Semi-weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1852-1853, 1853-04-06

49, : ,zf3.. I'D
BRlTlsH. PoL1cr IN INDIA. We published yes-l
terday the decree of the British governor general of
the East Indian Company, shDexing the whole pro-
vince of Pegu to the British possessions in Asia.
The languageof the decree is stern and summary.
he sovereign o. Ava has given offence 10 The Britt
Ism authorities, and has refused to aceede 10 their
dictated terms of reparalion. zThereupon. British
troops nave defeated his armies and seized all the
sronghoids OF one of his richest and most popuious
provinces mat province is now formally transferred
oy proclamation OF the British authorities to the do
mlnion of the British Crown; and the Indian ruler
thus desPoed is notified that if he resist or plain,
his whole Kingdom will be seized in the same su r.
mary manner, and himself and his driven forth
INTO exile. ii the whole preceding be not bare
faced robbery, attempt is made TO give it any other
aspect. No specification is given of the offences
committed by the Indian ruler. No effort whatever
is made to commend the proceeding of the British
authorities to the appreciation of the civilized world
On its face the decree of seizure. grasping popu-
lous province which several degrees both of
latitude and longitude, is an avowed, high handed
act of mere military force. The British governor
perpetraes the quite as matter of course-with-
out hesltatIon justification, apology. 1t is lust
the same thing if government, dissats fed at
the proceedings of Mexico about Tehauntepec, or
some other matter, make military occupation
of Sonora and chihuahua, and two or three other
Mexican provinces, and then place them under the
civil jurisdiction of the United States and then saw
no more about the matter, except tell Mexico that
if she did not keep quiet the seizure should he forth
with extended over every inch of her remaining
ritory.
Now. it is remarkable that this proceeding on the
part of England is matter of establishment or sur
prise TO body. To the native powers of India and
to the rest of The world it is only piece of the old
story OF British power in Asa-an incident very
common, wholly in the usual course of things, and
on its face entirely lawess. But while engaged in
such proceedings itself, the British government reso-
lutey bestrs itself after somewhat strange fashion
TO make some atonement to the outraged moral sense
and public law of the world. That government pro-
poses TO the United States to stipulae take
possession of Cuba, and the whole press of Great
Britain, under the lead of government points to
The peaceful and voluntary accession of Texas the
United States act of ruthless spoIIation, and
stIgmatIzes the American evacuation of Mexico when
tully conquered and wholly in our military occupa-
ton by the result Of Just war, as beinu nothno
less than most atrocous robbery. because, by SOL
treaty, and for large Pecuniay considerations the
most remote and thinly peoped of the Mexican pro-
vinces which Great Britain then stood ready to seize
for herself were coded to our Jurisdiction and
ilzation and self-government the same time. The
efforts of Eng land to protect Mexico and Cuba from
the United States, and the British denuneia.ions of
American aggression on this continent, will hereafter
be studied as the political curostes of the nineteenth
century.
1t is now, We suppose, conceded by statesmen
everywhere, that the extensions of our territory which
have taken place within the last ten years are like
the previous acquisition of Louisiana and Florida
Incaculabe benefits 10 the territories acquired
our own country, and to the world But their most
truly beneficial aspect is that which has been least
insisted On 1t is to be found in the example of the
just mode of territorial acquisition which they pre-
sent, and in the powerful hearing of that example
upon the public law of Christendom. Our acquisi-
lions of territory and all, have been the triumphs
Of peace. This is of California Of Louis
lana and Texas; for by the trumphs of war-as just
as such trumPhs ever can be-the whole of Mexico
was ours. The cession of California was accepted
and paid for in the spirit Of justice and peace.
1t has Injured TO the incaculable benefit of all imme-
diaely concerned in it, and of all the world besides
Ins nrtisn seizure of Pegn may doubtless open new
advantages to the commercial spirit of the age. In
its direct consequences probably be rega rded
al step in The progress of civilization. But its
sinste: aspect is, that proceeding of one of the
processes and its motives an era of violence and
fraud. Washington Union.