In their intercourse with our Government, they have
illustrated the effect which events have had on their policy.
The course pursued by our Government seems to us to present a favorable
contrast to that pursued by Great Britain. The United States has always
manifested an anxiety to preserve amity. But the effort to preserve
amity has been dignified. We have claimed to be treated as a friendly
sovereign State. We have urged that the war should be regarded by
foreign powers as the rightful exercise of a complete nationality to
suppress insurrection. That the insurgents should be put upon a par with
the Government, that they should enjoy the benefits of an established
system, that they should have every right and every immunity as if the
quarrel were between equal powers, has seemed to us a fallacy tinctured
with deep prejudice. That feeling has been courteously, but firmly
represented by our ministers. Since it pleased the European courts to
proclaim their neutrality, we have borne the injustice temperately, and
have confined our demands to our rights under that _status_. When the
conduct of Great Britain has been of so irritating a nature as to
produce universal indignation throughout the community, our statesmen
have moderated the popular anger, and have remonstrated patiently as
well as firmly.
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