st as little my wish to cast odium on the English Government
as on Mr. Mandeville. Its foreign policy in other parts of the world
has been wise, dignified, and honest, and all that is asked is that it
will act on the same principles in this transaction. No one can doubt
that it is sincerely desirous of restoring peace in the River Plate.
The reason which Sir Robert Peel gives for the non-fulfilment of Mr.
Mandeville's promises is that he had exceeded his orders in giving
them. That there was a mistake somewhere or other cannot be doubted,
though whether it arose from want of explicitness in the directions
given to Mr. Mandeville or from want of comprehension on his part no
one is in a position to decide, except those who have seen them. What,
however, is perfectly clear is this, that the promises given by him to
the Monte Videan Government and the assurances given by him to his own
countrymen have had a most important influence on their conduct, and
have so far compromised the British Government as to add greatly to
the other many and strong reasons for interposing. It is no longer a
question of whether an independent Government, formed under the
mediation of England shall be sacrificed, and along with it the peace
which it has so long been the means of preserving between two of the
most important states of South America, neither is it a mere question
of whether the commercial intercourse with the finest regions of that
great continent shall be carried on without impediment; it is not now
even a question of whether a friendly Government shall be destroyed
and all connected with it ruined; these considerations, great as they
are, yield to the consideration that the honour of this country has
been pledged by its authorized representative, and that promises have
been given which cannot be violated without deep disgrace to the
hitherto unsullied honour of the English name.

* * * * *

POSTSCRIPT.--Since the above observations were written, explanations
have been given by the Prime Minister in Parliament which encourage us
to hope that her Majesty's Ministers have at last decided to fulfil
the promises made by their late representative Mr. Mandeville, by
taking effectual steps to terminate the war, and to secure the
independence of the Republic of Uruguay. They have only to speak the
word, and to make such a display of force as will show that they are
in earnest, and Monte Video is saved. Admi