The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1843-12-15
BRITISH INTERFERENCE IN AMERICAN
AFFAIRS.

In looking through volume published a few
years ago, in Philadelphia, entitled "Select
Speeches of the Right Hon. William Wynd-
ham and the Right Hon. VIM. Huskisson,
with Preliminary Biographical Sketches, edited
by Robert Walsh,n we were struck with the
following pa ,sage in a speech of Mr.. Huskisson,
delivered in May, 1880, on the political and
commercial relations of Great Britain with
Mexico
''If the United States have declared that they
not allow the island Of Cuba to belong to any mari
time power in Europe, Spain excepted, neither can
England, the first OF those maritime powers-l
say it fearessy, because feel it ongly-sufer the
United States to bring under their dominion greater
portion Of the shores Of the Gulf of Mexico, than
that which they possess. Within the last TWEEN
ty-seyen years they have become masters of ali the
shores Of that Gulf from the point Of Florida to the
river Sabine, including the mouths Of the Mississippi
and other great rivers the port of new Orleans, and
the valuable and secure harboIs of Florida and,
within these few days, hear OF their intention of
forming naval station and arsenal at the islands of
the Try Tortugas, commanding position in the Gulf
stream between Florida and Cuba With all this
extent of coast and islands, know further, that de-
not say by the present Government of he u, States
but VIGOROUSLY, by the People, to get possession
of the fertile and extensive Mexican province of
Texas To borrow an expression Of deceased
statesman of that country, e" the whole people of
America have their eye" upon that province They
look to all the country between the river Sabine and
the river Bravo del Norte, as territory that must,
long, belong TO their Union. They have also,
believe that same eye upon some Of the western coast
of Mexico, possessing valuable ports in the Gulf of
California Should they obtain these districts, the
independence of Mexico | will venture TO say, will
be no better, or secure than that of the Geek
Indi ms, any other Indian tribe living within
the circle Of the present recognized limits of the
United States and the Gull of Mexico W IL become
as much part of their waters the Black Sea was
once the waters of Turkey, the channel which
separates England from Ireland may be considered
part Of the waters Of The United Kingdoms"
1t is not. perhaps, matter of surprise that
even so great statesman Mr. Huskisson a
man Of enlarged views and phanihropic feel
ings, should have been SO far blinded by his pa
triotism and predictions 10 favor Of his native
country, as to be wholly unconscious Of the ar
rogance Of the tone which he here as
sumes in behalf of his G government. England
will not suffer the United States 10 bring I'M
der their dominion a greater portion of the
shores Of the Gulf of Mexico than that which
they now possess"-as if England, being the
arbitress of The old world must necessarily be
SO Of the new, and entitled to prescribe the linn
its of the independent States of our Continent,
and TO act as umpire in their differences, protec-
tor of III weak, and chastiser of the strong
1t is this ardent and even arrogant patriotism Of
The statesmen of Great Britain, their Jealous and
intelligent watchfulness Of any movements or
appreht nded designs Of other Governments,
having the remotest bearing on the nte-
rests OF their country, which have made
that country what II is. Ii is humil-
iatlng 10 turn from the profound and far
reaching speculations of such men, to the specta
Gle which our nation now exhibits-its powerful
energies paralyzed by Infatuated factions con-
tending for the spoils of Office Its statesmen
busted in contriving means to pack conventions
for the nomination OF Presidential candidates /;
Its Legislators holding caucuses TO deliberate
with the utmost soemnity on the election of
printer or doorkeeper, while the safety of the
nation is threatened by the Vaccinations Of one
foreign power, and its dignity outraged by the
threats Of another
Before this curse Of Demagogueism was in
ficted upon our country, and when the People
were left 10 act for themselves. their intelIi-
gence and patriotism gave a ready and willing
support to the declaration Of their Government,
that the powers Of Europe should not interfere
in the affairs Of this continent, and that the
Island of Cuba should not belong TO any mari
time power in Europe except Spain These
were bold and imperative declarations, not war
ranted by the letter Of the law Of nations, but
so obviously founded on a superior law, that
even the Government Of Great Britain was
compelled to acqulesce in the justice of our
pretensions. The reason in both cases was the
same the different and hostile forms of
Government which prevail on the opposite sides
of the Atlantic. In Europe monarchy prevails
accompanied by white slavery, among homo
geneous population in America our forms Of
Government are Republican, but negro slavery
and distinction Of color exist, introduced into
the colonies by the mother countries. Differing
so widely in forms Of Government, and present
ing weak and assailabe points 10 each other. the
less the nations of Europe and America inter
fere IN the domestic affairs Of each other, the
more likelihood there is of peace and harmony.
The declaration, therefore, of our Govern
ment, that Cuba should not belong 10 anv other
European power than Spain, the present pos
SCISSOR, did not justify counter declaration on
the part of the British Government that the
~
United States should not acquire greater
portion Of The shores of the Gulf of Mexico,
than they now possess. That Government has |
no more right TO prescribe such bounds to US, |
than we should have had to insist that Great
Britain should not make war upon China. or