Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-11-13
VIEWS OF AMERICAN PROGRESS"

to heed the counsel of its English mentor. We
therefore subjoin the article Of the Times:
PROM THE LONDON TINES OF OCTOBER 16.
The public writer's of England and of the United States
have few duties to perform beyond the immediate circle
of their domestic interests which vie in Importance
with those they owe each other At the present time
especially when the press of these nations enjoys all
but complete monopoly in the free discussion of public
affairs throughout the world they bound by the high
est motives to keep in view the welfare of the
which they belong and to defend the common in
terests of the liberty they enjoy For ourselves hold
it to be not the least of privileges of position that
may sometimes address, in their own language and
with congenial principles those mighty mutudes of free
and intelligent men whose onward tide has already Joined
the Atlantic to the Pacific coasts and that the opinions
and convictions of England, multiplied ten thousandfod
by the innumerabe journals of the Union, and spread
ncalculable extent of territory and population
may sometimes weigh with the influence Of kinsman's
voice upon the mind and conduct of the American peo-
pie To promote those sentiments of esteem and good
WILL which every tie Of nature and of policy prescribe
and the people of the United States has constantly
been desire and though have never forborne to
express with great ankness and severity our regret and
at indicating departure from
the strict path of national morality the part of the
expressed such questions repudiation annexation
and piratca warfare those of the best and most
eminent citizens of the Union and we may hope that
these opinions acquired additional force when it
was found that they echoed and supported by the
independent judgment of this country. We take small
account of class of turbulent and noxous writers in
the United States who follow the opposite course and
who endeavor to iname the suspicious and animostes
OF the populace against Great Britain These mischiev
Gus productions originate have reason to believe
with renegades and outcasts far than with the eu
Gated classes the genuine population of the Anne
rcan Cities and their authors animated by morbid
hostility to the country they have abandoned rather
than by enlightened regard for that which they have
adopted Whenever the contrary, the discussions of
the two countries carried in the temperate and
friendly spirit which is alone consonant to their close re-
ationship and their common interests they
ought to strengthen those ties which can never be weak
ened or broken without nhctng most serious calamity
upon the world.
Such were the intentions with which we commented,
not long ago, on the two great systems of pocythe
policy of commerce and the policy of conquest-which
lay open to the nexhaustbe energies of the American
people, and learn with pleasure that observations
have been read beyond the ordinary limits of our own
circulation But if there be any value in the criticisms
suggested to Europeans and Engshmen by the
of events in the United States it consists mainly in the
more strict and binding conception of legal rights which
we are wont to apply to public affairs The great peril
OF popular Governments and Democratic society in gene
raj Is that the majority, conscious of its own absolute
and irresistible power, is sometimes little inclined as
any Oriental despot to surrender its passions and its de-
sres to mere objections of law Intoxicated with poti
cal power, these sefgoverning or selfmpeing masses
coniound that power with moral omnpotence and they
forget that all the might of thousand empires cannot
alter the nyoabe conditions of public rectitude or eace
the stain of one act of injustice Political interests ma
onal predictions, melted by commercial enterprise or
military ambition, continually suggesting undertake
ngs which might contribute the wealth and greatness
OF the country but the question for nation Of honest
is simply whether they can be lawfully pursued and
whether in such enterprises 10 not rather
disgrace than triumph. To swinde the public creditor
to attack defencelcss neighbor to connive Mt the de-
signs OF band Of pirates foreign island to dispute
the most obvious right Of other States simply because
they interfere with national interest things which
no amount Of success palate but the only security
against these ntolerable abuses is the moral feeling
Of the nation 1t is on that ground alone that we
presume to condemn some of the acts of the
American people No doubt large party in the United
States regret as much do that Mississippi and
Pennsylvania repudated their debts that Mexico was
invaded without shadow of lawful pro vocation that
Cuba was attacked by Lopez and his gang y =
But in discussing these topics contemporaries on
the other side the Atlantic scarcely appear sensible of
the distinction naturally draw between legal acts of
public advantage to the Union and such acts when thew
legally reprehensble 1t is the extension of ter
rory Of the United States that deprecate or condemn
but the by which that extension has been some
times carried on. When Louisiana purchased from
France and Florida from Spain, fair bargain was made
and fair price paid for those provinces No one ever
dreamt of dsputsg the legality and good policy Of such
acquisitions. Nay, when hosttes had broken out
between the United States and Mexico though we saw
great reason TO condemn the series Of candesne
sons which preceded and led the war; nobody cues
toned that the conquest Of certain extensive tertoe
the natural result Of such a struggle If the Crown
Of Spain disposed to dvest itself Of the sovereignty
Of Cuba by recognising its independence or by transfer
ring the dominion Of the island to another Power va
should have right oppose such transfer than
had oppose the sale Of Florida As long as the pro
gress Of the Union is carried by legal pacific and
movable means, not only not adverse to IT, but
have little doubt that il promotes orr own interest:
by extending the range of trade and by placing some
the fertile parts of the globe in the hands Of NOR,
energetic aud industrious people than the descendants
the Spanish race But il is the attempt carry on tn,
work of civilization by violence and fraud which call.
forth strenuous opposition and which we hold to b,
utterly unworthy Of people already in possession Of an
unlimited territory and unlimited freedom The Amer
can notion Of propagang democracy and democratic gov
eminent in the world by such is absurd dclu
sion, unless they prepared to propagate and form tn,
States and nations to which their institutions are ap