interference.

It is surprising that Earl Russell should intimate his dissatisfaction
that we have been less quick to offence from France than from England.
The reason why we should not, in his opinion, feel so is the very reason
why we should. He thinks, because our relations have been more intimate
with England, because we speak the same language and inherit the same
Anglo-Saxon genius, that therefore we should be more patient with her.
But these circumstances seem to us to aggravate the treatment we have
received at her hands. It has appeared to us unnatural that a nation so
identified with us should mistrust us, and embrace every occasion to
slight us where they could safely do so. The closer the tie, the deeper
the wound. Besides, despite the common ground upon which England and
America have stood, the past bequeaths us little grudge against France,
much against England. France was the patron, England the bitter enemy,
of our national infancy. Our arms have never closed with those of
France; we have fought England twice, and virulently. Our diplomatic
intercourse with England has been a series of misunderstandings; that
with France has been, in general, harmonious. In later times, French
essayists and journalists have been tolerant of our faults, and eloquent
over our virtues; and not a little good feeling has been produced among
our educated classes by the fairness and acuteness with which one of the
greatest of modern Frenchmen, De Tocqueville, has considered our
institutions. On the other hand, the English press and the English
Parliament have been outspoken in their contempt of America; and the
offence has been enhanced by the peculiarly insulting terms in which the
feeling has been expressed. Such facts cannot but intensify our chagrin
at finding that power which we had always regarded as our companion in
the march of modern progress ill-disposed to sympathy now in the time of
our trouble.

Mr. Seward has well expressed our attitude towards England in a few
words:--"The whole case may be summed up in this. The United States
claim, and they must continually claim, that in this war they are a
whole sovereign nation, and entitled to the same respect, as such, that
they accord to Great Britain. Great Britain does not treat them as such
a sovereign, and hence all the evils that disturb their intercourse and
endanger their friendship. Great Britain justifies her course, and
perseveres. The United States do not admi