The Hillsborough Recorder

HOW STANDS THE FACT.

The Government paper, the Union, of Sunday morning last, publishes conspicuously, the first thing under its editorial head, the following assertion, important if it be true, and calculated, as it certainly is designed, to rouse a reciprocal feeling of unfriendliness in this country:

"Not a steamer arrives in the United States from Europe or the Spanish Colonies which does not bring with it further intimation that the Public Mind, the Press, the Cortes, the Cabinet, and the Colonial Agents of Spain are, if possible, more than ever hostile to this Confederacy."

We demand to know if this declaration is true? As it is not borne out by any public accounts which have reached us from Europe or elsewhere, it can only be founded on information derived through private unofficial channels or through official information received at the Department of State.

Now, we have reason to believe that no despatches have been received from Spain which give any color to the Union's assertion. We believe, further, that the unpublished despatches in the Department of State would contradict the statement, as the lately published despatches themselves do; and that the declaration is only a part of the reckless game to foment a war between the two countries, to subserve party interests, to which we yesterday briefly alluded. If, as we believe, the assertion is false, ought the Secretary of State to suffer such unfounded appeals to party prejudices to go forth in the official paper, apparently with his sanction? Ought he to permit so gross and wicked an imposition on the public credulity? How, let us ask, stands the fact?

We feel the more free to make this demand, inasmuch as the editor of the Government paper very recently informed the public that he had procured access to the despatches in the State Department relating to the Black Warrior case, and it may be supposed by his readers, unless contradicted, that his present declaration of the increased and 'increasing hostility of Spain towards the United States may be drawn also from official evidence on the files of the same Department.

Let the public, then, be authoritatively informed how the case stands, and whether the Government is in possession of any proofs of the truth of a statement so important. If, contrary to all public evidence, and contrary to the strong interest and peculiar motives which Spain has to cultivate the most friendly relations with United States, it shall clearly appear that her Government cherishes a hostile sentiment towards us, and has committed or meditates any wilful insult or aggression on the honor and rights of the country, we beg our bellicose neighbor to believe that we shall be quite as ready to see such hostile acts and purposes repelled by warlike measures as the "Union" itself. Although it is enough to shock any one, who has seen what the miseries and evils of war are, to hear how flippantly it is treated by partisan editors and interested filibusters, yet we very well know that even war is not devoid of counterbalancing considerations; and were a case made out against Spain as clear as that which impelled us to the ultima ratio against the mother country in 1812, we should be as ready as we were then to see our country make the same solemn appeal to arms; but never for the base purpose of wresting from a feeble neighbor a valuable property which we may covet.

Nat. Intelligencer.