The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-04-03
AMERICA AND FINANCE.
Another Wow Of the Effect In Europe Of the
California Gold Discoveries.


velopement OF commercial power, such as the IN.
pouring OF treasure from new source, would be
received with doubt and incredibly, and especial
y by those who pass their lives In crlticising the
create anything of utility for themselves, never by
pYeeept or example suggest anything better III an
higher degree OF point and polish the practice Of
their own anima0verslons and detracti0ns. This
is one reason why emigr atom or c0lOnz cation re-
ceived little countenance from Journalism till It
was thirty years too late to be OF essential service
means OF cOunteractng pauperlsm aud degra.
datIOn among the people at home; and the tone OF
Journalism operated as a restraint on the ruling
power on that grave question. Proper foresight,
the cOmmonest sense of the duties of statesman
ship, Ut statesm anship were what it should be in
Eagland,) would have suggested the necessity OF
devslng means OF provision at home for the people
OF Ireland, and means OF transport tor her suoer-
nuE1erary laborers, without deprlving the British
crown OF the value OF their labor when at the
elise OF the war It became manifest that Ireland
would be deprived OF her prInci pal accidental ad-
vantage by the cessation OF government contracts;
when at the same time it had become IN ATTEST that
great stimulation had been gwen to the increase
OF population by the subdivision OF laad for the
creation Of votes All natural and proper remedies
for clearly augmenting evils were utterly neglected
at the time when they ought to have been applied
prOvidently, vigorously, and efiectually. Aud CEN
sure for this negligence presses with tenOd weight
on the head Of the tories who were IN power till
the year 1890; for the wings, during the fifteen
years OF their tenure OF power since 1880, have IN
truth ATTEMPTED remedies for the physical degrade
ton OF the IRISH which the rival faction wholly
neglected We do not say that the expedients ap-
piled for relief since June 1885, the best and
wisest, but we say that the conduct of the wings
evlnces better an,ma.ing spirit, higher sense of
duty, and more anxiety to apply the resources OF
state smanshlp to the perpexlng and revolving at
fairs OF Ireland than ever were evlpced aud applied
by the rival faction during its long possession OF
power from 1907 to 1880. and from Sl2 to 1916.
We shall see presently that Pitt, himself, was
not exempt from the same censure, and therefore
II seems to be incidental to parliamentary warfare,
that the executive should postpone and neglect
whatever ID remote and gives 1t no trouble In Par
lament, however important the object may be.
Every page OF our HISTORY, tor nearly a century,
demonstrates the supine indifference of the govern
men: to the colonial interest OF the empire which we
hold TO De vastly more important than any single
terest within the united klngdom-that OF the land
alone excepted; much superior IN value to any Vim
gle mining or manufacturing interest, IT properly
administered and fostered with parental solicit
tude. 1t appears that the British crown has, or
had, as good title to California as the United
States had TO the portion of Oregon ceded to them
by treaty. Guthrie, In his geographical gram
mar, written before the AMerlc an war of Iudepen-
dence, said
With respect to the value Of the gold mines, nothing
positive can be asserted. California dis covered by
Cortsx the great conqueror Of Mexico in l53s
enduring incredible hardships aud encountering dan
gers Of aim 81 every species During long period 1t
little frequented, that even its form was a.
isa.d Our famous navigator Sir Frsuois Drake took
possession Of It in 1878 and his right WAS
however, the Of Great Britain have not
hitherto attempted to vndioate, though California Is
admirably situated for trade, and en- Its coast has
pearl fishery Of great value.
Plnkertoh, also, who died more than twenty
years ago, bears testimony to the value Of this
possesson and his representation is referred to In
the last number OF the Eramiwey, whence we
transfer II to our columns:-
Pinkerton, In account of brakes discovery of
part OF California to which he gave tho name of New
Albion, ststes The country, too II We can depend
upon what Sir Francis Drake his chaplain say may
appear worth the seeking and the keeping since they
assert that the land Is rich In gold and silver that
upon tho slightest turning up with spade or pick
axe these iioh metals plainly appear mixed with tbs
mould 1t may be objected that this little fAba.
leus; but to this two Satisfactory answers may DO
coast oonnrm the truth Of it, which for anything can
ought to put the fact out Of question: bat IL any
turn these. For say next. that the country Of New
Mexico lies directly behind New Albion, the ether
mS.s ssn,s sna "a s % Ia are
In the world; here then valuable cou utry to whIoh
We have . very fair title.
This, then, is the sort of country to which, as
our author says, "we have very fair title" one
square mile OF which Is probably worth on the
average thousand square miles Of Oregon or Ca
NADIA on the average. On these we have expended
many millions OF yin conquest and dlplo-
macy In defences and the suppression of rebellion
In civil government and highways--probably
sum exceeding fifty millions sterling, or one-ff-
teenth part OF the national debt. California we
abandon without an effort to realize the title tn the
territory secured by tho enterprisIng Drake with.
out expendlng pound sterling to recover it, But
this simple contrast, forcble and instructive as it
is, describes not the worst effect of our supneness
and criminal negligence In the matter California
is the most favored spot on the earth for British
colonization from Its salubrity, its fertility and
climate It's possession OF the fine bay and port of
San francisco, whose advantages are unequalled
on the shores Of the Pacific, and it, virtual prox
Unity to England and her Aslatlc aud Australian
possessions. Ii we had no ''very fair title" 10 the
territory and waters of California that title ought
10 nave been secured by purchase, and the pur-
chase money held as security for the payment of
Mexican bonds in the hands OF British subjects.
Lord Palmerston could threaten reprlsas to secure
the Spanish bondholders, apparently because of
inc lhsoient conduct ne and his representative re-
ceived at the hands of the government. Of Spain;
but what have lie and Lord Grey doae to prevent
California falling into the hands of the United
States, when England had ga very fair title to Cali
fornia! ls that not question little m ore imoor-
tant than the territories of the Hudsons Bay Com.
pany and Vancouver's Island, concerning which
there has been such pother IN and out OF Pdrlia-
ment! But this question of the rlgat to California
Is connected with another question which should
not DC passed over IN this sketchng m inner, a
question which involves one of the deepest and
most interesting considerations relating to our ma
tional power and national honor
California, with It's deep, broad De aceful bay
and port OF San Francisco Is exactly that spot on
earth most necessary to secure the possessions and
trade OF England In India, China and Australia,
and all her possessions and trade in the Pacific
ocean. IL is more necessary to protect her vast
and augmentlng interests in those quarters tn an
Malta is to protect her trade in the Medlterrane-
an, or than the Cape and st. Helena ever were
10 her intercourse with the South and East.
II Is vastly more important than the overland
route to India and China, because it would
afford the means OF obtaining for goods, troops.
and military stores, as well as correspondence.
communication as near as the overland route, in
point Of time, with China, and much nearer in pon
OF time, with Australia. England ought To have done
exactly what the government and people of the
United States have done-sccured California.
from Chagres to Panama, with perpetual guaran. |
tee for It's unmclested and COM aratlvely untaxed
possession at both extrenlties. THIS provldent
duty became imperative, and to the British govern
ment ough. to have been obvious, the instant the