The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-04-17

n
VIII the English press denounce IL, ms they de-
nounced ours'-A sketch of this war as far as Il
has yet progressed-The English cry aloud for CAT
IRE exterminstion-What doth England and the
United States want for savage frontier defence
Russia interposes 10 prevent the contamination of
Austria's schemes-Russia fears Contine ntaI war;
In which France and England shall fight for con.
situtional iberiy-ier diplomacy must fail TO pre-
vent the eventual occurrence OF such a Wharf.-The
| Inevitable destiny OF affairs In England and
France-How Lord John Russell came TO carry his
Ecclesiastical Titles bill.
New York, april 10, 1851.
To the Editor ofthe National Era:
Within the last two or three months. England
has got on her hands another war with aboriei-
nes to result, like all its predecessors, in the
subsection Of more territory to her SPECTATORS,
and the deprivation of another nation Of savages
Of what the world terms the rights of man.
| am not among those who believe that the
displacement Of the red man by the white, on this
North American Continent, is q matter to be re-
GREETED; and the premises on which | come TO
that conclusion force on me the belief that how
ever much temporary mischief may be done in
the process of transferring territory from savage
|
suit is most fortunate for the human race for
whose benefit Providence, we all believe, created
the earth. | have at times taken occasion to
write strong language concerning the needless
oppression and vast misery which England in
flicts upon aborigines in the process of occupy
ing their territory. have no command of your
columns for the purpose of entering on the dis
cussion of this question; but you must permit me
to lay down the axiom that, notwithstanding the
many philanthropic homilies of her people against
the manner in which the Government and citi-
zens of the United States deal with the North
American Indians our system Is charity ITSELF
when compared with her East Indian, Chinese,
and African policy.
Her relations with Africa are just now in a
very unsettled state, indeed. She is in the midst
Of an apparently bloody war with the Caffres Of
the Cape country, to whose aid according to the
/ Africas advices) the Hottentots owing her allie
glance have rallied. So far, the Government
troops have gained no permanent or signal ad-
vantages over the enemy, who rise up in "the
Bushn when not looked for, to the number Of
thousands, and fight with valor-a despera-
tion-by no means anticipated by the Home Gov
eminent The last British war with the Caffre
tribes cost the National Exchequer the modest
sum of ten millions Of dollars, ending in the ac-
QUESTION of territory at present not worth half
million. A previous Caffre war also cost Eng
land some seven and half millions of dollars.
There can be little doubt from the manner in which
this ball opens that ten millions will not cover its
cost. These savages are robust, hardy, warlike,
and more truculent than any other known tribes
in Africa The possessions of England on that
Continent lie at its southern extremity, and form
an immense and unwieldy estate, without ma
tural frontier easily defensible from the depreda-
tions of these worse than wild beasts providing
along their borders. They may live at free quar-
tiers on the English settlements, wherein they find
cattle NEARLY their whole food) far more abun-
dant than in the Busbn AS for fighting they
may do as little Of it they please for, like our
own Seminoles in half an hour after burning out
a farm they may be in perfect security from any
danger of successful pursuit by regulars. In fact
these daring thieves without discipline or leaders,
are destined to give Britain one of the most ha-
her-that is all but the fighting part Her crack
regiments will scour "the Bush,n to the great
detriment of their epiderms and inexpressibles,
to catch nothing more than snakes and mosqui-
toes endeavoring now and then to overtake fly
ing Caffre bands who travel with ease fifty miles
q day, while the pursuers regard twenty as a ire
mendous forced march How many gallant
English troopers will die of starvation or malp-
nant fever in the prosecution of this dscreditable
war, we cannot tell. But those who recolect the
history of our fatal Bush " bout with the Flori
da Indians will feel pretty certain that these two
elements, against which England must contend
in this contest, will at least decmate her army
after army that must be sent thither.
During our Florida war, the newspapers of
England were constantly surcharged with homi,
lies against the Government commanding "the
atrocities" perpetrated by US, and the public
opinion which justified and upheld that policy of
our Government. | well remember their jere-
maids about those days, and am filled with curl
osty to learn whether they will realize the par
allel between their Caffre perplexity and our
Seminole misfortune; that is, whether they will
virtually counsel the surrender Of the British
possessions in South Africa to the savage aboriei.
mes thereof
Msmanagement on the part ofthe British Gov
ernor brought the catastrophe on the Colony
Without lawful authority, even in the British
code, to administer there, he took O fancy to de-
pose the principal Cafre chief, Sandilli But
Sandilli, not fancying his law-of-the-strong, got
up conspiracy for deposing the Governor, in
the organization of which he displayed as much
secrecy as skill. The detachment of British
troops numbering 500, sent into his Businesses to
depose him were met half way, surprised, and de-
feated Within the first four days Of the con-
test the savages put to the sword five officers and
100 men of the regular army, and butchered some
seventy men, women, and children, colonists,
stealing much valuable property, and destroying,
in needless waste, more. Even the native police
guard, 100 strong, went off to the enemy, with
their British horses, arms, and accoutrements.
The English papers are already crying aloud for
their Observation-Disclosures which was not given
in the case Of the Seminofes by any American
newspaper printed out Of ear-shot Of the groans
of the wounded and the lamentations of those set
tiers who had lost husbands, parents, sons, or
brothers, in that bloody contest
Strange to say, an English Minister, a few days
since, stated in his place, in the House Of Com
mons, that the Cape colonists had been officially
notified that they must themselves defray the
charge Of this war. He must be mad. This Cape
IS a Crown colony the colonists having neither
the power to make war; nor peace, nor even to
keep peace, when made, between Downing street
and their ugly neighbors. In fact, to talk to
them Of bearing the expense, is like using them
after the fashion Of William Tvs old tutor, who
kept boy to fog every time the Prince did any
thing naughty But England will have such