Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1851-12-20
Contempt for u Government.

Contempt for our Government
In one of the resolutions adopted at the
Thrasher Meeting in New Orleans, our read
ers will observe that it says that our Govern
ment "shouH come torward more promptly
than heretofore to vindicate private liberty and
public rights"--not the Government Under MIR.
FILLMORE nor Mr.. Polk, nor any OF Their pre-
decessors in particular, but the Government as
It has been administered since the foundation
of the Republic. The rights and Liberties of
the humbIest of our citizens residing in foreign
countries should be protected at every hazard.
! This is the true policy of a Government, even
tif it should err In its zeal in this respect, it it
wishes its flag to be both feared and respected
wherever it is known such is the notorious
policy of England, and the consequence is that
those abroad exhibiting British projections are
treated with a marked Difference, shown to the
subjects of no other nation. This fact is par
| ,~icuIarlv observable in the different countries
or governments Of this continent; and so well
known is this fact, that many Americans have,
10 our personal knowledge, procured British
passports from the Mexican consulate in New
Orleans, that they might with better security
| to their persons travel through the semi-ciy-
ilized States of this shadow of a Republic,
where the ill.treatment of citizens of The Uni
ted States is too proverbial not to be we'll
known to the various administrations of our
Government.
Our cannon once Numbered upon Algiers
and its barbarous and piratical authorities, and
| full vengeance and redress obtained for wrongs
done to American citizens. On another occa-
sion a whole Malay village, on the coast of
Arabia, was destroyed by the U. S. frigate Po-
tomac for an act of piracy committed by its sa-
wage inhabitants upon an American merchant
vessel. But these were weak and insignificant
powers which received speedy punishment for
outrages committed upon those who were
born under and of right looked to our flag for
protection and security in whatever quarter of
the globe they might chose 10 carry it. But
our Government, like the criminal courts of
Louisiana, is slow and doubtful in its punish
ment for crime committed, when it has a veal
thy and powerful criminal 10 deal with
This is a humiliating but stern truth which
demands assertion and exposure; and the Press
and the people should ring it in the ears of our
statesmen until the principle of protection he
! fully carried out, and an American citizen feels
himself perfectly secure in his person and in
his rights, she wide world over" whether he
chose to locate himself upon the soil of a
weak or powerful nation.
But we have reason to believe that our Co
yernment is becoming aroused to its high duty
in demanding immediate satisfaction for wrongs
! done our citizens and the contempt shown our
| flag by foreign powers. In the case Of the
outrage committed upon the American steam
ship prometheus by an English man-of-war,
onr able Secretary Of State has demanded an
immediate and full explanation from the British
Government. and we are confident that nothing
short Of q fal! and unequivocal apology and
iudeunifcat;ou will satisfy Mr.. WEBSTER.
Tn this latter case of Mr.. THRAsHER, in
which the most revo!ting wrong was done to
an American citizeu,,as well as the most utter
contempt displayed for our Government, by the
Snanisl, authorities in Havana, we have assn
RANGES that his speedy release will be ef-
fected and ample retribution obtained, or-wo
to Spain. 1t is indeed a case, if the country
has not been grossly deceived, which makes
war a~virtue; and from the manner in which
the people, in their meetings in New Orleans,
regard it and speak Of it, we have no doubt
that the same spirit will spread throughout the
Union, and a willing sanction given to mea-
sures Of any extreme whatever which may
grow out of it, by the acts of Congress and
the Executive. In truth, the people are sick
and tired Of listening to the repetition of in
suits and injuries heaped upon our citizens by
the authorities and Spanish residents in Haya-
ma; and we think, as doubtless think a great
many others, that the sooner we convince
Spain that the Government of the United
States is not to be treated with contempt by
high-handed acts committed upon even the
humblest of American citizens, the better will
it be for her, for our foreign residents, and for
our future relations with the different races,
tongues and powers of the world.