The North-Carolina standard., 1841-05-19

I
war. The presses throughout the rest of the
Union, even the Federal presses maintain, in
general, becoming tone of patriotic spirit.
They vlndicate the rights and honor of their
country from impudent foreign misrepresena-
ton, and contemplated foreign aggression. 1t is
disgrace to US, that from the seat OF Govern
ment. and from those cities which chiefly COM
municate to other nations. through their news
papers, what is supposed to be the sentiment of
the American people, opinions about the qnes-
tlons of Mcleod and the Northeastern bounda-
ry should be promul gated. which are entirely at
variance with the well known sentiments that
every where prevail. except in places in. which
the letters of respectable banking houses in
London" are regarded as the best expositions OF
the law of nations. and their reflections as TO the
stigma" which q" rabble citizens" upon their
country in seeking to punish set of murderous
marauders, are considered as the true test Of ci-
villZed manners and national self respect
We expect shortly to paragraphs of the
same sort on the two remaining questions which,
seems from the documents communicated 10
Congress, are held. as yet, somewhat more IN
peuO by Great Britain, for the purpose no doubt,
of exemplfying still more fully. and in due sea-
son. to the people of the United States, her ac-
curate Interpretation of the law of nations.
and her profound sense of the obligations of lrea-
| ties. When the time is ri pc TO break up the
whole of our commerce with the coast of Ari-
ca and with Brazil and much of that " hich
so profitably enjoy with the West InCies,
shall probably be told that "opinion is generally
against u.s. for protecting our ships from the as
sumed right Of visitation and search; and that 1t
will be ga stigma on a country protesting civil
lization" not to indulge British cruisers in the
phiIanthropic practice of performing the part of
police officers for us upon the ocean-klndly
bringing home American vessels and crews for
violations OF our own laws, and still more kind
ly overhauling their papers at sea, to ascertain
whether onr captains and custom-houses have
properly obeyed our acts Of Congress. When,
by a sufficient prelude Of petty annoyances in
the Gut Of Canso and of the coast OF Nova SrotIa,
a sufficient degree of doubt and augmentation
shall have been thrown over the provisions of Il
treaty under which our hardy Yankee fisher
men have pursued their fishing voyages in the
Northern gulfs and bays for more than half
century, we shall then probably be told, by some
respectable banking house in London" that it
is very painful to be placed in a state Of doubt
and apprehension" on this point, and that it will
be better for US to "acquiesce in a liberal COM
promise with Great Britain, whose assent can
not be doubted"
I II there be people more than another, in
modern times. whose intercourse with others.
from the day it entered in.o the family OF ma
tons, has been governed by the strictest adher-
ence in fair and candid spirit to its own obli-
cations, and to those imposed by international
law, it is the United States 1t has been their
part over and over again to resist the impudent
perversions OF both, which have governed the
conduct towards them OF other countries. and es-
pecialy of Great Britain. Ii was the clear and
resistess argument. the prompt and spirited pa
trioism, OF MADISON. exposing as they did the
false and selfish constructions of national law, |
and the rights OF neutras, that endeared him,
previously to the last war. to his Republican
countrymen They gained for him, in an equal
degree the hatred ana abuse o. the PATRIOTS of
those days, who then, now, doubtless learned
their doctrines of honor and Of law, from ere
spectable London bankers" The same sordid
spirits are now to be found. We trust, for the
pride and character of our country, that those
who are now the organs of our national deter
minaton will resist their evil omens and sugges-
tions-will display the same just and fearless
spirit that was displayed in the days Of JEFFER-
SON and MADISON There is not one solitary
point involved in the questions now depending
between America and Great Britain. in which
we are not in the right. There is not single
step that has been taken, from which we should
or can retreat without foul dishonor TO the Amer
lean reputation and name. We can prove
Great Britain in the wrong" according 10 all
the principles that govern nations who are not
her vassas or her slaves. We do not believe
that she means 10 60 to war. 1t is her interest
and her desire 10 gam our leIIIoIE' W grippe
our commerce, and to excite domestic differences
among US, so far as these be done by bully
ING and threats. Her newspapers will announce
the despatch of "ten sail OF the line'-her ere
specialize London bankers" will inform us that
it does not "suit their views to have more out
standing transactions" with us-"opinion' will
be largely manufactured against US by her pres
ses, her merchants. and her fanatics; but if we
are true 10 ourselves, our character, and our
rights, there will be no war. The achievements
of the British Lion, in his two previous Conflicts
are not such to inspire any very confident fore
bodings of success. IF in one, with three mil
lions of population. and in the other with eight
he was driven from the ocean and from our shores
with humiliation and disgrace, it needs no spirit
of prophecy to forete to foresee the probable
event of contest with America, increased as
she now is in every element of military strength.
We know it is the fashion with the Federalists
to talk about our want Of preparation, and the
terrible disasters that to befaIi u.s. These
are idle and disreputable tales. Never was this
country better able to enter into any contest ne
cessary to seltprotection or honor than she now
is. There is scarcely harbor that is not we'll
nrotected hv an immense Store of