Polynesian., 1853-01-29
N. 3S

Il 4
;ss sometimes as little inclined as any Orienta
9 despot to surrender its passions and lis De.
s. Sires TO mere objections OF law IntoxicateG
y with political power, these self soserrinr OF
81 jseii-irnpeIling masses coni6und that power
3 3 with moral umnipotence; and they forge
y tnat7ail the might of a thousand empires
) icannet alter the inviolsble conditions O. pub
; TIC reethude or eiiace the stain OF one act o:
/ injustice. Political interests, national predi-
! iections, melted by commercial enterprise or
3 military ambition, are continually suggesting
Undertakings which might contribute 10 The
4 wealth and greatness of The country; bat the
: question for nation Of honest men is simply
! whether they can be lawfully pursued, ard
whether even success i'm such enterprises Is
not rather disgrace than a triumph To
swIndie the public creditor, To attack de-
iencejess neighbor, 10 conniye at the designs
"i q band OF pirates on foreign island, to
dispute the most obvious rights of other
States, simply because they interfere with n
national interest, are things which no amount
lot success can pailiaie but the only security
Iagalnst these intolerable abuses Of superior
force Is the moral feeling of the nation. 1t
is on that ground alone that We can ever
lpresume 10 Condemn some of the acts of the
American people. No doubt a large party
IN the United States regret as much as we
can do that Mississippi and Pennsylvania re-
tpudiated their debts; that Mexico was in
vaded without a shadow of lawful provooa-
tion; that Cuba was attacked by Lopez and
his gang; and that Mr.. Webster encouraged
American traders to appropriate the produce
oil the Lobos Islands, when thev might as
well have appropriated that of the Isle of
Wight. But, in discussing these topics, our
contemporaries on the other side of the At
laniic scarcely appear sensible of The disiinc-
ton we naturally draw between legal acts
ofPublic advantage to the Union and such acts
when they are legally reprehensible. Ii is
not the extension of territory Of the United
States that we deprecate or,condemn, but the.
means by which that extension has been
sometimes carried on. When Louisiana was
purchased from France, and Florida from
Spain, tar bargain was made and a fair
price paid for those provinces. No one ever
dreamt of dspuing the legality and good
policy Of such acquisitions Nay, even
when hoStIlties had broken out between the
United States and Mexico, though we saw
great reason to condemn the .eries Of clan
destne aggressions which preceded and led
TO the war, nobody questioned that the Con-
quest OF certain extensive territories was the
natural result of such a struggle II the
Crown of Spain were disposed to diyest itself
OF the sovereignty of Cuba by recognizing
ITS independence, or by transferring ihe do
mlnIon OF the island TO another Power. .wo
should have no more right to oppose such
transfer than we had 10 oppose the sale oil
Florida. As long as the progress Of tho
Union is carried on by legal, pacific, end
avowable means, not only we are not adverse
TO H., but we have little doubt that il pro-
notes our own interests, by extending the
range OF trade, and by placing some OF The
most fertile parts Of the Z lobe in the hands
of more energetic and industrious people
han the descendants of the Spanish race
But Is the attempt 10 carry on the work of
civilization by violence and fraud which calls
orth our strenuous opposition, and which we
lold to be utterly unworthy Of a people
already in possession of an unlimited TERRI
ory and unlimited freedom The American
notion OF propagating democracy and demo-
ratio government ia. the Grid by such
means Is an absurd d,Iusion. unless they Ha
repared 10 propagate and lorn the States
nd nations 10 which their, own Institutions
re applicable. Ii would he as practicable
0 apply constitutional monarchy and repre-
government To the Hindbos ii the
'ikhs as 10 extend pure Aihel icaK Jehiocracy
ver the former oIoiries 1ef Spain. -. The
Ingio-Ameiicans mary fake their institutions
long with them, bat beyond the territories
by their own race thFY viii, ind
ubIecis and slaves, not lelloy ciflzeus, .-
Neither, is there any sound foundation for
he parallel WHICH has sometimes been
tempted between the Wars in uhiCi the
ritisf, empire mas Of late years been eG-
aged, and those wars Of conquest r6 which
le Amrrioans seem more ard more prone.
url war with the Caffres may be the
esalt oflsimprpdence, hut il is assar Of
ecesshy and can no mare he. ,ayn,ded or
than the protracied coutes; Of Ihp
nned States with the Seminol,s en- their
ldlan frontier. The war in Chiiia Was
reed upon this country BY the asgravatrd
suits offered to the accredited agent Of the
rown, and il was g'nriouslys terminated BIZ
, exclusive ortierriioria aavantagcs, but
y opening the chief ports Of China 10 the
ade, not. .oi England, but Of the worid.--.
he .eAiension OF eur indian Territory has
lvanced, and probably is sfi.l advancing,
defiance OF the ef1ris made 10 arrest. is
ogress, by causes which appear 90. be BIZ,
md our couirol.-Thcre are -pubiic acts.
nfeciiy cnnsisient n lih our daiy to s,reisa
,.vers as well, as TO ourselves, whicffwe
ID it easy to jnsiiiy and ayov; iorthauga
the affairs of great empire. soe eprrences
W sometimes arise which tie se,srsr Laws
morality eendemn. YET, tie feelings ard
J convictions Of The people of England
orn and repudiate po'iticaf adsanfages
released at such a price, and in these
les no Englishs statesman would dare 10
We his srcoiintry sss.hs expense OF n pubiic
one To maintain these psascipies Of
nor, .forberancs and legaliy is.a bighsr.
" and more lasting. Advantage Than to ia