Xxxrv.] ON THE AMERICAN BLOCKADE. 865

maintaining these old belligerent rights. In fact we are
governed by men whose ideas have made no progress since
1808—nay, they cling to the ideas of the middle ages |”
“ Manchester, Oct. 25, 1862. ( ,, )—England canbot
 take a step with decency or comsistency, to put an
end to the blockade, until our Government is prepared to
give in their adhesion to the principle of the abolition of
commercial blockades for the future. This our antiquated
Palmerstons and Russells are not willing to do. They have
& gincere faith in the efficacy of commercial blockades as a
belligerent weapon against our enemies. They are ignorant
bhat it is a two-edged sword, which cuts the hand that
wields it—when that hand is England—more than the
object which it strikes. Lords Palmerston and Russell feel
bound to acquiesce in the blockade, and even to find excuses
for it, because they wish to preserve the right for us of
blockading some other power.
“1 am against any act of violence to put an end to the
war. We should not thereby obtain cotton, nor should we
coerce the North. We should only intensify the animosity
between the two sections. Rut I should be glad to see an
appeal made by all Europe to the North to put an end to
the blockade of the South against legitimate commerce, on
the ground of humanity, accompanied with the offer of
making the abolition of commercial blockades the principle
of international law for the future. But this, I repeat, our
own Government will not agree to at present. We have a
battle to fight against our own ruling class in England to
accomplish this reform. I am by no means so sure as
Gladstone that the South will ever be a nation. It depends
on the “ Great West.” If Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana,
Towa, Wisconsin, and Minnesota sustain the President’s
anti-slavery proclamation, there will be no peace which will
leave the mouth of the Mississippi in the hands of an inde-3x


1862.

Tr ER.