The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-02-11

officer, who had givenp offence
9th The dismissal Of judge OF the British
privileges.
10th. positive engagement that the rights OF British
subjects should thenceforth be strictly observed
And to all these demands ii was added, that none OF
them admitted OF the slightest negotiation or moiiica
ton
This ultimatum carried out BY British squadron,
which cruised off the mouth OF the Tagus, while the
Portuguese ministry were celebrating on their reply
The nature OF that reply determined by the notice
with which the British consulgenera concluded his de-
mands, that in the event OF their being rejected the Brit
ish fleet would commence hostiles. Before the time
elapsed every demand complied with. and the Lisbon
Gazette the ID OF May, announced the humiliation Of
q This example" SAYS the British Annual Register,
with much nalret, while naratng the transaction "was
not lost upon France" French citizen had been pun
Cathedral during passion week = and another French
man was accused and punished for having been engaged
in conspiracy Other subjects Of France had been
rested at Oporto and Lisbon, but had suffered other
dignity but their confinement" These measures appear
e have been directed BY the ordinary judicial tribunals
The French government demanded redress, which not be-
ing granted French fleet sailed for the Tagus and be-
gan repnsals on the Portuguese flag This measure be-
ing found insufficient TO produce the desired result,
stronger fleet was despatched with uItmatun, and this
not being accepted it entered the river and anchored off
Lisbon The Portuguese government then submitted
But Immediately after, additional demands Were made,
and the Portuguese fleet was conveyed to Brest:
Certain commercial advantages granted to Great
Britain by Naples in treaty concluded in 1916 In 1885,
monopoly OF the sulphur mines granted by the Ne
apOlltan government 10 company organized Tor The pr
pose of working them England considered this grant
nfrachon OF the treaty, and demonstrated against it. Al
ter diplomatic discussions, the Neapoltan govern
ment announced TO that of England that had determined
not 10 yield to the demands, not considering the monopoly
as any nracon OF the treaty The parties interested in
took the opinion OF two of the most eminent counsel in
England Sir Pollock and Pr Phillimore who decided
that it inrac.on Of the treaty of 1916 But the
British government determined TO enforce lis demands
and ordered its admiral ON the Mediterranean station to
hold himself in readiness TO commence bostilities against
fhe IhaVvx in
1910 by British fleet which captured number OF Nea
poltan vessels The government of Naples at first pre-
hopelcssness Of contest with England induced it finally
10 accept the proposed mediation OF France The result
was the abolition OF the sulphur monopoly.
The French took possession OF Vera Cruz in 1882 after
heavy bombardment, and held it as a security for the
redress of their grievances These grievances consisted
principally, i not wholly, in Withholding from French
citizens the right OF retail trade An indemnity OF three
millions Of francs granted, and also some compensa-
ton for French citizens who had been expelled from the
country.
The British Annual Register observes that s.The pc
cuar indemnity, which the French claimed, out Of
all sorts of demands On The part of certain Frenchmen
who alleged they had grounds of complaint against the
Mexicans But in addition to the compensation demand
ed, the French insisted concessions and privileges,
which independent nation could be expected to grant
and generous should have endeavored TO extort
from weaker power They required that Judges should
be removed sentences revoked and that nmunites
granted to the most favored nation, should be conceded
10 French residents such as exemption from war
restricted Liberty to carry on retail trade"
The seizure OF The Sandwich Islands, in 1912, BY the
French Admiral Du Petit Thouars, is fresh in the ecol-
political affairs of the world Whatever the charac-
Ter OF the French claims, the act of hostility by which
redress was sought, was stroke, inflicted BY great
power upon feeble which neitherlhe nature Of the
alleged offence nor the time that had elapsed could JUS
tify
Plata, by which the English and French governments in
terfered in the war Between Buenos AyTes and Monte
vdeo The universal Judgment OF this country has pro-
nounced that transaction of the most unjustfabe
assaults committed upon the independence of
tons. 1t was mercantile cupdity and neither justice
nor philanthropy, which led to this gross outrage.
But Why sir, do turn from the direct issue before us
to recall these instances Of self-redress, which have
within the few last years attracted the attention OF Chris
tendon! | agree with the honorable senator from
Georgia much that he has said on the subject OF war
always injurious and often unjust But am not going
to be led into disquston upon that subject We must
take the world we find ii and the nation that hest
tates TO defend its honor and its interests viii have
neither to defend There is an Arab proverb which says
il is the last feather which breaks the camels back
There is last ndignity which, unredressed, breaks
down the honor and character of any nation. Whether
we had reached the point where forbearance becomes
pusllanmity in intercourse with Mexico, can best
be judged by passing in review the long catalogue Of
The Divine Law-giyer has said, Judge not lest We be
judged And what Judgment has been metcd out by the
public opinion OF England upon the conduct OF this conn-
Short but emphatic extract from each Of the great jour
nails Of England the exponents OF the rival parties in that
country, will put this question beyond controversy.
They were brought ont by the last steam packet
Texas says the London Times, "has spot the
morale of the United States The invaders of Mexico
are men Of blood They are not the men to build the
temple of peace"
And the London Morning Chronicle, speaking OF that
part OF the Presidents message, which recounts the
causes of the war, says: at thing
that mouth of should run on so that il should
parade hypocrisy in the daylight; that ii should insult
the understanding OF the world" "To what end make
statements that will deceive one and which will SO
much credit for the flture:'
II ever there illustration stronger than an
other of the propensity OF behold The mote in
brothers eye, and not 10 consider the bean, has
found in these EXPERIMENTING and ever-condemning
judgments formed in England upon the policy of the
United States both external and internal Like the
Pharsee OF old, the English people thank God they
moi us other dfOns are or as that great mobo
eyes OF every true believer in the divine right of the few
TO govern the many.
They thank God that they do go to war. 1t is an
tiquatedit barbarous usage, unfit for Christian peo
pie. Even an honorable senator from New Jersey reca
pulated the wrongs we had submitted to from other
the Saxon, the Gau the Dane, and almost all others
whose found in the nomenclature of nations,
and theace seemed To deucc the conclusion that,
had suffered much, might well suffer more. | will
not undertake to say, Mr. President that have moi,
pushed our forbcarance beyond the limit of public
honor and dignity; but will say that honorable
tof that cup running when Mexico attacked
and that the future would have been full OF danger
and uncertainty as the past of ndgnlty had sat
down and worked out by the rule of three.
As many injuries from Denmark gave such
Of immunity, what shall the injustice Of Mexico
gives
feel little disposition sir, to pore over the histories Of
England, ana placing finger upon the acts