The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1853-03-31
I" A Speck of War;

King" If we understand this step, suppo-
sing the accounts to be true, and not ax;g-
gerated, it is direct violation of that com
pact 80 full ofbunders on our side of the Nj
caragua treaty. We had supposed that
the British Government had relinouished
all right to colonization in any part of Cen
tral America, on condition Of obtaining
from lis joint right Of way across Central
America; right which our government
were blind and weak enough to surrender
after having obtained an exclusive right
But we were in error. The right reserved
by the British Government after the treaty
was signed, which was the right to hold
"Brtish Honduras" involved little more
than MIR. Bulwcr chose to express, or than
our Executive was able to understand. Mr.
Duiwer knew his man, or men, and pru-
IDENTITY asked for no more than they were
willing to grant, and he so expressed him
self as to imply one thing, and signify to
them another. Having got all that they
professed to seek, the British Government
are now acting upon the concesson, and ac-
cor'llng to their own Interpretation. "Brit-
lsh Honduras" means all that the British
Government can lay their hands upon, and
they have begun with the Bay Islands, and
are now proceeding to seize all along shore.
And in doing this, they are merely sczing
what thay have all along coveted and
tried to psssess. And after they have got
1t, and the United States alone have the
power to prevent them, perhaps they will
initiate our liberality, and give lis a common
right OF way. And perhaps they will do
no such thing, but keep the whole for them
selves. British history, as we'll as British
proceedings in Siam and Pegu at this mo-
ment, will probably explain this point after
they have got full possession.
What will our Executive do under these
circumstances In the Inaugural Address,
the President was very implicit upon the
Monroe Doctrine" and upon the policy of
EXTENSION" for our security. lie plainly
SAID that no European power must be per
united to co'onize any further on this Cont
nent, and that the United States must not
he restrained from any extension of their
territory by fair means and so far as we
can learn public opinion from newspapers,
these two declarations gave general satisfc-
ton. And this satisfaction was founded
upon popular belief in tile Presidents sim
certy and determinations And now the
very condition upon which he promised to
enforce the Monroe Doctrine" has occurred,
III TINS British invasion of Honduras in Vi
o'atlon OF treaties. Will he keep his prom
'se to the people2 We trust that he will
not only demonstrate promptly and enerjeti-
cally against this act of British aggression
but will do something more. The exccu-
tive has no power to declare war. But he
has power to do something better, and there
ny to throw the responsibility of war with
the Cntcd States upon the British Gov
ernment; responsibility which that Gov
ernment will not dare to assume He can
promptly and dccently send minister to
the Central American States, to negotiate
with each treaty of annexation to the Uni
ted States
AS these five Central American States
have had enough of Europe, and more es--
ptecIally of England, we have lettle doubt
about the cordial acquiescence of each in
this project. These States alone are not
strong n ugh to lepel the pir,ical aggression
OF England, and would therefore rejoice in
the protection of much more powerful ma
ton that would guarantee all her local
rights. Only in the United States can they
mud this nation, and only through annexa-
t'on, incorPor alton, they obtain such pro-
lection. And where would such annexa-
ton leave England, with all her piratical OBJ
]ectsf She would be obliged to surrender
I'LL her pretensons even the right to cut
logwooa, or engage in war with the United |
States. Would she engage in such war
for the "Nlosquito Kingdom" and the ulti-
mate design of mcnopolizing the Nicaragua
passage, knowing that we should inevitably
defeat her on either ground? No more
than she would have engaged in war for
Inc North eastern Boundary or Northern
Oregon. She will probably threaten. But
with the President and Secretary of State
such threats will not be SO efiicacious as
formerly. British threats will now be met
with American defiance and American ac-
tion; the action that will not only enforce
the Monroe Doctrine" bu. extend our
territory where extension is most important.
Cuba, as an acquisition, is worthless in com.
parison with Central America. The latter.
we believe, is ripe, and we hope the admin.
istratlon will lose no time in plucking it
from British claws. The passages across
Central America, the highway to our States |
on the Pacific, should he like the Erie Ca
nal or the Columbia Rail Road, 4oithin the
United States.-Philndelphia Ledger.
AN OLD SoLDIER.-A revolutionary SOL
dier aged l04 years, arrived in Cincinnati a
few days ago, from visit TO his friends out
West, and was on his return to his home in
Richmond, Va. He is said to be remarkably
active, and has never been sick but once in
his life. The Cincinnati Times says that
during the revolution lie fought in all the