The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1846-01-29

tering. He looks forward to the bombardment and
burning of New York, with the same exulting eel-
rian attack upon Washington, as "most brilliant
exploit" He makes, however, one very humane
suggestion in regard TO the next war with America.
He thinks that the British army, while it is burning
our towns, had better not employ the old watch.
word, Beauty and Booty" Why! Because II
would be as it was, an outrage upon civilization,
worthy only OF horde OF savages On no not at
all Mr. Aison's far-seeing phosophic spirit had
discovered that il might excite us to more violent
resistance, and give New Orleans termination to
the whole invasion.
Mr. Allison, as weknow, wrote tor the governing
class in England; and he moulded the temper of his
book to accord with the spirit OF his government.
But setting aside her treatment OF us in war, or
while we were her colonies, how has she common |
bitterness and contempt in her literary career.
Upon what one OF our NATIONAL peculiar,tles has
she not exhausted the power Of ridicule. and that
not for the purpose OF being merry! That were
nothing but to show to the world how thoroughly
sne desplses us.
How has she by her praises and patronage encou-
ragged the whole brood Of Trollopes and Elders to
traduce our national character, and .feed tat her
ancient grudge" by exaggeration and falsehood
1t is vain-lt forms no answer to what we here
allege, to point to where we have experienced
better treatment, to partlcuarze publications and
presses that have shown favor to America. We ac-
knowledge with Joy and gladness, and high hope
for the future that there in England many noble
minds who dare to think and speak OF US in tones
cf respect and kindness. But they are not the Co
vernment. 1t is not OF such we speak, nor of the
ENGLISH people. We speak of the Government of
the action of the nation as whole, Of the spirit OF
the ruling power, and we ask what has been the
and temper OF those presses and periodicals
which enjoy the especial favor and patronage of
those who hold the helm of power.
Let BiacktCood and the London Quarterly and the
government papers answer Let her most eloquent
and lauded historian OF this age answer. He has
tasked his great ingenuity, given full play to his
hpi fouC hrnr int hto lin
eloquence-brought to bear his inspiring phi!osophic
discussions, and misstated important facts in order
to present republic IN distorted FORM to under
rate our powers in arms, and give to the world
false impression in regard to our great experiment
upon government, liberty, and religion.
And, then, what matchless insoTence has marked
her course in regard to American slavery! Eng
land wheeled upon her batteries, and levelled he-
boosted bayonets to compel us to buy her slaves,
not as a great measure of national policy, but for
mammon's sake. She planted slavery by force on
soil against n our BE-
remembered forever, not in excuse OF our wrong,
but in explanation OF misfortune, that It was by
English and not American law, that here an immor-
tai creature was made a slave. We have followed,
it is true, and fatally the commands and teachings
OF our parent; and now when in consequence the
whole country struggles like LAGOON IN the SER
pents embrace, and when the very structure OF our
government reels with the fierce and almost dispar
ing endeavor to shake the monster from US, she lifts
her hands with most holy indlgnation-she loads
the air with execratlons, and invokes upon US the
devouring wrath of God. She has forced upon Us a
Nessus Shirt and then curses us for the agony which
we can neither endure nor heal
Let English orators when they rise, as if divinely
commissioned to denounce US for this sin, remem-
Der the time when good Queen Anne, in most
llshmen by treaty the exclusive right OF filling this
new world with slaves, taking for her private profit
onequarter of the stock of the company thus formed,
giving one half to her subjects, and allowing as
special favor, His Most Catholic Majesty OF Spain
to subscribe Tor the remaining quarter.
England bound the dead carcass Of slavery to
libertys youthful form, not forgetting to exact pay
for the service and points her out to the world
object of scorn and hatred, because her robes
are spotted with the fostering pollution, and turns
up her at the foul odor which she snus In the
American air.
But there is one other act OF Great Britain towards
our country, of which it remains for US to speak,
and against which before'heaven and earth, we wish
to enter our solemn and indignant protest
II is an insult which changes all previous ones by
comparison, into courtesy and compliment, an out
rage which darkens every former wrong. We al
Jude to a scheme planned by the same charming PHI
losophy which would abandon the watchword,
"beauty and booty" merely because itmigh: rouse
US to sterner resistance plan executed as oppor-
tunity came, or offers now, with cool defiance OF
every human right and every command Of God.
design to empty upon our shores the filth, the degra-
dation the crime, which accumulates in her poor
houses and her prisons; to sweep with her police
the streets of her cities, and send hither the des
peradoes which the drag net gathers;a design to
make us a universal Botany Bay, the cloaca marina
of earth, Tophet into which to cast the filth and
off scourlngs of the world.
Had England attempted to poison our wells, our
Fountains and streams, and to drug our daily bread,
we should deem it not injurious detesable, as
thus to endeavor to nocuate this whole nation with
the deadly OF European iniquiy, to corrupt the
moral health OF twenty millions. Great Britain and
those engaged with her in this act, have certainly
won for themselves reputation second only to the
fame OF that first great sower, who brought his seed
from the granaries Of the pit, and filled the world
with tares. Mr.. Alison says, there is in America
stance, nething but monarchy can save her
Upon this text we wish to make one brief COM
ment. England gathers up score of felons that in
fest her cities or crowd her prisons, and ships
them for America. She watches their landing, their
dispersion among our people and forthwith there are
alarms of robbery and theft OF rape and murder |
and then she begs the attention of the world while
she declares that republican governments afford no
security for property or lie, ana the only hope Tor
the United States, in throne, an arstocracy, and
an establishment. Let us not be understood to IA
vor by these remarks the policy or the doctrines Of
those who are technically called native Americans
we have no sympathy with the views OF such men |
we only charge the British government with an or
ganixed system Of shipping off to the United States,
every villain she can catch at home.
This 10 no exaggerated picture OF the course OF the
mother country All this and more had been endur-
ed almost in silence, SO far as our literature was
concerned, for there had been, so far submission
to the assumption of England, reverence for her
opinions, fear of her rebuke or sarcasm which
compelled many of our authors to feel, that fame
and success, even at home, depended upon reputa
uon abroad. Our country needed independence of
thought and feeng-needed defence from the at
acks OF England Selfrespect and reputation In the
world demanded it, and when the author OF "The
Glory and Shame" came forward, the first to try
upon her the power OF counter spell, we claim
that it was rightly done and that the attempt ought
to have been welcomed, as 1t was, the effort OF
h0ld an IudeDendenf
from insult.
Thatmoral courage is certainly worthy Of respect
and support, which could nerve young man to
stand forth as the first to commend to England the
cup which she had given to our own lips 80 often,
and teach her. that Il was more important to watch
the symptoms Of her own malady, than to chuckle
over the diseases of others.