We have published recently two important pieces of news bearing upon the relations of
England and the
United States. One of them — the notice of the permit given by
Mr. Adams, U. S. Minister, to a ship proceeding to
Matamoras with a cargo of arms and ammunition for the Mexicans in their war with the
French, and the comments of the
British press thereon — and the other that of the seizure of the ship
Alexandria, at
Liverpool, on suspicion that she was intended for the
Confederate service.
Connecting these two events, the inference is fair that they are to compose and settle all possible disturbance that might originate from either between the
Lion and Whatever sort of animal he be who is now a denizen of the
White House at
Washington.
The pass of the
U. S. Minister to the ship conveying arms to
Matamoras, while the blockading vessels of his Government were arresting English vessels bound to the same port, on the allegation that they were engaged in trade with the
Confederate States, was an insult which the
British could not brook.--Of course they fired up at it, and declared that in no case could they submit to the humiliation of asking of the
Minister a ticket of leave to enter a Mexican port. "English merchants," says the
Times, "cannot go as suppliants to foreign Ministers to transact business."
Mr. Adams, Yankee like, while he was very anxious to help along the Mexicans by giving safe conduct to their arms and ammunition to fight the
French, wished to do it
covertly, and not to provoke the ire of
England by the act. He was also, Yankee like, exceedingly "chagrined at the publication of his letter." No doubt of it.
Opportunely, however, the way for an amiable adjustment is at hand.
Great Britain, through her Ministers, will require of
Mr. Adams an explanation and back out from the "pass;" but
Mr. Adams will be saved from any humiliation from the fact by the contemporaneous act of seizing the
Alexandria in compliance with his impudent demand that the
British Government should allow no vessel suspected to be destined for the rebel service to leave her ports.
Could there be a more amicable and mutual settlement of threatening difficulties?
As
Mr. Laird said in Parliament, there is no difference in principle in furnishing one belligerent with a ship and another with guns and powder and saltpetre.
But Lords Palmerston and
Russell, in the language of their great countryman will, no doubt, "like scurvy politicians seem to see the things" they "dost not."
Meantime, of this quarrelling and embracing of the lion, and the whatever he is of the
White House, let us continue to whip the
Yankees and we shall shape diplomacy to our own taste ultimately.
