The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-09-19
SUNDAY MORNING. SEPTEMBER 10. 1852.
himself had described this very romonstranoe az

himself had described this very remonstrance as
"not formally denying the original right of Peru,
but requesting reconsideration Of the Decree" he
will readily appreciate the justice Of the coDcluson
which the American secretary now declares to con-
stitute the " standing ground Of his oountrymen.
Tho fishermen and seaers" of the States had long
frequented without license the shores of certain
islands always set down and distinguished as Peru
Wan territory. When warned of, no exception is
taken to the jurisdiction exercised but consideration
is requested for the claims of usage in this particu-
| lar occupation Yet this "remonstranco is now
cited protest destructive Of Peruvian sovereign
ty, and conveying to American citizens the right Of
entering upon the islands themselves to seize and
| export what they can find.
The Leap of the United States 10 the First
Rank of Hations-The Conquest OF Cuba.
From the London Times, September 6l
Ii has ever been the delight Of historians and phi
losophers to trace and work an analogy between
the pecuartes Of climate and scenery and the cha
racter and disposition of nations There is something
siDgulary wild and extreme in the physical phenone
ma ofthe American continent The mountains literal
lyp'erce the clouds and pour down from their snow
capped summitsriv that sweep hcirunconrollabe
course for Thousands OF miles, and bear with them,
es trophies of their might, trees OF a girth and
growth unknown to the European observer. The
seasons are as strongly marked. A summer of
ragng and almost ncolerable heat is succeeded by
winter of little less than Arctic severity All things
there tend to represent the of nature tho
result of a series Of violent and uncomfortable i'm
laws which regulate alike the tall Of drop Of rain
and the course of the mighty Father Of Waters.
There never probably was, since the beginning Of
the world, an instance Of such solid, sudden, and
dazzling prosperity as has been achieved within
the last fifty years by the United States Of
America. By peaceful industry and bold but
well.weighed enterprise: they have advanced to a
degree of material wellbcing which, to those who
only know the world from books, must appear
almost incredible. They have but to pcrsevere in
the same course, and there is no limit to the
trinmphs, that Lie before them They have
M ID. Territory to and i'm
without a neighbor, and a mission Of civilization
and consolidation to execute noble devolved
upon the sons of men. But the previous triumphs
of their industry and their enterprise have been so
tendency to turn aside the nation from its steady
onward course, and to enlist it in more brilliant but
far less certain schemes Of aggrandisement. ma
ton of hard headed traders and SPECTATORS strug-
Cling day by day with praseworthy perseverance
and intensity for the possession Of the 6 almighty
dollar" this people, SO shrewd and calculating in its
private transactions becomes, when it touches on
public affairs, wild and extravagant boadless in its
aspirations and insatiable in its cupidty. It pos
sesses will uncomfortable the powers of na-
tuIe which surround it, and spurns the control Of
law to which these mighty agencies so humbly sub
nit the mselves.
There at present two courses Of policy open to
the United States-the policy of commerce and the
policy of conquest. 1t is open to them to throw
down commercial rcstricions to stimulate the spirit
of traffic, to give up aspirations Of military glory,
and four power like that of their mother country,
relying rather arts than arms; or they may sub
stitue the military for tho commercial spirit seek
to establish within themselves world of their own,
and TO enlarge territory already too vast for unity
by the forcible annexation Of lands too weak to re-
sist the opsot of the mighty confederation Never
had people good evil set SO fairly before them,
and never was the choice moro doubtful and mo-
mentous.
II is now just year siAcc the piratical expedition
to Cuba, resulting in the sapguinary execution Of
fifty American citixers and the igDomnous death
of the "unprincipled adyen,urer' by whom the
descent was planned We had hoped that this
severe less ln-a single reverse amid so much pros
perity ard progress-would have taught the United
States the folly and. wickedness Of such unwarrant-
able enterprises, and finally decided the balance in
favor of the policy justice and moderation There
il much reason to fear we are mistaken. A sort Of
"guild" or . order" has been formed in the South,
consisting, we suppose we must say, rot of unprin-
cipled adventuers but OF many Of the most " wor-
thy and influential merchants, lawyers and politi-
clans Of the country The object is the extension
OF American influence over the Western hemisphere
and the islands Of the Atlantic and Pacific. Tho
first booty on which they have cast their eyes
is Cuba, and from that island they propose to
sweep away every vestise Of Spanish authority
before two have risen and set on the IN
vaders Enlightened public opinion in the United
States,'' it is said, will sanction this measure,
seeing that there many reasons why Americans
require the possession Of the island In the first
place, they wish to substitute for the iron rule Of
Spain, the republican SYSTEM Of government; next,
they anticipate assistance from the dscontented
Creoles-a iS1acious hope, il 20 may judge by the
experience of Lopez. Thirdly they sec in the ac-
QUESTION of this island, eusrsntee fer the perma
mercy Of the Institution OF slavery Fourthly, such
q conquest would extend theiI commerce ththly,
the rich and luxurious coyet tnis gem OF the Antl-
les as agreeable and accessible retreat from the
seventies Of New York winter. and long to ex-
change The frozen breezes Of the North for enchant-
ing visions of orange trees asd dsheTy cobhers The
and substance OF al these reasons is that, with
out pretending shadow of night to this possession
of the crown OF Span the Americans desire it, and
therefore viii have it Whatever the Americans
can ,abe belongs to tAsm, according TO this new
school of ethics and come peace or coue war they
viii not permit the intervention Of nny European
power between them end any friendly ally whom
they are determined to plunder.
1B is no little question that is raised by these
avowed inten lions nothing less than whether one
OF the first-rae powers Of the world shall declare
itself exempt from the provisions OF the law OF ma
tions-shall deny the existence Of any right except
that Of tho stronger, and claim to set no bounds
to It's aggressions, except the limits assigned by
its boun1less cupidity and lust OF dominion Shall
there arise in the middle of the nineteenth CEN
tury, piratical State, bound by no laws. recog-
nisiDg no rights, and avowedly bsspg its policy on
principles which in the case of individuals this
very same society would visit with the penitentiary
or the gbbet There was time when, intoxicated
like the United States with its enormous pros
pcrty, ancient Atnens lald down lor ltseH te same
rule Of eonduet, and boldly professed that while
iustiee nigbt regulate claims between equals, the
Stronger had a right to impose everything to which
the weaker might be compelled to submit Aftor
a few years the vicissltudes Of events placed this
arrogant State in the very position it had described
and rendered it dependent on the contemptuous
cemency Of a conquerer for that very existence to
which, upon It's own principles it had lost all right
when il became unable to defend it. Suppose we
were to apply similar reason to the island of Ma.
Geirs Nothing would be easier than to take it from
the feeble power to whom it belongs. II is not too
well governed by the Portuguese, il is a command
ing commercial position, and its climate is regarded
az specific for the national disease Of consumption.
We have, therefore, many TO desire it. Why,
then, do We not make il oar own Fer two rea-
sons which our American friends will do well TO
consider. I'VE wH not riotate the principles
Of aaaal iuSticv, tdraish the tustre of our
arms, and disgrace or character for fairness
aud ntderotisn, by ,nesting has property from our
oRy because he IS unable 10 keep 10. And if we wish
to do this we dare not. We dread the retribution