The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-12-02
The Administration OF General Pierce and
our Foreign Relations.

The Administration OF General Pierce and
| our Foreign Relations.
Next in Importance to faithful Observance of the
compromises Of the constitution, between the North
and the South, prudent yet bold and energetic
administration Of our foreign affairs has become e.
sential to the peace, progress and manifest destiny
Of this mighty republic In no epoch of our ma
tional history of peace war; has there ever been
a time requiring in higher degree the practical
exercise Of cool discretion, moderation, and far
reaching sagacity, on the one hand, and Of adven-
turous courage and self sustaining ntrepdity the
other, than the present crisis, in reference to the
foreign policy Of our newly elected President.
The outgoing administration, SO inauspiciouily
commenced upon our foreign relations, under the
unfortunate cabinet of General Taylor, win 60 out
| of power with accumulation of unfinished bust
ness, to be turned to General PIERCE altogether
unprecedented in its amount and in the gravity Of
its complex and delicate responsibilities
The entanglements which have grown out of the
international affairs of Central America, are in them
selves task, which in settling will require Of Gen.
Pierce an extraordinary exercise Of skill and bold
ness to avoid a misunderstanding with England
on the one side, or q humiliation of our ma
tional character on the other. If the Monroe doc
trine of foreign Intervention in the domestic af
fairs Of the independent States of North America
is to be practically enforced it will call for the total
removal of those British agencies and influences
which have controlled the domestic and external a
fairs Of the Central American States for the last ten
years. 1t will supersede, upon the simple basis of
British exclusion, all the recent attempts to lay
down plan Of joint protection between England
and the United States 1t will require the formal
abdication, as proteg6 Of Queen Victoria, Of the
dusky King of Mosquitia and the formal assent Of
her Majesty's government thereto; and it will also
require some additional stpulations and explana-
lions of the Clayton and Bulwer Nicaragua Canal
treaty,
How stands that treaty now +! The first article
was openly violated by British agents, aided by
British vessel Of war; in the forcible extorion oftri
butte from one Of our merchant steamers at Grey
town. or San Juan-ths tribute going to the support
of government plainly abolished and disavowed BY
the treaty. Nor are we aware that this breach Of
trust has been finally compromised between the two
! governments the late reconstruction modifcs-
ton of the treaty having been repudiated by the
State Of Nicaragua. This loose and unsatisfactory
state Of things must be terminated, or patched up
in some way. If the Monroe doctrine is to be the
fundamental law, the matter will require little pro-
undity, but very considerable and resolution
to bring it to perfect and final settlement.
The foreign endorsements of Mexico call more
imperiously for emphatic and decided action by our
government than even the British perplexities of
Central America The sixty millions due to her
British creditors have placed the Mexican govern
ment, to all practical purposes, in the position of
dependant upon British clemency. But, again, the
singular tenacity Of Mr.. Filmore's administration
to the Tehusntepec treaty, founded upon the Garay
grant, and the extraordinary resolution reported by
the Committee Of Foreign Relations of the United
States Senate, making that compac. . casus beAi
with Mexico, If necessary to enforce it, leave the
two countries, as we now stand in an extremely
critical position The resolution before the Senate is
still pending; and the democratic majority Of the
body, in deciding upon it, will have to decide to
some extent upon the policy of General Pierce. It
ia simple question Of pea,e or war; and to Mexico
the latter may be quite acceptable as the first
alternative, for country in the last gasp of disso
luton has but little to lose in any event
But there is still another element to be considered
in the establishment of order out of the universal
chaos of Mexico louis Napoleon must not be over
looked. Our latest news from the Mexican capital
indicates something like combined movement be-
tween France Spain in the warlke prosecution
of their claims for unpaid debts. Now how are all
these difficulties to be overcome? war with Mexico
on the Tehuantepee question would inevitably re-
suit in the annexation of the entire republic to this
Union. 1t could have no other termination.
Perhaps the Nexicsns desire it. There can be little
doubt of il the most wretched and deplorable in
efficiency Of their own government is considered in
connection with the brilliant offer to Gen. Sect of
the supreme dictatorship, while in occupation Of
| their capital, in 1S47-'4S.
But, even should we compromise the Tehu antepes
difficulty and our Indian and fltibustying distur-
Dances Of the Northern rsnters tho application of
the Monroe doctrine may require the Strengthening
of the home squadron to large extent, and the
presence Of an army Of observation on the Rio
Grande, or else Eoglsnd, France, and Spain nay,
by coup dftat, appropriate and divide the spoils.
The heay, debts Of Mexico due to the subjects Of
those powers, the immensity Of the undevelopsd
mineral and agricultural riches Of the Mexican re-
public, the importance of the Tehuantepsc and her
other overland routes between the Atlantic and
Pscisc oceans, and the utter helplessness and
wretchedness Of the government and the country,
are temptations which must be irresistible to Eng.
land and her allies, If not anticipated by the inter-
position of the United States.
But the Cuba question, of all other questions, 10
destined to become turning psint in foreign
affairs during the next four years for, within that
tme it seems to be generally expected that must
either de6nitively surrender. acquire the island
Upon this subject there appears also to be .
prevailing apprehension, that dllibHstcrisn,, under
the in coming administration will be winked ct, If
not openly encouraged; and that in consequence
We may be precpitated, by unholy collision with
buceaneering expeditions, into terrible war with
the Holy Protective Alliance Of Spain, England,
and France Such war would, Of course, place
our vast commerce. in every sea and upon every
ocean, at tho mercy Of legalized pirates or privA-
teers, in addition 10 the ases Of at least three Of
the naval powers Of E2rope; and hence the sensa-
ton rroduced In Wall s;reet by ths tremendous