The Woodville Republican., 1853-01-18
Progress and the
Press of Europe.

Cass, on the Cuban question, was hIs vim
dication OF the character of this country
from the censures Of tie British press. His
defence OF the United States was as con.
vincing as his retort upon Great Britain
was severe and overwhelming. In no in.
stance has this country made an acqu,si.
;ion OF territory but by perfectly fair and
legitimate means Florida and Louisiana
were got by purchase Texas by voluntary
annexation; and New Mexico aud Cali>
tornia by conquest, In this last instance
of territorial acquisition. the Justice and
moderation Of the United States were con-
spicuously displayed. We had been pro.
voked to hostilities with Mexico by a long
series OF grievances and wrongs. Our ar
mics had vanished her troops in every con-
iiict had anmhila ted her military establish.
ment, had oyerrnn her soil, and were in
undlsturbed possession of her capitol aud
much of her provincial territory. A por-
ton of her population. inoousiderabie aes-
ther for numbers or influence, anxiausly
sought shelter under the dominion OF This
confedeiacy. This county had but TO say
the word. and the Republic of Mexico
would have quietly risen to the rank of
territory of the United States, But the
nationality of Mexico was sacredy res
pected by government whose magnanis
NIFTY was equal 10 Its prowess. In COM
! pensatlon for the claims OF our citizens,
aud as indemnity for the expenses OF the
war, the United States appropriated what
wlere thought TO be the most barren aud
inhosptable provinces of Mexico: aud the
harshness even of this measure was mitl>
| gated by the fifteen millions indemnity, and
a stipulation to protect the frontiers OF Mex.
leo against the depredations Of the Indians.
History furnishes no such instances of mag
nanimity to a fallen foe-of moderation
and ct sell'denal on the part of a power
iul and ambitious nation. If the people
OF this country be possessed Of that spirit
of conquest and aggrandizement which so
provokes the wrath and iuveclive of the
British press, why did they not decree The
the annexation OF Mexico, and thus, by one
bound, take precedence in power and glory
over any nation OF the earth Mexico lay
exhausted and vanquishcd at our feet, and
we evenextended toher the hand, not OF lust
or violence, but of succor and support
No idea OF "manilest destiny" 10 amb-
ton of conquest, no dazzling vision of ex-
tended empire and national grandeur, could
overcome that stern devotion to principle
and justice which has ever characterized
aud controlled the foreign policy of the
American Republic.
/ Rnt IL eaanns nauarfbaiass that thic ~ q.
public is reproached by the press of Europe
with harboring designs of conquest and
piunder agains! neghboring nations, and
the public sentiment OF the civilized
world " is invoked to arrest the Iawless and
licentious career of the American Demo-
cracy. Most vehement in denunciation of
the :" bnccaneering propenslties'' of the
American people is the press of England
1 a country which boasts that the sun never
sets on the trophies of its guilty ambition.
From the subjugation of ireland, by Strong
bow, to the subjngaIiou Of 8urmah, by
Goodwin, the history of England has been
an uninterrupted carer oil plunder and cor
quest. The lion is indeed, lit type, not
of the prowess only, but of the ferocity Of
the British nation, whose mission has been
to prey upon the weak and helpless. The
British hon has run riot through the world,
and in every region and cline lie the van
pushed victims of his rapacity. The im-
agination is dazzled and delighted IN con-
templating the career OF an Alexander, who,
to immcrtaIize his name, in the march Of
conquest .subverted empires and dethroned
kings But no vision OF glory lured Eng
land to her career OF conquest. The love
OF gain has been the passion OF her people
and the principle OF her policy. and all her
conquests were undertaken to open new
regions to her merchants, and fresh fields
of tribute. With what circumstances ol
cruelty and oppression the conquests OF
England have been effected may be known
from the sad history OF the Acadian colo
ny on this continent the triumphs OF Give
and Hastings in the East, and the desola-
tion and suierings Of Ireland. Nor eau
England Plead in mitigation of the GEN.
sure of the "civilized world" that these
were the ravages of remote age and bar
, barous people. They were the Wanted
conquests Of British proves when her re-
ligion was less corrupt, and her literature
more splendid than even in the present day
, And the noon OF the nineteenth century
: witnesses, in Cape Colony and in Burmah,
, acts of cruelty and rapacity unsurpassed in
any earlier chapter of English history
This is the nation that dares to reproach
the "democracy Of America" with law
less lust for territorial aggrandizement.
The enslaved press Of France. snbservine
: the designs, and speaking the voice Of il:
despotic master, echoes British invsctivei
against the aggressive designs OF th'
American Democracy, its own government
the while, harboring schemes OF extensive
conquest. The French ruler has Just pro
claimed that the Mediterranean sea IS to be
French lake; and his fleets are executing
'6Ibus.sriag' aleslg,ns sgaiEs; y. Domingo
Il il not known how sooE he may .ay hi