Jonathan and John Bull-Pent-up wrath
The people of the
South, who know the
Yankees well, and perfectly understand the men who now guide their affairs, know that neither they nor their Government will ever make reparation, apology, or atonement, when the demand for either is not backed by the power to enforce it. Does any man with sense enough to keep out of the fire believe that
Mason and
Slidell would have been surrendered to a demand from
Mexico or
Portugal, or
Denmark?
Would the tiger voluntarily surrender the fawn?--or the hyena his exhumed food?--or the anaconda the victim within his folds?
Neither would the
Yankee restore anything ill gotten, or atone for any outrage unless coerced to do so by a force superior to any he can exert.
Very naturally be becomes the lasting enemy of any who may extort restitution or amendment from him. He cannot brook the deprivation of his gratifications either of his malice or his selfishness.
Therefore when the
Yankee Government gave up
Messrs. Mason and
Slidell--whose fates it had prefigured and gloated over with a brutal satisfaction like that enjoyed by the Cyclop over the victims in his cave — it gave them up with smothered wrath and in ward promises of revenge upon the power that demanded them.
From that day the
Government and the people of the
North have been storing up wrath for the
English nation.
What boots it that they are permitted without restriction to obtain in
England everything they desire — arms, ammunition, and all the materials of war?
What matters it that
England time and again protests her neutrality and submits her vessels to the terms of a Yankee blockade which is not in the law
England herself has set up, a legal one?
She gets no credit for her professions, and her respect of the blockade is attributed to fear of the
Yankees on the sea. If the
Confederates get a gun from
England by all the dangers of the blockade, it is added to the account against the
British.
If our Government buys up an old boat from an Englishman and mans her with brave men to fret and damage the commerce of the
Yankees, it is entered in their anti British memorabilia as a grievance that nothing short of the overthrow of the
British Government will atone for!
In short ever since the war they have been storing up malice against the
English for a future day. Their press and their public men are continually muttering the thunders of this prospective storm.
We have man indirect way — via
Hamilton,
Bermuda — received an article on this subject copied from
Harper's Weekly, a well known exponent of Northern sentiment, most extensively sustained and read by Northern people.
It expresses more exactly the views and policy of the
Yankees in their relations with
Great Britain than any article we have seen.
We invite attention to it:
There has never been a time when hatred of the
English was so deep or so wide spread as it is at present.
There has never been a period at which war with
England could have been more generally welcomed than at present — if we were free to engage in a foreign war.
Yet we do not believe that war imminent.--We cannot afford the luxury.
The struggle in which we are engaged taxes all our resources, and to carry it safely through to a successful issue will require our undivided energies.
For this reason we do not anticipate that our Government will declare war against
England — though it has ample ground for doing so; or will even declare an embargo, or seize British property to recompense our ship owners for the losses they are suffering through the piratical acts of British vessels.
Our one just now is to suffer everything from foreigners for the sake of concentrating our whole force on the suppression of the rebellion.
When this is done, we shall have time to devote to our foreign enemies.
So soon as the restoration of the
Union has been achieved, we look to see energetic measures adopted by the
Government for the settlement of accounts with
England.
We expect to see every man who has lost a dollar by the depredations of the
Alabama paid in full, with interest, by the
British Government.--The amount can always be collected in the port of New York.
Half a dozen British steamers and a score of British ships seized and aid at auction by the United States Marshal would go far to make a balance.
And when
England next goes to war let her look out for retaliation.
Though her antagonist be only some Hottentot chief, the ocean shall bristle with American cruisers bearing his flag, and
England may rely on it, that for every peaceful American trader that has been burned during this war by British pirates, ten British vessels will then be destroyed.
The next war in which
England engages will be the end of her foreign commerce.
We mistake our countrymen greatly, if, at the end of twelve months, they leave a ship bearing the
British flag afloat in any sea from the
German Ocean to Behring's Straits.
We do not suppose that these terrible threats — these promised revenges postponed to a
convenient season--will disturb the equanimity of
John Bull.
He is not easily disturbed.
He, too, has interests which sometimes induce him to smother as well as postpone wrath.
He will likely, influenced by this policy, continue to be neutral — continue to flout Southerners, set watches upon their agents, and increase the difficulties of their intercourse with their friends abroad, and also continue his explanations and protestations of neutrality to the
Yankees.
In the matter of Yankee revenge
John Bull may rest assured that it will be indulged economically and profitably.--
Harper's foreshadowed piratical co-operation with the "Hottentot Chief" presents the war of the
Yankees on
England in a form altogether agreeable to them.
It is the general robbery and spoil of a very rich commerce which would pay very well.
So let the
British look out!
If they get into trouble with a Hottentot they had better, in advance, buy up his brother barbarians of the
North by paying them all their losses by Alabamas and Floridas, and add enough of gold to heal their wounded honor and appease their indignant and virtuous wrath before they proclaim war with their immediate antagonist.
If they do not, they will be universally robbed and pillaged until they will be commercially and financially ruined.
If
Mr. Bull knows the value of a bribe, he could never employ one more profitably than in such a case with the
Yankees.