Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1850-06-29
NATIONAL INTELLIGENCER
SOUND AND HONEST VIEWS.

SOUND AND HONEST VIEWS.
We commend to our readers the sound opinions
and true National spirit of the subjolned arncie'
copied from a late number of Philadelphia paper,
of the popular order, but which has nevertheless
the honesty 10 prefer speaking the truth to that
eyanescent sort Of popularity to be acquired by
fiattering the foes of the day. We should neither
do Justice to our own impressions, nor to the merit
of the paper from which we copy the article,
were we not to add, that, for several months past
we have rarely opened it without finding under its
Editorial head just views and wise counsels to its
readers on the topics Of the day:
FROM THE PHILADELPHIA LEDGER JUNE %.
NATIONAL DUTIEs.-As nation, we belong to a
family which is governed by code. In assuming
nationality, we did not assume the position Of
Ishmaelites, with our hand against every man, and
every mans hand against us. This is the scrip
tural definition of piracy and highway robbery !;
and the nations of Europe, in acknowledging our
independence during or after our Revolutionary
struggles did not intend to admit pirates and high
waymen into their fraternity. In assuming nation
ality, we assumed all its obligations as established
by international law, and have been acknowledged
by other nations on that ground, and on no other
Upon any other, we should have been equal with
the Barbary Powers, the common pest OF civilized
nations, whose exclusion from their common high
way was necessary for their mutual safety, and for
which exclusion they would have the right and
the duty to combine.
Such being the duties of our national position we
must discharge those duties voluntarily, or all
other nations must compel us to it by force. We
must act in good faith, or be punished for the con-
trary. A case is now before the world which
must be test. It will prove whether we have or
have not an honest Government; whether we are
worthy or unworthy Of our institutions; whether
all other maritime nations, as strong the ocean
together as we, will tamely permit us to take the
Ishmaelitish position of Buccaneers, or will unite
against us for mutual protection. This case is the
Cuban case, and all the intelligent will admit that
it is well fitted to induce serious reflections Some
of our editors and their correspondents, some of
our public servants, some of our merchants and
traders, some of our adventures and fortune
seekers, talk and act as if we, as nation had I'M
limited license to conquer or plumber all other ma
tons, under the pretence of extending the area Of
freedom; that our national flag was felon ensign,
under which we might make free goods and free
lands and free servants of all other nations upon
whom we were strong enough to trample. We adj
nit that the disposition is old, and wellesablish-
ed element Of the Anglo-Saxon character. But
never before has it been so openly avowed by a
portion Of ourselves, however acted upon by our
AngloSaxen cousins. Our Government, so far as
the evidence has been heard has thus far acted in
good faith to maintain national honor and national
obligations. But it has been opposed and defeated
in these attempts, in some parts of our country !;
and it is now plainly told by some that its efforts
to maintain its laws and its honor are inconsistent
with public opinion, and will not be sanctioned by
majority Of the nation. If this be true, though
sce do not yet believe it, then majority of us are
entirely unworthy of our institutions, too debauched
and profgate for popular government, and no
better than the Buccaneers and Algernes of the
seventeenth century, or than any other pirates in
any other age.
And if we are too debauched to permit an honest
Government to discharge its obligations, to elect
an honest Government, all civilized nations owe
and must discharge duty to themselves and each
other. war with Spain involves war with
England, France, Russia, maritime Germany, and
the Scandinavian Powers. All these Powers have
maritime rights, which cannot endure the doctrines
which some of us SO boldly proclaim and would
force upon our Government. And some of these
Powers have colonies, and Russia has an Asiatic
empire on the Pacific, which would greatly profit
by our good behavior, and be endangered by the
corrupting influence of our bad faith. But what,
in the language of Round Island rodomontade,
could all Europe do against US? We admit that
all Europe could not conquer US on land, but also
admit that Europe could and would sweep our
commerce from the ocean. Without mending our
ways. we may need and receive such lesson; and
therefore we commend the subject to all merchants
and ship-owners disposed to favor Cuban and other
predatory exhibitions. If the majority of us are
not honest enough to sustain an honest Government
in its duty, then we must undergo the ban of all
civilized nations, and be punished to the full extent
of their power. So it is time for us to determine
whom we will serve, God or the Devil a
We understand that Gen. JONES, the Adjutant
General Of the Army, has been SO much indsposed
for the last ten days to con6ne him to the house,
and that he is not yet able to attend to the duties Of
his Office.
ONO CREDIT.--We have just received des-
patch from the Auditor of this State now at New