Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1854-08-24
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that we shall not near the last VI ehiS
business for some time to come. The
acts Of the British commanders, in TAX
ing possession and declaring martial law,
will call for prompt attention and action
on the part of the President. 2i1
Meanwhile the New York papers,
without exception, continue to erltieise
this whole business in terms of great
but deserved. severity After discus
sing the various phases-of the case, the
New York Tribune concludes an able
article with the following remarks
They are worthy of attention at the
present time:-
Thus it would seem that allthe ad.
vantages of this great American victo-
~ viii be gained by power which had
nothing to do with it, and would have
prevented it had anybody supposed be-
forehand that such an enterprise could
be seriously attempted That power is
England, which, with two vessels of
war. has now put the place under mar
tial law, reasserting the sovereignty of
the Mosquito King, declaring that Point
Arenas is part Of Greytown, and that
she shall so consider it until the ques-
ton of Jurisdiction is definitely settled
between the British and American Gov
ernments. That this state of things
will be maintained until such settle
ment, there is no doubt; for the entire
British West India squadron will be
used for the purpose, if necessary, with
the French squadron to support it.
Thus the first practical result of the
great warlike exploit which distinguish
es the administration of General Pierce,
is to restore to its full vitality the Brit
ish Mosquito protectorate, which had
been virtually abandoned, as. the city of
San Juan had risen into importance and
power of seff-goyemment. That was
to all purposes an American town, with
an American constitution, and predom-
inant American influence governing the
feelings of its population. Instead of
this, we now have British force in oc-
cupstion of the bay, while the town is
rebuilding under British protection. Of
course, it must now become as much a
British town as it was an American one
before. 1t may perhaps be said by the
Union, or some other clustering exposi-
tor Of the policy followed by the Ad-
ministration, that the British will be
driven away with the same facility with
which Hollins achieved his assault over
the undefended houses he SO valiantly
destroyed.
But such menaces overlook the fact
that Mr.. Pierce and Mr.. Marcy never
attack anybody that is not perfectly de-
fenceless, and that making war on
Great Britain is too grave matter for
their courage. Besides such a war
would absorb all our resources nearer
home, and thus defeat its own purpose.
And, moreover, if we should drive away
the British, who shall We put there in
their places? Not Nicaragua, for she
has no means of keeping the locality;
-nosrthe Transit Company, for that is
merely the creature of a Nicaraguan
charter; not the free city of San Juan,
for that our President has just caused
to be burned up. Nor could we occu-
py San Juan as military colony of our
own, for Congress would not consent to
it. Thus we see that there is nothing
to do but to leave matters alone and
submit to the revival of the lately ex
piring Mosquito kingdom and of British
predominance- on that coast. l: is all
our own act; the act of our Democratic
administration-and we have to foot
the bill.
1t seems, then, on a careful estimate
of the results of this brilliant and orig
inal exploit, that the only advantages
proceeding from it viii be enjoyed nei-
ther by the party by which, nor the par
ties for which, it was undertaken, but
solely by a power that they we're all an
tagonistic to, and whose total expulsion
from the country. in question was a
cherished object with them all. A
great deal of property has been destroy
ed, many persons have been turned out
of house and home, the reputation of
the country has suffered an ineffaceable
stain, and all in fact to prevent the to-
tai abandonment of Greytown by Eng
land, an object which the country de-
sired, and which, had we kept quiet,
we were altogether sure Of We suffer
the shame and pay the damages, and
England alone is strengthened by it.
Meanwhile we may enjoy the consola
ton of old Casper in the ballad: it was
famous YicIory.--the only one, we
believe, that General Pierce ever gain
ed, in all his experience in military life.
SMITH DRUNK VS. SMITH SOBER
Smith, the razor strop man. occasionally
breaks off from the subject of the very
superior quality of his strops, and gives
his audience lecture on temperance in
his own peculiar droh way. Here is a
short extract:
SMIrH's CAT.-When l drank grog,
! lowned cat, poor, lean, lantern-jaw-
ed thing, that was always getting into
scrape. AS l had nothing for her to
eat she was compelled to take to the
highway; and the neighbors were con-
tinually crying out 'cuss that Smiths
rat she's druDk alI ~ LII {, D.