The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-02-12 00:00:00

and a want of adequate authority, which must be a
cause of much insecurity to the nation at large, both
in a domestic point of view, and in the maintenance of
friendly relations with foreign powers.
So much for federalism. As to republicanism, all
its lovely features shine out with great brilliancy in
this transaction, from first to last. Only let us retrace
our steps to the commencement, and observe the ad-
vantages of " liberty and equality" in the open and
undisguised preparation by American citizens, within
the American territory, for hostile aggression upon
the people of a country with whom they are, so far as
international law is concerned, at peace. These peace-
able and worthy " free and enlightened citizens" com-
bine with the rebel subjects of a friendly power, and
carry on a system of piracy and marauding against its
loyal and unofrending people. All this is known to
the " authorities," both local and federal ; but no ef-
fective authority do they exercise in the business. And
thus matters proceeded till a reverse of fortune over-
took them—till their " Trojan horse," filled with mu-
nitions of war and armed men, was seized, and, after
it had been evacuated by the live stock, set fire to, and
sent down the falls to seek its fortune.

This is that act of the loyalists of Upper Canada
which has been highly commended in this country,
.but which the American government calls by every
sort of ill name. They have even tried to make a
quarrel with us about it; but they abandoned it as a
bad job, or seemed to do so ; and the affair was almost
forgotten when we received the astounding intelligence
of the arrest of Mr. M'Cleod. Here, then, we disco-
ver many more of the " beauties of republicanism."
It so happens, we believe, that Mr. M'Cleod took
no part whatever in the seizure of the Caroline; but
that is a matter of little consequence, since the act it-
self is one to which no criminality attaches. Our mi-
nisters, it is to be hoped, have by this time forwarded
instructions to our ambassador at Washington of a
sufficiently clear and peremptory character. The oc-
casion is one that calls for a display of vigour and
determination. It must he sliewn by the government
and people at home, that the lives and liberties of the
brave loyalists of Upper Canada are dear to them—
that the value of our possessions in that province are
properly estimated, and that they shall be defended.
No better opportunity for making such a demonstra-
tion could present itself.

The management of the Asylum for the Blind in
this town having been impugned, as will be seen else-
where, by, a writer in a liberal journal, the committee
of the institution lost no time in finding out their ac-
cuser, and in giving him an opportunity to make good
his charges. This person, who wrote under the sig-
nature of " Catholicus "—a title which Papists are
fond of assuming, but without any manner of right—
turned out to be a printer, named Rourke, employed
in the office of the Mercury ; and being specially in-
vited to come forward with his proofs, could not well
refuse the challenge. Accordingly he attended the

committee on a day named, with his witnesses, assisted
by a professional gentleman. Every possible advan-
tage was afforded him, and he received from the com-
mittee not only a fair and impartial, and most patient
hearing, but indulgence and kindness far beyond what,
in our humble opinion, an individual presenting him-
self with such trumpery charges, was by any means
entitled to. And the end of the whole matter was,
that this accuser general, who, however he may figure
in print, or however clever he may be in handling
types, makes a miserably poor figure in attempting to
substantiate his allegations, broke down altogether, and
his case along with him, on the trial. Now this is al-
most universally the result when libels are published
by Papists against Protestant institutions, and the ca-
lumniators are brought to the proof; yet we need not
expect that the system will be discontinued. It affords
too good an opportunity and means to members of the
Romish communion to exercise a sort of surveillance
over Protestant establishments—as they gain a point
in being permitted to overhaul their conduct, though
the immediate result should not be a favourable one.
There is one way, however, of avoiding intrusive med-
dling of this description, and other evils of far greater
moment, and that is by having Protestant institutions
established, and conducted on principles exclusively
and in all respects Protestant. Any departure from
this strict principle, however plausible the excuse for it
may be, or however generous the motive in which it
originated may seem, is invariably attended with un-
foreseen consequences of evil or inconvenience.