The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-09-05
Central American Questions-Pellcy or tn
Administration.

Central American Questions-PslIcy or the
Administration.
We have published, in due course, the com
ments of the English press upon the brilliant
achievement at San Juan de Nicaragua, and it
must be confessed that the British lion has, un.
der all the circumst ances, "roared as gently q
any sucking dove" The London Times hall
apologies Tor its own moderation, by represent
ing the act of the American government as
sufficiently condemned by the American PEG.
pie, who. it alleges, have reprobated it with an
extraordinary and unparalleled unanimity. The
subordinate English presses have treated the
affair much in the came manner, and with q
more or less distinct affectation of the same
motive. They all intimate pretty clearly that
if the damage done to British subjects at San
Juan meets with adequate compensation,
England win not make the affront offered
to her "protectorate' the subject of any
serious complaint. How far the British press
may reflect in this respect, the disposition Of the
British government, we have, as yet, no means of
knowing 1t is to be presumed, however, that
it affords pretty clear indication of the policy
which the government intends to pursue. Of
course there will be what is usually called q
"spicy correspondence" between the official
Dryasdusts, the usual consumption Of foolscap
and red tape. and the orthodox amount of
''having the honor to be-" on both sides The
old women Of diplomacy will go through all
their cabalistic formulas, and the case will pro.
badly end in what Dickens last hero calls "a
t. h. Loo
out for compensation for the property offered
up by Captain Hollins as q ''burnt sacrifice"
to the damaged nose Of Borland, and will be
virtuously indignant towards the United
States for having violated the provisions
of that ne plus ultra of diplomatic wisdom, the
Clayton and Bulwer treaty-a treaty which,
for perspicuity and intelligibility, affords an
admirable modern counterpart to the Pythian
oracle.
But the Times does not spare its rod because
it regards Pierce Il Co. as sufficiently pun
melled at home Nor will the British govern
ment shed tears over the violated treaty, and
content itself with "proper indemnity" for
cannot afford to quarrel with the United States
at this juncture. AT any other time, my gen.
tie masters" she would have taken very DIFF
ferent line Of policy. Two gigantic countries,
like Russia and the United States, whose iner-
tio alone, asan element of power, more than
counterbalances the active force of all Europe,
and whose vitals can never be reached by a
foreign enemy-cannot be placed in o
position of open, or quasi hostility at
the same time, with any degree of safe
ty. English publicists and English statesmen
perfectly comprehend that American sentiment
runs rather with Russia than in favor of that
halfkneaded and feeble combination called the
Western Powers" in the existing contest be.
tween them. They know that democracy must ne.
cessarily have less sympathy with an oligarchy
| than with despotism, and that 1t would be
dangerous to bring about state of things in
which, even without q distinct understanding
the United States and Russia might be driven
into real if not avowed co operation.
In one word, Great Britain will pass ovel
the San Juan affair with no more buster thar
may be necessary to save appearances. Il
will not be her fault if the Mosquito protecto
rate, and all of the questions which it involves
be not left to slumber until o more fitting op
portunity than the present Is afforded for re
asserting the arrogant pretensions which they
involve.
Such is the state of the affair, 50 far as Eng
| land is concerned. Here the aspect of the cas-,
has much changed, since the government q
Washington has found out that Great Britain
| is indisposed to make the destruction of Sar
Juan cause of serious quarrel. The admins
tration has become loud-mouthed and brave il
proportion as England seems disposed to be mo
derate. Our rural readers know how valian
| certain broad-footed denizens of the barn VAR
prove themselves, at the heels of whoever hap
pens to turn his back upon them In this wis,
the administration organs are vehement in thei
denunciations of England and English policy
and English pretensions in Central America
for the excellent reason that it is safe, ant
sounds plucky withal. We have elsewanne, il
this days issue, reproduce some Of what thu
transcendentalists eau the utterauces" Of tn,
government stipendiaries upon this matter
These are brave Words" but there is larg,
class Of people who will only smile wher
reading them, and perhaps irreverently Ella
culate "Gas!" by way of commentary
We should be glad to divest ourselves of the
suspicion that in raising such dust about
England and her fantastic pretensions in Central
America, the administration was not endeayor-
ing to hide the cowardly outrage of which it
was guilty at San Juan.
1t is certainly suspicious that, when the first
news of the destruction Of that town reached
the country, the administration sought to throw
the responsibility of the act upon the officer to
whom IL had assigned the disgracefnl task Of
bombarding and burning an abandoned and
defencelcss village The general censure which
that act ELECTED prevented even the most
servilc and obsequious of the supporters
of he government from aftarcnt;n,