Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-08-10
THE BRITISH AND THE BOMBARD-
MENT.

THE BRITISH AND THE BOMBARD-
MENT.
We perceive that the inhabitants Of Jamaica
are extremely indignant because an American
ship had the audacity to break up a nest Of pi-
rates at San Juan de Nicaragua. Jamaica be-
longs to the British and the British have, in
defiance of repeated treaty stipulations, ad-
hered to ridiculous and invalid protectorate
on the Mosquito coast. Now the potent ire
Of the mongrel brood of Jamaica is aroused
and has become vociferous because American
cannon have at length indicated American
rights.
1t is but natural that large portion of the
inhabitants of Jamaica should be excited, be-
cause nine-tenths Of the inhabitants OF San
Juan were negroes from Jamaica. The bond
of union and of sympathy is therefore plain
and patent-not requiring very strong percep-
tive organs to see it, nor very strong intellectu
al organs to understand it. But the Jamaica
indignation is not confined to the Jamaica me-
groes. The English residents sympathise with
their dusky brethren; and the Jamaica press is
rampant violent, and superlatively ridiculous.
We have before us several articles from the
Kingston (Jamaica) Journal, filed with ridicu-
lous assertions false statements, and furious
appeals.
That sapient journal represents-and most
falsely Representative San Juan was bonn
barded Immediately after the first boat returned
to the Cyane, which had been sent on shore
from that vessel. 1t then publishes, on that
foundation, rigmarole Of stuff about the bar
barous cruelty with which the bombardment
was conducted, which must provoke smile of
contempt from all who are not demented. Not
satisfied with the ordinary catalogue of horrors,
the Kingston journal afirms that the guns OF
the Cyane were pointed at horses and cattle
o climacteric affirmation, we take it, intended
especially for the clear and discriminating in
telIect Of Jamaica negroes.
Hitherto England has been accustomed to
she pleased. Year after year America has been
accustomed to put up with sneering apollo
gies for fragrant wrongs at the hands of Euro
pean monarchies-with sneering apologies
which were soon followed by other fragrant
wrongs. During all that time there was a
party in this country which sympathized with
monarchy-justi6ed its insolence and assailed,
with bitter vituperation and malignant perse-
cution, every man who stood up manfully for
the rights of his country. This fact has added
vastly to the overbearing spirit of British OH
Gals, so that they have accustomed themselves
to think that it is sheer insolence and unmiti-
gated audacity for plain republic to look into
the face of royalty, or to announce its exis-
tence IN the presence Of monarchy without
an abject apology for the fact of its existence.
But we can tell the British that Federalism
is dying Quit is now weak and powerless in
America. Those statesmen whose opinions
were formed when we were weak and poweress
have almost all gone down TO the tomb. new
generation has come upon the stage, and the
public sentiment of America is reflected by men
whose opinions we're formed since America be-
came power amongst the nations-capable
not only Of shaping the destinies Of the west
ern, but Of coercing the councils Of the eastern
world--for without firing gun the United
States can torture Europe with the pains Of
nakedness and famine--and convulse Europe
by the revolutionary movements which the
want of food and Of clothing must always pro-
duce in monarchical governments.
knowing these things, and approaching the
v;oor of our republican institutions, we cannot
but look with scorn upon the bombastic threats
and the supercilious airs Of superiority which
British officials practice and assume in Jamaica
and elsewhere. Nor can we contemplate with
ont scorn the assertion that there is valid ALI
ance between England and the ignorant anc
besotted chief Of the Mosquito Indians--or reac
without a smile Of contempt the passages II
the Kingston Journal, which speak Of thu
"kingdom Of Mosquito" which style San Juar
1.-THE capitolofthe kingdom Of Mosquito" and in
form the world that " His Majesty, the King o
Mosquito was at Blue6elds when the Cyan'
bombarded the San Juan pirates
The idea Of an Indian kingdom on the Anne
rican continent is in the last degree preposter
Gus. 1t is opposed to the principle which wa
universally recognised in the settlement of tn
Western World. The assertion that San Juai
was the capital Of the kingdom of Mosquito
superlsdvely ridiculous, and could have sprun
from nothing but British arrogance, swollen b
long years of impunity. Bot the Jamaica pape'
by way Of apology, for the easy victory Of tn
Cyane, states that @His Majesty the King
Mosquito" was not at San Juan, his capita
but was at Blue6elds, long distance to tn
north. The drunken beast, we venture to sa.
never knew where San Juan was. We doul
whether he ever knew there was such plac
on the face Of the earth, unless some Bntis
ngent told him there was; and even then tn
probability is that he would not have r
tanned the information half day. The la
account we have seen Of His Majesty
Mosquito" was that furnished by some trad