Will England recognize the Independence of the Southern Confederacy?
The London Economist has a long article beginning, ‘"Will England recognize the independence and sovereignty of the new State?"’ to which it replies: ‘"The natural and spontaneous answer is, of course, in the affirmative."’ The main difficulty it seems to anticipate is that the South may not consider itself bound by existing treaties to desist from the slave trade. It will see soon by the action already taken by the seceding States that no such difficulty need be anticipated. The Economist adds: ‘"Apart from this perplexing question, we see no reason for anticipating that a severance of the Union, once effected peaceably and without catastrophe, will be in any way injurious to Great Britain. On the contrary, we are not sure that it may not indirectly be rather beneficial than otherwise."’
