42 MATTHEW FONTAINE MAURY 



Africa in the endeavor to suppress the slave trade. He 

 was against according this right to England because of 

 the temptation to use the power involved in an arbitrary 

 manner greatly to the injury of American commerce, and 

 he was of the opinion that it was merely an attempt, un- 

 der the pretext of supporting the "Christian League" or 

 Quintuple Alliance, to revive the old claim of England's 

 right to violate sailors' rights and the freedom of the seas, 

 principles fought for in the War of 1812. He referred, 

 in passing, to the tense feeling against Great Britain on 

 account of the Maine Boundary dispute, and the desire, 

 on the part of many, even for war. "On the contrary", 

 he wrote, "I should view a war between the United 

 States and Great Britain as one of the greatest calamities, 

 except a scourge direct from the hand of God, that could 

 befall my country". But he added, "In the navy, there 

 is but one sentiment and one feeling on this subject ; it is, 

 avert war, honorably if you can ; if not, let it come : right 

 or wrong, the stars and stripes shall not be disgraced on 

 the ocean". 



He too was opposed to the slave trade, and thought 

 that the United States would be glad to cooperate with 

 Great Britain and furnish warships for the purpose ; but 

 he doubted the sincerity of England, and referred point- 

 edly to the "hosts of murdered Chinese who prefer 

 instant death at the mouth of British cannon to the slow 

 poison of a British drug", — the opium that was at that 

 time being forced upon them by the British government. 

 His conclusion was this: "When the British government 

 shall cease to sell its captured slaves — when it shall 

 abandon its intrigues for the right of search which has 

 done the Africans so much more harm than good — and 

 shall advocate some such practical plan as this (coopera- 



