier
/ de la Gravierre will return to the Gulf witt
orders to concentrate powerful squadron il
American waters. Whether we have her
the solution Of Mr.. Welless anticipation onl,
time can show; but we may once more rejoic
that we are free from all engagements witt
France in her American policy