One of the reasons
The capture of the
California steamer
Ariel by the redoubtable '290,' on the 7th of December, produced a profound sensation in New York commercial circles, and caused
marine insurance to rise 100 per cent. If a single vessel can do all this mischief, what might not a whole squadron of privateers propelled by steam effect?
We have no doubt this consideration has had a great influence in proscribing the course adopted by the
British Government in relation to this war.
Palmerston and
Russell are afraid to risk the vast commerce of
England which is always afloat, and which would be exposed to a swarm of
Yankee privateers in the event of war. From this consideration they have made
England eat her own words, entered upon record in the most solemn manner, and caused her to descend from the first rank among the nations to the level of
Hanover or Hesee Cessol.
The treaty of
Paris solemnly stipulated that a blockade, to be respected, must be effective, and
Palmerston himself afterwards explained what was meant by an effective blockade to mean a blockade which kept out all vessels except such as had permission to enter.
If so many as three vessels entered without asking leave, the blockade was not effectual, and could not claim respect.
In this war, instead of three, we should suppose that more than three hundred had run the blockade.
Yet such is the terror with which
Seward has inspired
Russell that he dare not follow out the avowed doctrine of
England.
A vast deal was said in
England about the blockade by a nation of her own ports.
Now, though
Charleston and
Savannah are not ports of the
Yankee nation, yet they hold them to be so, and thus holding, cannot take advantage of their own wrong by blockading them.
Yet they are doing it, and the
Government of
Great Britain dare not object to it. It is the fear that the
Yankees will declare war and depredate upon her commerce.
The name of
Russell is an illustrious one in the canals of
Great Britain.
Yet it is remarkable, that exactly one hundred years ago the
Duke of
Bedford, the great grandfather of Lord Russell, made a treaty with
France, after the successful war of that day, which disgraced
Great Britain in the eyes of all foreign nations.
He was accused of having been bribed by a writer of the day, and the charge was repeated by
Junius several years afterwards.
Whether it was true or not it is probably too late to inquire.
But it is not necessary to account for his disgracing his country by supposing that he was bribed.
He was of the same nature with his descendant.
He loved peace and power, and would descend to anything to obtain it, as his descendant now allies himself with Bright and
Cobden for the same purpose.
Both were eminently successful in degrading their country; and, beyond this, neither was eminent for anything else.
It is a little remarkable, that the exact return of one hundred years should find Lord Russell doing precisely what his great grandfather was doing at the commencement of that period.
