The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1849-10-18
pOlitifaI.
From the Richmond Hhig.
Tn. :. union, and our Foreign Relations.

ministration for what il calls the arrangement
and confusion of our affairs abroad" occasioned,
as the editor assures us, by the lmbeclhty OF Mr..
CLAYTON and the ignorance of General Taylor.
Without condescending to argue point SO fully
settled by the unanswerable evidence of facts,
against men who have already announced their
determination to see nothing good in any thing
General Taylor may do, we may appeal TO the
whole country-nay, to the world-to say whether
this statement Is true. o
We may safely say that never, since the days OF
Washing ton, has the country been more resPeotSu
abroad than ii 10 at this moment Contrasting ,he
present Administration with the last the LONDON
Post which is bitterly hostile 10 President iayor'
speaks Of that of Mr. Polk as marked oy eouis Sc
Of peddling intrigue" while II denounces ueherai
Taylor as /" bold and unscruPulous' as ei
tanning imperial conceptions, ana as uoihg every
thing on a grand scale. This accusation Is UNJUST;
but il shows that in Europe the administration of
General TAYLOR is regarded as any thing but con-
temptibe: that il is infinitely more respected than
was ever that of Mr.. Polk; and, that though he may
be hated by those whom his promptness and energy
have thwarted, he can never be despised.
And il is just that il should be SO. General Tay-
lor has been in Office only seven months yet with
in that time he has been called upon, different
occasions, TO decide upon questions which involve
nearly every principle that can enter into our for
eign relations. The promptitude and decision with
which he has acted in all these cases are well
known to the whole country, and require no com
ment from us. The case of the wars steamer which
il had been proposed to sell to the King of Prussia,
aid him in his enterprises against the liberties OF
the German confederation, presents the first case.
Involving, this case did, upon it's very face, a
palpabe violation of neutrality, though the ul
innate object was concealed-designed, as il was
for the of despo against the rising freedom of
an oppressed people-the foreign organ at Wash
ngton did not hesitate TO denounce General Taylor
in the severest terms, when by his direction, the
affair investigated, and the violation OF our
laws prevented.
The next case was that of the abduction of Rey,
which involved, as all must acknowledge palpa-
bic outra gre upon our rights as nation Generaf
TAYLOR did not hesitate moment. He imnedi-
ately demanded Rey of the government of Cuba,
and the demand was made In such terms that there
was evading or rejectingH. The abducted man
was restored uninjured--a high officer under the
Spanish government no less than the consula at New
Orleans was arrested, in spite of his official sta
ton-and he now awaits his trial. for having dared
to infringe upon the rights OF an individual whose
foot pressing American soil gave him title TO ex-
oect the protection of American law. In the mean
time a number of disconnected spirits, unscrupu-
lous men, who float lightly upon the surface of So
ciety without the means of subsistence, had taken
advantage Of the excitement against the govern
ment of Cuba occasoned by the abduction of Rey,
to enlist number OF parsans with the intention OF
invading that island. Justly incensed as he was
against that government, yet being at peace with
the mother country, General Taylor was deter
mined that the law should not be violated. Travel
ling in the middle States when the news reached
him that these desperadoes had actually rendez-
yoused on an island in the gulf, he Immediately
issued a proclamation, IN which, after explaining
the danger 10 be apprehended he recalled TO the
minds of the American people the law which had
been made by themselves, through their representa-
tiyes on this very subject. He warned them of the
consequences of violating them, and declared his
determination TO enforce the strictest obedience To
them The whole nation one man, approved Of
the sentiments embraced in that proclamation. Nor
was il mere brutm fulInen, Ii was followed by the
most energetic measures. Vessels which were
a. of tha
bands bound on the enterprise were dispersed;
the law wa. strictly enforced, and the people of
Cuba left entirely free from any intervention
IN the settlement OF their affairs from tins cont
nent Mr.. Van Buren, received much and just
praise for his careful preservation of neutrality
in the disputes with England in 1881. General
TAYLOR is entitled to far more credit; for Eng
lie powerful nation and can protect herself, where
as Spain is helpless.
The conduct of General Taylor with regard 10
Hungary struggling against the powerful coali-
ton of Austria and Russia, was not less worthy Of
commentator He did every thing consistent with
our neutrality To aid her in the contest for liberty.
Count Was her envoy, received with all pos
sble kindness, and though he did not apply Tor the
recognition of his country as an independent power
every facility given him In hls Efforts IN her
favor General Taylor despatched diplomatic
agent TO Hungary, with Instructions TO open d.
pfomatic intercourse With that kingdom az soon az
events should render IL probable that she would
succeed, and in such an event W acknowledge her
independence at once.
The removal Of Mr.. Robert Walsh from the con
sulsbfp at Paris was the next step which engaged
the attention Of General Taylor. This n one OF
the acts Of this Administration which the foreign
organ considers most abOminable And with it,
principles-accu stomed as the senior editor has
been Tor some years 10 hive on terms Of intimacy
with the ambassadors Of autocrats and poteniates
Of every description-it Is not wonderful that he
should have imbibed admiration Of legitimacy,
and high reverence for the Divine Right"
Mr. Walsh in his correspondence, espoused, inva-
riably the cause Of the absolutists, and OF those
Inonsrchs who are leagued together 70 crush the
liberties Of Europe. Sympathizing General
TAYLOR does with the masses against their rulers
knowing as he does, that the people Of this coun.
try sympathize with them in like nanner-he could
not permit a representative Of the American Gov
eminent abroad 20 enter the lists directly against
them MIR Walsh dismissed for his monarchi
cal principles and his friends and sympathizers Of
the Union Of course inconsolable
Tn, last act was that In which NJ. Poussn vas
concerned. The bastard son Of the Comte de Fla
hunt calling himself by the name VI hIs putatiye
father (Bonaparte,) induced the French people IL
place him at the head Of the Republic. He imne
distely became the tool, and the sycoPhant Of tht
despots who have just prostrated the liberties OF
Hungary. His minister, probably thinking u
would be agreeable 10 his master, and assist him IN
having his court 20 Nicholas and Francis, deter
mined u pick quarrel with the government Of tn
greatest Republic ON earth; a Republic which -
aud always has been an cyc-ore 10 despOtism al
over the world. In a correspondence with the Sec
rotary Of State be tells that functonary that h
"was sorry 10 find the Americans 30 utterly insen
sible to the dignity and ignorant Of the interest
Of it, marine service IL had shown itself ~ be u
this transaction" And again "The Government
of the United States must be convinced that IL !
more honorable ~ acquit, fairly, debt contracte'
during war, under the pressure Of necessity, thai
70 evade it, payment by endesvOring 70 brand th
character OF an honest man" This gross insul
was accompanied with circumstances which demo
ted the utmost degree Of deliberatiOn, and yet
according TO the foreign organ, Gen. Taylor va
wrong for resentng il, because the French miDste
has named one Of bis Washington
For a much less Ofience-indegd for an Offence
which was only magnary-Gen. Jackson wa
near intcrruptng the negotiations with France
and involving this country in bloody war. Th
French minister, in discussing the claims Of tn
United ststes upon France. bad occasion To stat
the argument Of his adversary In doing -, b
used the French expression prftsnd, CT
claimed,) which the interpreter translated 1T
susfended" Old Hickory wa Immediately IN
iame-be could not bear that a claim Of his Gov
eminent should be called prsfsncs, a. il there wa
q design 10 cheat-he broke OF the negotiation,
very properly,) and would not renew them unit
an explanation made. That was high spirit
Roman virtue. But the rebuke administered b
Gen TAYLOR 10 a French minister, Who actual ~