The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1851-12-09

and even of express treaty stpulatlons, an Amefl-
can citizen has been dragged before military tri-
bunal. chained down in a loaihsome dungeon, his
nroner,v robbed, and his person sent to slavery in
Africa. In time of profound peace, at period |
when Great Britain is raining down compliments |
mon us, to secure the magnificent gratuty of free
rrade, British man-of war fires into an American
ste am mail packet, peaceaby prosecuting her voy
age, compels her to heave to, and forces her cap
third power, mulatto tavtstie of kingly position
In a time of unbroken peace, Austria has seized
npon the person of an American citizen, bearing
proper passports, imprisoned him for months, and
finally released him without indemnity or satisfac
ton of any kind
These facts must be notifying to every rightly
feeling citizen, and we grow impatient under them
We have no doubt of the spirit and resolution of
our present patriotic and high-toned administration
In the Nicaragua affair, in the Hulseman cores
pondence in the demand for Mr.. Brace, in the Te-
huantepec correspondence, it has shown deter
nination gratifying to national PRIDE In the recent
message of President Fillmore, he speaks out with
the clearness of trumpet.call, in vindication of
the immunities of our national flag.
This is all very we'll, as far as it goes But
now We want something more. We want acts.
We want a practical manifestation of our power
and resolute will. We cannot forget that, for
long years, the case of the Gen. Armstrong, one
apparently of great wrong and ndigniy, has been
permitted, through wing and through democratic
administrations, by Jackson and by Harrison, to
remain unsatsfied and now, finally, it is referred
to arbitration! We grow impatient of such things.
The case of Mr. Thrasher is one of peculiar in.
dignity and outrage. An American citizen, peace.
able in pursuits, and strenuously asserting his in.
offsnsiveness, has been seized by the Spanish Gov.
eminent and condemned to years of slavery, under
one of the most extraordinary proceedings known
in the history of nations. Denied all knowledge
of the charges brought against him. until too late
to expose their falsity and folly, dragged, in time
of peace, before military tribunal, excluded from
all resources of proper defence, Mr. Thrasher pro-
perly demands the prompt interpostion of our Gov.
ernment No English subject would have been
so treated. Spain would have dared no such out
rage upon an Englishman. She knows we are
slow and irresolute in action; and the weakest and
most superannuated of European powers gratifes
its ridiculous vanity, and calls back from tradition
| its memories of large power and "high emprse -
in osientatious insult to our young and powerful
Republic. She has fired into and boarded one OF
our well known Government steam packets 1.-THE
Falcon) upon the high seas, and our nations flag
was no protection against an insult, the more an
noyng from the imbeciiy and impotency of the
power offering it.
England follows in imitation of Spain, and ons
of her vessels of war fires into an American yes
sci, the Prometheus, and compels the captain te
arrest his voyage to pay tribute to the Mosquito
King, a thing Of her own creation, burlesque
upon authority and office. A short time since
she had her ships Of war lowering upon ou
coasts, with views which elected from Presiden
Fillmore, in his excellent Message, an indignan
remonstrance. She was plainly preparing to re-
vive the Right of Search, and to send her petit,
officers in boats to overhaul the crews of Amer
can vessels.
Are we to submit to all these outrages? Ar,
we to receive for them diplomatic assurances o
distinguished regard" and hopes that nothih,
will interrupt amicable relations? They are en-
trely too cheap. They amount to nothing; ant
If we are satisfied with them, we shall have al
abundant harvest of them following renewed in
dignities and wrongs. Every ffth-rate pows,
will smuse itself by interrupting American mer.
chant vessels upon the open seas, heighten the
interest Of the occasion by firing into them as a
prslmnary-and then gracefully winding up the
whole matter, in the most innocent style, BY a
diplomatic note. No American, travelling or do
ing business abroad will be safe in person o,
property. This very moment, American citizen.
in Havana do not move without apprehen sion
and have confidence, whatever, in the practi.
cal protection Of their own Government. Mo-
one Of them but questions what moment he NAV
be sent to the Moro, the Tacon Jail, and thence to
the Spanish mines in Africa. Is there an English.
man in Havana who walks in the shadow of such
debasing fear?
We say we grow impatient of these things
The power of our great Republic should walk in
the presence of every citizen abroad It should
shelter his person, guard his rights, make sure
his liberty. He is its representative its protec.
ton should 60 with him beyond its boundaries
His wrongs should be promptly redressed, his
| rights indicated, and even his comfort vgilanty
secured. This is what England does what every
great and energetic power has always done, and
what our Government is remiss in We saw i,
is shamefully remss in this matter No Amsri.
can is safe abroad because dry diplomatic note
spermit'ed to atone for every outrage If Thrashe,
or Brace had been Englishmen, men of war; well
warranted in positive measures, would ere now
have been before Trieste or Havana, and repara.
ton exacted in the fullest measure. This tbnY
reflects back upon our national dignity, embar.
rasses our trade and invites insult and outrage
| Who dreams of an American vessel firing into
British merchantmen? Or of American mep. of.
war watching what should issue from the coas
Of England?
| We are impatient Of these things. A vindica.
ton OF our power, a manifestation of our will. a
lesson to our contemporary nations, is sadly needed
We are curious to see if Spain and Austria will
not be forced to do the fullest reparation in the
cases of Thrasher and Brace; if Great Britain