Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1853-10-06
THE BURMESE wAR.--ENGLAND AND
CUBA.

The inconsistencies of nations are as striking
as those of individuals. All men, whether
regarded separately or in communities, are
prone to find fault with others for doing what
they themselves are most apt to indulge in
They call that crime in others which they
deem virtuous when done by themselves.
The government that is most distinguished
for condemning in other governments what it
most INDUCES in itself is the English govern
ment. There is no oppression that England
has not practised there is no principle of in
ternational law that she has not violated. If
she covets slip of a neighbours territory, she
picks an opportune quarrel, and but short
time elapses before war is waged and the
conquest made. She always has a ready excuse
at hand but such excuses are more plausible
than satisfactory. Her diplomacy has been
signalized by craft; her arms by rapine and
slaughter To no quarter Of the globe is she
stranger. Her ambition has achieved its con-
quests In every part Of the earth, 1t is the
boast of one of her poets, that
"Her meteor flag ia never furled;
Her morning drum beats round the world"
She Is great, indeed. Her enterprise knows
no limit, her energy 20 rest. Her warriors
have decked her brow with unfading laurels.-
Her statesmen have stamped her institutions
and her laws with the deep.wrought impress Of
their mighty intellects. Her merchants have
given glory to her commerce, and poured wealth
into her lap. Her orators, her poets, her histo-
rians, and her artists, have invested her with
graces and girdled her with jewels.
But with all her greatness she is, always was,
and always will be, inscriptions. While she
never hesitates to take what she covets to do
what she pleases she maintains most COM
mendaole and sleepless vigilance over the af.
fairs and transactions Of other nations. She is
the first TO discover and to proclaim their mis-.
deeds. She can quote the most plausible texts
in justification of herself and the bitterest
anathemas in condemnation Of others. In re-
gard &c our affairs she is most virtuousy crcum-
spect. Nothing that we do escapes her lynx.
eyed statesmen. She is now most piQusly inte-
rested in our relations with Spain and our sup.
posed designs on Cuba. She fears that we will
commit the very fagitious act Of annexation,
either BY purchase or by conquest.
in this posture OF affairs, it will not b. agiss
TO refer to her unprincipled transactions and
her indefensibe course in regard 10 the Bur.
mese war" The witness against her is one Of
her own citizens. 1t is no less a person than
Mr. Golden. He has written a pamphlet, en-
titled How wars are got up in India 1t is
succinct; lucid, and interesting. He DISCUSSES
nothing. De extenuates nothing. He tells the
tale as it is. We viii briefly narrate it, and in
order to do 50, shall avail ourselves of the nc.
count contained in the London NewS of 18th
August!
" II appears that IN June, 1851 the British bnroue
\ Monarch, of $50 tons arrived at Ranaoon from
| Moulmeln; and in August, in the same year an.
other British vessel, the Champion OF 4l0 tons ar
4 rived al the same port from the Mauritius Charges
| Of murder, i'll usage, or debt, were successfully
brought against The captains Of these vessels by
pilots and seamen, claiming 10 be British subjects
i These charges were heard and adjudicaied upon
J by the native authorities al Rangoon. The one
captain was forcibly detained for eight DAYS and
1 mulcted in fines and fees 10 the amount Of flOl
1 The other detained fifteen days and compelled
10 forfeit f70 for fines fees, and seamens' wages
Out of these very trivial incidents arose the Bur
mese war The two captains, dissatisfied with the
decision of the Burmese police, appealed 10 the
Indian government for redress, and laid their dam.
ages at fl 800 Their claim was considered valid
TO the extent OF f920 only, Commodore Lambert,
who happened 10 be the British Eayal commander
on the Hooghy station, was Immediately dispatched
70 Rangoon, 10 hear the Burmese version of the
story, and TO demand redress on behalf of the cap
tains, IT, after Investigation, he considered their
amended claim 10 be just ono. Lord Dalhousie,