The mountain sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1844-1853, 1852-05-27
The Nations--The Btrmese war.

declared war, is pretty extensive country still,
and though in territorial magnitude, political
importance, and military resources, far inferior
70 what it once was, it is nevertheless worth the
tI9ah e and expense Of conquering and annex
ing That it is to be conquered, is certain that
1t will be annexed, is probable John Bull does
| not generally do such work by halves, and his
policy In that respect may not perhaps, conflict
with humanity When as strong Power has
| resolved to seize a country by the strong hand,
| aud to keep it, perhaps it is best to do so at
once, making short and decisive job of it.
Birmah contains two hundred thousand square
miles, and four or five millions of inhabitants,
and will be, therefore, an acquisition of consid-
! cradle importance. 1t is conterminous, too.
| with China, and may furnish hereafter facilities
| for approaching the Celestial Empire, should
not the Russians come in and spoil the English
aggrandizement, which is in India precisely that
of Russia in Europe-constant aggression, and
constant acquisition of territory. THERE'S no tel
ling where eitherwill stop for it is a fast, not
fully considered, perhaps, by the Governments
! themselves, whose occupations are chiefly war
| and annexation-that one annexation creates a
necessity for another, and so on. History is
full of this, and yet those who practice it, do
not always comprehend the l'rimum mobile of
| their own proceedings.
| The war with Birmah is imputed by the Eng
| lish to the wrongs done to English merchants at
Rangoon, add to ''insults offered to the Honora-
bic East India Company" which last is rather
q singular sort of inculpation, but so it is set
! down. And the Honorable Company complains
| to the Government at home, and the Government
/ at home Forthwith lets slip the dogs of war for
| the purpose of redressing the grevious wrongs
done the merchants, and the insults offered to
the Company. And they will be effectually re-
| dressed, TOO. The will be short one, pro-
! badly, for the Birmese cannot long resist the
force that viii be sent againt them.
\ London journal says "It is well nigh i'm
possible 10 foresee any other conclusion to the
war that has now commenced, and which has
most indubiousIy been forced upon US by the
wretcIed folly of the Birmese authorities, than
an increase of our territory at the expense Of
that Of Birmah.'
This is being tolerably frank. We do not for
n moment doubt that the E"increase' viii take
place, but whether the war has .'most inddb;ously
been forced on England, may well be question
ed The Birmese side of the story Will never
| be heard, or if it is, will not be headed. The
! Birmese are a ''semi-savage'' people, the same
journal says. They arc not Christians, and for
them there is not, Of course, no matter how
just their cause their commiseration, or sympa-
thy, or Intervention, or material aid. They will
be attacked and Slaughtered, and subdued, and
annexed, and there is an end of the matter
Not one philanthropist, or one orator will raise
his voice in behalf of the oppressed. There will
be no Brmese Kossuth to give worldwide
publicity to his country's wrongs.
The English journal speaks, too, of ''the IA
tality of aggrandizement that pursues" England,
and illustrates that fatality by referring to Scin-
de and the Punjaub which have been annexed
within the last three years This would be cor
rect changing one word-thirst into fatality
1t says, too: ssHaving in possession in India OF
a rich and immense empire, with which that OF
Alexander the Great was comparatively worth
less, we are from time to time compelled to ex-
tend it, under the penalty of losing it,
We doubt this, too. The argument is an old
one, and is that of the strong 1t commenced
with the first case of aggression and annexa
ton, and has been brought forward by all sue
cceding~ggressors and annexationists-tha the
safety OF the empire obliged them to conque,
| and to annex all mankind. This was the doc
trine of the Romans, which Augustus showed
to be fallacious by pursuing the policy of defen
ding what they had, rather than of making new
conquests, and his peaceful and glorious, though
: despotic reign, proved his to be the true policy
Upon being abandoned by successors, the I'm
pire soon went to decay, and finally to ruin
d We add, in conclusion, that already, in time
gone by, the Honorable East India Company ha
! helped itself very literally to Burmese territor.
-t-not much less than ope-half, probably; ant
the signs of the times now indicate that tn
other half will soon share the same fate
the conclusion of the war of 1S24-25, the s'semi
savage" nation was made to pay very dear 10
| having had the temerity to venture ON a trial o
strength with their civilized and Christian neigh
bors, the English, who certainly preachand pro
pagate in the East, most excellent rehglou
doctrine, but who practice some of the dogma
of their faith rather loosely, for they are by n
means guiltless of coyeting their neighbors Pre-
property, and when they covet, they approprl
ate Washington Globe.
| ~--
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