Each May Have Been
Guided By A Just And Noble Feeling, Though Each Was Brought To Its
Present Condition By Bad Government And Dishonest Statesmen.
There can be no doubt that, since the commencement of the war the
American feeling against England has been very bitter.
All
Americans to whom I spoke on the subject admitted that it was so.
I, as an Englishman, felt strongly the injustice of this feeling,
and lost no opportunity of showing, or endeavoring to show, that
the line of conduct pursued by England toward the States was the
only line which was compatible with her own policy and just
interests and also with the dignity of the States government. I
heard much of the tender sympathy of Russia. Russia sent a
flourishing general message, saying that she wished the North might
win, and ending with some good general advice proposing peace. It
was such a message as strong nations send to those which are
weaker. Had England ventured on such counsel, the diplomatic paper
would probably have been returned to her. It is, I think, manifest
that an absolute and disinterested neutrality has been the only
course which could preserve England from deserved rebuke - a
neutrality on which her commercial necessity for importing cotton
or exporting her own manufactures should have no effect. That our
government would preserve such a neutrality I have always insisted;
and I believe it has been done with a pure and strict disregard to
any selfish views on the part of Great Britain. So far I think
England may feel that she has done well in this matter. But I must
confess that I have not been so proud of the tone of all our people
at home as I have been of the decisions of our statesmen. It seems
to me that some of us never tire in abusing the Americans, and
calling them names for having allowed themselves to be driven into
this civil war. We tell them that they are fools and idiots; we
speak of their doings as though there had been some plain course by
which the war might have been avoided; and we throw it in their
teeth that they have no capability for war. We tell them of the
debt which they are creating, and point out to them that they can
never pay it. We laugh at their attempt to sustain loyalty, and
speak of them as a steady father of a family is wont to speak of
some unthrifty prodigal who is throwing away his estate and
hurrying from one ruinous debauchery to another. And, alas! we too
frequently allow to escape from us some expression of that
satisfaction which one rival tradesman has in the downfall of
another. "Here you are with all your boasting," is what we say.
"You were going to whip all creation the other day; and it has come
to this! Brag is a good dog, but Holdfast is a better. Pray
remember that, if ever you find yourselves on your legs again."
That little advice about the two dogs is very well, and was not
altogether inapplicable.
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