The Sun.
London, England, 1829-05-08 00:00:00

QIEEN.SQUARE

FRAUD.—Two men, named Groves end Warby, coal-
dealers of Fleet-street, Bethnal-green, were charged with
fraud. The prisoners, who hawk coals about the streets,
called at the residence of Mrs. Wall, in Stafford-row,
Buckingham-gate, and offered to sell her some coals for
one shilling per bushel. Mrs. Wall agreed to purchase
nineteen bushels and a-half at that price, which they
measured in their cart, and then conveyed them into
Mrs. Wall's cellar. A person named Marsham, who was
up to the tricks of trade, observed them measuring the
coals; and, instead of putting them into the sack, he saw
they threw them over the sides. He gave information
of the circumstance to Mrs. Wall, and the coals were
remea.sured, and produced only seven bushels. The
prisoners said in their defence that it was all a mistake.
—They were committed for the fraud.

PRIVATE CORRESPONDENCE.

NEW YORK, MARCH 28.—1 t will be recollected

that about two years and a half since, the republics
of Mexico, Colombia, and Central America, invited
the President of the United States to send plenipo-
tentiaries to a general congress of the representatives
of all the American nations, to be held at Panama.
Envoys were in consequence appointed by him : they
proceeded no further than Mexico, the congress at
Panama-having adjourned to meet again at Tuca-
baya ; but this adjourned meeting never took place,
and the envoys of the United States returned home,
after a perfectly fruitless journey. The instructions
given to them have just been made public by the late
President, and as they relate to objects materially
connected with the views- and interests of Great
Britain, a short notice of them will probably engage
attention.

Amid a great many professions of disinterested-
ness, of an ardent desire to promote the welfare of
the American continent, it is easy to discover in
these instructions the insidious policy which has
long actuated the Government of the United States,
vaunts of their power with an inward conviction of
their real weakness, a profusion of philanthropic
sentiments to conceal their sole aim, their own
advantage.
Eminently commercial as are the people of the
United States, their trade with the Southern Re-
publics is_ already very important to them, and, con-
trasting their roc and characteristic advantages with
those of the SotAern Republics, it is not unreason-
able for the Northern States to look forward to
the period when the carrying trade of the southern,
and the most advantageous branches of Commerce,
shall chiefly centre in their
.hands. The only rival
that they apprehend is Great Britain, and they par-
ticularly fear that she, by her power, influence, and
activity, may obtain from the New States some ex.
elusive commercial privileges which will counterba-
lance the natural advantages the United States pos-
sess. It is under this apprehension that the envoys
to Panama are instructed to say, that the Southern
Republics " ought to reject all propositions founded
upon the principle of a concession of perpetual com-
mercial privileges to any foreign power. The grant
of such privileges is incompatible with their actual
and absolute independence. It would partake of the
spirit, and bring back in form the state of ancient
colonial connexion." And further, to propose "That
no American nation shall grant any favours in cora-
-1 merce or navigation to any foreign power whatever,
either upon this or any other continent which shall
not extend to every other American nation. And,
secondly, that whatever may be imported from any
foreign country into any one American nation, or
exported from it, in its own vessels, may in like
manner be imported into or exported from the same
nation in the vessels of every other American na-
tion, the vessel, whether national or foreign, and the
cargo paving, in both instances, exactly the same
duties and charges, and no other whatever." It will
be superfluous to point out how very advantageous
these principles, if adopted, would be to the trade
and navigation of the United States : it is curious
to follow the President in his reasons in support
of them,—that President, who it will be re-
collected, recommended and approved the Ta-
riff law. He foresees that " the Southern Re-
publics may object that their marine is yet
in its infancy, that ours (that of the United States)
has made great advances, and that they cannot be
prepared for this reciprocal liberty until they have
made some further progress in establishing theirs.
But how is that to be remedied ?—by a system
which aim at engrossment ?" Oh, no. "If the
new states would build up for themselves powerful
marinO, tries must seek for their elements, not in a
narrow and contracted legislation, but in the abun-
dance of their materials for ship-building, the skill
of their artisans, and the cheapness of their manu-
factures,—in the number of their seamen and their
hardy and enterprising character, formed by exposure
in every branch of sea-faring life, by adventures in
every ocean, and invigorated by a liberal, cheerful,
and fearless competition with foreign powers." All
this is vastly well, and probably true; but why not
apply the same reasoning to manufactures in the
United States ? May it not with equal justice be
said, " that if the United States would build up for
themselves an extensive manufacturing system, they
must seek for its elements, not in a narrow and
contracted legislation, but in the abundance and ex-
cellence of their materials for manufactures, the skill
of their artisans, and the cheapness of their manu-
factures,—In the number of their workmen, and the
consequent low puce of labour,—in their laborious
character and knowledge acquired in every branch
of manufacture, adapted to every market; invigorated
by capital, and by a liberal, cheerful, and fearless
competition with foreign nations ?" Another proof
of the sensitiveness of the United States on the
subject of exclusive privileges granted to other
nations may be found in the instructions given in
regard to Hayti. The President says, that should a
recognition of the independence of Hayti be pro-
posed at the Congress, he does not think it would
be proper to accede to it, because that island has
a rate' of duty one-half below that which
agreed to receive for ever the produce of France,
atis
exacted, from all other nations.
The envoys are further instructed ". to propose
the adoption of those maritime. principles for which
the United States have ever contended, and eape-
daily throughout the whole period of the late Euro-

, •

pean wars." These are stated to be " the abolition
of war against private property and non-combatants
upon the odealy;" -and' if fhiii la Mt- lieCOdtillo;tfien,
"-chat free ships shall make free goods."-, The Pre-
-1 sident might have added, that however much the
United States may have contended for these prin-
ciples, they have not been very successful in pro.
curing their adoption, and it is very natural they
should not have been, for they are only urged be=
cause they would be highly advantageous to the
United States. The President may talk as he does
of the two great maritime Powers, Great Britain
and the United States, but close observers know,
that as a maritime power, there are none in Europe
pretending to the name that are not far superior to
the United States. -A maritime power that has in
commission one 74, four 44's, eleven 18-gun 'sloops,
and four 12-gun sloops,- cannot be very imposing,.
particularly ‘ehen.its revenue solely depends on its:
foreign commerce, which. a war with another marl-:
time power would destroy, and thus prevent its in-
creasing materially its strength. No delusion can be.
greater than that which generally exists in regard to.
the power of the United States. Fully competent
to repel aggressions on their own territory, they are
incapable of waging war beyond it, or of carrying.
on a war of conquest. The nature of their institu-
tions, the character of their population, absolutely ,
forbid it. lam not prepared to say that this state
of things is to be deprecated; but let the people ofi
the United States be satisfied with the substantial
benefits they enjoy, and not have the silly vanity to
lay claim to military prowess.
To return to the embassy at Panama. The Pre-
sident next gives insti uctions to his envoys of rather
a singular nature. It is to propose that a declara-
tion should be made by ail the American nations,
" that no European power ought to be allowed to
plant colonies on this continent"—a declaration
which he says with a good deal of self-complacency,
" they should rest in confidence would command
universal deference." Notwithstanding all the ver-
biage employed by the President, it is very evident ,
he has only in view that part of the shores of the
Pacific Ocean where there are some conflicting
claims of Russia, Great Britain, and the United
States, and in spite of the importance he attaches to
this joint declaration, I doubt much whether it will
have any effect with either of these powers. He
asks, " what would Europe think of an American
attempt to plant a colony there ?" They would
certainly think it very extraordinary,---probably, that
the natural order of things was reversed; but I am
sure they would never think of preventing it by such ,
a joint declaration as is here recommended.
The President lastly adverts to the situation of

the islands of Cuba and Porto Rico. These islands
surpass in extent and productiveness all the British
West Indies. New plantations are daily formed in
them, and the inhabitants are all growing rich :
they owe these advantages to the facility and ex-
tent of their slave-trade. The United States carry
on with them a more important and lucrative com-
merce than with any other country; and as matters
cannot be more favourably situated to the United
States than they are at present, the President of
course desires that no change should take place. He
opposes it by a Jesuitical kind of reasoning on a par
with that which pervades the whole of this state
paper. "If Cuba had the ability of maintaining an
independent self-government, we (the United: States)
should prefer to see it in that state," but it had
not; and were it able to break its connection with
Spain, the slave population would be dangerous to
the white, and to those parts of the United States
to which it is adjacent. A guaranteed independence
is next inquired into, but this is also inadmissible,
because who were to be the guaranteeing powers ?
Here England is again the bugbear. Lastly, its
conquest by, and annexation to, Colombia or Mexico.
This the President particularly disapproves; and to
dissuade those republics from the attempt, dwells
on the strength of the fortifications, the forces of
Spain in the island, and says, that to preserve these
last possessions of Spain, there is reason to believe,
' that if she should not be openly assisted by any of
the European Powers, she may receive from them
covert but irresponsible aid. He, in addition,
directs the envoys to state, that the United States
have too much at stake in the fortunes of Cuba, to
allow them to see with indifference a war of inva-
sion. Thus, had Colombia or Mexico the power
(which they have nut) of dispossessing their enemy
from a position whence he continually annoys them,
they are not to be permitted to do it, because it
would clash with the interests of the United States.
What becomes of the credit to which the United
States lay claim for having been the first to acknow-
ledge the independence of the Southern republics ?
Was not their situation formerly precisely the same
as that of the islands in question is now, with
this sole difference—that from the southern con-
tinent the flag of the United States was strictly ex-
cluded by thejealous restrictions of the Spanish Go-
vernment—that in the islands it is admitted tinder
every advantage ?
It is proper to add, that the instructions above
alluded to were long withheld from general publica-
tion. It vas only the day preceding that on which
Mr. Adams quitted his official duties, that he then,
" from a sense of justice to the Government from
which they emanated," availed himself of the last
opportunity he would have of making them known.

SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE.