New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1843-06-10
THE TRIBUNE.
Tie rlDHHe.
s.;1ure Of the Sandwich Islands. and the
General Policy of England.

Can any thing be more cruel and unjust than
the late seizure by France and England of the
Marouesas and Sandwich Islands These insu-
lar nations have just emerged, under the influence
principally of American Commerce, and the efforts
ri American missionaries, from barbarism to CIV
;,;za,on and Christianity; and their reward is to
be rapaciously seized and appropriated by two ma
tons boasting of their love OF Peace and their
sense of Justice Was there ever more undis-
gused hypocrisy and robbery Towards each
other these mastiffs, endowed with nearly equal
strength, are respectful and forbearing. They
shun an encounter where much may be lost and
nothing gained, but spring with unrestrained fe-
rocity upon those whose weakness renders them
incapable Of resistance. Some tri1ing afiront to
one Of their Consus, probably as grasping and
oyerbearing as the countries they represent and
they proceed at once to denaionalzc the unresi,t-
ing offender. And pray, what is TO become of
American rights and interests, while England and
France arc coonlzing the world If we make
commercial treaties with them, TO take their goods
for our produce, will they consent to throw open
their colonies to our trade upon the same terms
Oh no that would be contrary to their system.
We may trade with England, but England alone
can trade with her colonies If England wants
Free Trade if she is in favor of Free Trade, If
Free Trade is right, why does she not allow Free
Trade to those who are under her protection. But
she does not want Free Trade, and Free Trade
is no further right than it suits her purposes and
interest If she can close the ports of any place
on earth, except 10 her own trade, she does 1t; If
she cannot close them, she is willing to negotiate
for reciprocity.
How Illuminating is the present condition of
America Scarcely the second commercial ma
tor in the world, she is obliged from constltu-
real, and internal division, to stand quietly by,
and sec not only her commercial allies, but her
own commercial offspring, devoured by her
mighty rivals. But this is not the worst Of it
while England has violence for the powcrless,
she has the arts Of deception, persuasion and cor
Tuptpn for the strong. If she wants part of
our territory, after we have had it in our own I'M
questioned possession for more than thirty years
under plain and unalnbiguous treaty, she does
not hesitate to claim it, while she has in her Sc
cret custody the clearest and fullest proof that
she has no right to it and she pcrsevcrcs in her
demand until favorable moment arrives for It's
surrender. And when we give it up, ii is glo-
rioas compromise, equally honorable to both the
high contracting parties AS soon as we begin
10 emerge from the colonial vassalage in which
she had bound US, and to throw off the colonial
chains which for ages she was engaged in forging
for us, and to manufacture our own wearing APP
pare, she tells us she is willing to relax in our
favor those laws by which she has SO long star
we'd her own people, rather than have them fed
by gs. Her time has arrived for a commercial
treaty with us. She can 10 longer supply us
with her manufactures unless there is some reel
procily, and this is the hope with which she now
begins to cajo!c US. Her Arkwrights have been
making ont of us forty millions Of dollars by sup
plying us with their cotton goods. But our Ark
wughts are beginning to beat hers. Under these
circumstances she is willing to take our Indian
corn which nobody eats in England, or any
thing else, which she docs not want, or which
Will not pay freight, ii VIC will take her manu-
features, which we Go not want, and upon which
lae lreigas, compared with the yalpe, is merely
nominal.
A politician among the ancicnts averrcd that
he could take any city into which he could IN
troduce an ass laden with gold. And although
Athens had many great men and pretended pa
triots, Demosthenes was the only one amongst
them who could withstand corruption, The rest
all fell before the arts Of Philip, and Athens fell
with them. Human nature is Interchangeable. and
what occurred at Athens will happen TO America
Our great men like hers have appeu,es and wants
which gold alone can crafty and supply yet
Athens had nothing to fear except from her own
CITIZENS. The world is covered with the SUBJECTS
Of England, ever attached to their native land,
and pcrferring her interests before those OF any
other Under the liberal policy and fraternal feel
ing towards them which prevails here they are a
part Of our community, and their opinions enter
largely into, and go TO constitute, public OPINION.
Were there other division among US. this alone,
c9nsidering their influence on others, IN addition
70 their own weight, would destroy all apparent
uhanmty, upon any question where the interests
OF England are in conflict with our own.
sABut unfortunately, party spirit in this country
Eas q late years taken sides Gpon all great qucs
tons which divide and agitate the community
and FIT canEot find sides 10 take, it makes them.
IN iol6, and long after, MIR Calhoun and the
Democratic party went for and passed highly
protective tariff. There was then no strong rea-
son Tor 1t, for there was little to protect. But the
capital of the country, following the direction
mus gwen 10 1t, sought investment IN manuiac-
lures, and has created vast national interest.
really worthy of protection, and which any ma
ton but America would protect at every hazard
nut time has rolled on, and parties have changed
mar opinions. dir. Calhoun and the Democrat
party seem now TO think it for their interest TO
oppose all that savors of protection. The tariff
Sd not carry Mr. Calhoun to the Presidency, and
ne now trying free trade. Politicians find tina,
that elevated prize cannot be reached ualess by
Creating some mighty swell, which shall move
8ociety 10 its foundations. MIR. Van Buren con
sulsed the community by the question of ,hC
Bank, and succeeded. But ii IS a pity that me1
Cannot find some more innocent way of playing
@F the stttering baublc.
Having commenced this rambling communica
hon with n nniicn OF the mnnStrouS uSurpatlon