New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-03-22
ENGLAND.
President Pierce-The Central American
Question.

Question.
From The London TINES. March l.
The President of the United States assumes,
this day the supreme power in thu great Common
wealth and enters upon the duties Of the office which
he elected In December last by large majority oil
his fellow citzsns In almost every State ia The Union
No man has ever commenced his high political career
under circumstances favorable than Gen Pierce.
He hnds his country Ia state OF universal peace and
uDo Ksmped prosperity. No question OF immediate in
teTes urgent gravity demands prompt solution or
threatens the integrity OF the Union The majority,
which has suddenly borne him from comparatively
obscure position TO be the temporary Head oil power
full naton once 10 prescribe ms policy and 70
regulate his course Of action. We may anticipate th1t
the policy OF the United States will hcncetorward be
more openly directed to the unrestricted freedom u
commercial intercourse, both with the contiguous
provinces Of the British Empire and with foreign coun
tries. And even those territorial questions which
are apt to excite the passions OF the American people
aud sometimes threaten 20 eInbrol them with their
noighborf, Gen. Pierce takes the Government In An
interval of repose when the relations Of the Union with
every part of the world tranquil, and we hope
pacific. In commenting upon the discussions which
have lately occurred in the public assemblies OF the
United States it il well to bear in mind that much more
il said than is meant will be done. Mr. Cass's de.
camatory orations the edoctrne were quahed
by his sturdy opposition To the schemes OF the
buccaneers ON Cuba; aud we have reason to hope that
the appeals made the passions of the nation
delicate points OF international law Will have no
serious effect the policy OF the Union toward The rest
General Pierce he's observed most discreet snd
statesmsnke reserve during the whole period which
has elapsed between his election and his induction 10
Office he has carefully avoided all those demonstrs-
tione which popular enthusiasm and curiosity would
readily have awarded 20 q successful candidate. He
has not allowed pledge to pass his lips IN public or
written declaration 10 proceed from his pen. so little
is known OF his past life beyond the boundaries OF New
Hampshire that he Is untettered by thing he may
have ssid done in any former capacity and though
IL be confessed that the credit he has hitherto OBJ
tanned is in great hypothetical, one ever
succeeded better in preserving the mystery OF unds
closed greatness, ia avoiding the embafra-sments
that precede Office Even the selection OF his conhden
tal advisers has been kept profound secret and IN
country where everything is bruted about aud every
scheme discussed beforehand by million voices, the
real character and policy OF the new Government al
Washington is little 10 be guessed AZ as the name %
Pope In a newly assembled COnclayc, or the policy Of
AN sbsoe Sovereign who has ust assembled the throne
Probably the OF the apparent indifference Of the
American people 70 these considerations, which would
seem be of essential consequence under an elective
government that they are well assured that under
any men whatsoever the course Of public arsirs viii be
pretty nearly the They regard the hrst officers
OF State be the servants rather than the rulers ne
peope and they satxtled with The CONVICTION that
whoever may be nirs. with the mans cement OF pub
lie affairs viii aspire only 10 do their bidding
IL due however b. the statesmen OF the Whk parry
in the Unsed Stsies-of whom IN Official capacity we
now take leave for tme-to acknowledge the abb
ity and prudence with which they have on many Occa
sons found means 90 control and direct the popular
WILL often HnInstructed OF misguided, especially On
qlesOIs dicNtIg VIII
Powers. Tha + the lasting glory ofMr Clay, Mr. Web
ser and more recently ofMr Evere AMI although thry
have certainly never sacrificed one 20, OF what could be
considered their national rights II the wdest interpret
alton, they have wisely and hOnOrably cnieay0fet.
sometimes tire risA Of obioquy and censure, to r.
move by negotiation difficulties which Afforded grounds
Of agitation TO tie more factions portion o. the esnnu
nifty not only pgsnsi the Government but also against
Its foreign allies.
In the very las, commune alton addressed by Nc
Everett to the Senate, have striking example OF
the results OF this good feeling and torbcarsnce AMI L
msy possibly teach even General Csss lessen - fad
that the very time when be nscnieVousy labor
ing 20 extract quarrel CO, 81 the Treaty with Great
Britain for the establishment Of ship Canal through
Central Ameics the British Government WAS in con.
junction with the American Secretary o; Sts'e. dpas
sionahly considering the best means % securing tue
dept!GeBce II that passage ana freely TesgnEg
OF the projecting lights which t Las long exercised over
portion a those territories IL usy be in the rccou
ton OF our readers thE, h.ve more tlsn once dis
cusseG the anomalous and iuconycuieut clam, the
Mosquito cssst % WHICH Lord Pafnerston appeared.
when he held the Office OF Foreign Secretary % s-:sci
undue importance. he even traced tAc boundary
line OF Mosquito across the swsmps sns sierrss q
Honduras, and invested iQIterste sni haf eothai
sava5e with the attributes OF sovereignty King OF the
MoSGuitoes, though TIE power exercised IA hs usne
reay belonged erheg q British sub ecs more Lately
10 Cosnmttee OF Amrccan ci'izeuS Lord John Rgssi
has very wisely puf end 20 this farce watch exDOei
vs. 70 the responsibility o. defending the independence
OF territory own snd be hiss thus given both
tie ufcd St2et etQ NSltFAl Atltf4ct
psoofof eur respect tor the Clayton AID Balweg Treaty
snd Of eur re isuce TO extend the BTh tsrtoTiesi.
that part Of he globe The only pom; against Which q
essential both Tor ourselves and for the Americans pro
vide Is the possibility Of pgeenson TIE pan Of the
kcsrag, s Government 70 convert the passage eth
Juan into monopoly The object q the fres'y VITA
the United State ana a. whole pohSy, - SIMPLY %
rfotrote on the easiest terms tie execution Of Snip
Canal across the lstnnus ami to scare Ns freedom
and neutrality WEl this y.eS has been proposed -
convert the civ sad porI into tree hsvea and ia t1e
event Of the canal beng executed, L. car hardly Ia -
become enc OF TIE most important cCtanesi pOsi'lcns
OF the globe connecting Europe VITA t. Acs-rsaa
Coatsrent AMI the Islands Of TIE Pacific aud te Eisua
seas.
The rrsposai S CT, ditsbe 70 the Enslsh Nasty, aai
the spirit II hch :, made = that yse ought p char
acter'ze our relations WIKI tie AmercGa peope. Is
Is not tie trsi Instance IN which Ggeet Brian ass
shown thst, on the fair field Vi Commercial composition
we seek os no exclusive advantages. We asA no more
thsn 10 stand on ne same public rtts othes nsioa
and We have sefthe eNEslrle OF the polcv prue 81
opening ports snd trade widely - posslheto
tie rect o. the world NJ Eyerest though the ocsau
of Government not processing the pracsrles Of free
trtde has done justice 10 Our I0siyes in THIS cOmmuu
eston and be hss also sought 70 mark his Aimnis;rs
tou by the settlement Of the que oz Of tee fisheries AID
colonial trade on far terms. and even Is sail by
the signature OF Treaty io- international copyrs< 70
who's bis attention has no doubt been particularly a.
rectcd by his literary connections Il - 70 be
feared ko~ever itsi. il ihese a.ters tAc thread Of
ks ccI lie ar be cut tefc-c they can be conapetei