Grand River times. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1851-18??, 1851-09-17
ENGLAND's PoLICY-CAFFRE WAR.

peared In one OF the principle leading Journals
of London, short time since, it was laid down
as principle that the United kingdom de-
rived more benefit from the United States in its
present position as an independent country. than
It possibly could if no revolution had taken
place, and the old thirteen colonies had remain
ed provinces of Great Britain. The same paper
which is looked upon as the director of the pub
lie mind In that country, said, in the same con-
nection, that the interests of England and those
of the United States were so much bound TO.
gelher, that what would injure one would injure
the other, and that next TO an insurrection IN
that country and the overturning of its govern.
ment, nothing would be so much deplored by
English statesmen as dissolution OF the Amer
lean Union. The reason for this is Obvious
Were the American republic to be dissolved and
divided into a number of petty States and re-
publcs, the trade between them and every part
of Europe would be hampered and fettered with
a variety Of tariffs and regulations that would
make it comparatively worthless. This can be
seen at glance and England, depending as she
Does in this fiscal and commercial age Of the
world, for her existence actually rs q nation,
would have good reasonto deplore such catas-
trophe as the dissolution of this confederacy--
a calamity that would be, in the highest degree,
disastrous to her, as much so, indeed, as it would
be to ourselves
These sentiments, uttered by the leading jour-
nal of England, together with The policy which
has governed the councils of that country since
the beginning of the era when commerce assert
ed its sway as king-as the great ruling power
of the world, and the controller of its deslinies
mightier and more potent, for the advancement
and power Of nations, than the sword-may be
considered as a remuneration of the policy which
so long was pursued by our ancient mother in
establishing colonies in every part of the world,
and virtual abandonment of the oft repeated
boast that the sun never sets on the English do
minions. He may consequently take it for grant
ed, that England although late in the day, TO
be sure-is convinced of the folly ofatemping
to make the rest Of the world tributary to her
by force Of arms.
But we did not need this fresh evidence of
Englands sober second thought" to abandon
the colonial system, for she had previously evin-
ced her determination to allow her colonies to
set up for themselves, whenever their inhabit-
ants desired to go to housekeeping on their own
responsibility. 1t is well known that she is in
cined, at any time, to allow Australia to cut the
alliance existing between her and the mother
country. And as for Canada, the strongest in
timations have been thrown out by England,
that she is welcome to independence whenever
she desires the boon. Indeed, Canada, is in re-
atty, almost independent of England. In those
provinces the army has been reduced to two SOL
itary regiments, one in the upper, and the other
in the lower. Besides this, the Canadians have
responsible government; they have the Post
Office Department in their own hands, and il
needs only for them to have the privilege of
eecling or appointing their Governor General,
to render them as independent of England as
the United States are. To be sure, all enact
ments Of the Provincial Parliament, on import
ant matters, may not be ratified by the Cover
nor General, until they are submitted to the
English ministry; but the power TO annul them
is seldom or never used.
But England has to atone little for the mis-
take she committed in establishing colonies, be-
fore she can renounce the principle altogether.
She is now at war with the Caffres, and a long
and protracted war it promises to be- An Eng
lish paper, in commenting upon the present con-
dition Of affairs at the Cape, says:
safer careful examination Of the whole Of
the latest Cape news, we sincerely regret that
we are unable to discover single point on
which we can congratulate our readers. The
nearest approach we can make to giving an ac-
curate description Of the state of affairs, is to
say that things remain in Statu quo; but such n
phrase as this must, strictly tpeaking, be erro-
neous-for in such a war as that we are now
waging with the Caffres it is absolutely impos-
sible that the condition Of the contending par
ties can remain exactly the same, even for q
week together; one or the other must change
its position And this, indeed, constitutes the
worst feature Of the case, for if we have moi
gained ground, we must have lost it; and that
we have not improved our position, the latest
advices too plainly testify. After half years
struggle with horde of savages, there is no de-
cisve movements in preparation. All seems to
be doubt and superstition Sir Ii. Smith was
said to be on the frontier"-a most indefinite
locality. He is reported to be contemplating
q movement. And it is hoped that this move.
ment may lead to termination of hostilities
1t is evident that no definite plan of combined
operations has yet been adopted; everything i,
conducted on the hap-hazard system-and wher
the conflict will terminate it is impossible c
form reasonable notion. The existing cond
ton of affairs is thus succinctly summed up il
the Cape Town Mail, Of July LIST :: There i,
no cOncert-no system-in word no govern
ment. Our enemies are united; and the colo
nists. the troops, the military officers, the civi
authorities, are working,ifno absolutely against
one another, at least without cooperation oil
sympathy"
Here is war which England must prosecute
until thn (offroo IA, 4,