The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-08-08

~Ns made, and devise some permanent arrange
ment under which British encroachments in
Central America may forsy er be prevented, and
the seaport towns either placed under stable
local authority or seq. red under our own flag.
These changes are essential to our political
safety and CONNIE rcial welfare. Uniustifable
as the destruction of Grey town was it must
not De used as pretext for British occupa-
ton OF the Nc ,squito territory at all costs, we
must adhere, to the Monroe doctrine. Whether
IL would be possible to impart by some new
scheme sufficient stability and siren sth to the
Centra' American governments to enable them
TO mo .intain an efficient local police, and to re-
sist British aggressions, remains to be seen ; we
KID ow Of no reason why the plan should not
acceed, if ,nestly tried But if, on its failure.
it became question whether Greytown, for
instance, should be British or an American
port, eye en- British statesmen themselves would
admit, We imagine, that we could not afford to
hesitate in deciding in our own favor, and en-
forcing that decision at all hazards.
1t is deeply to be regretted that
so momentous q question should have
arisen at the present time. The Marcy
outrage ct Grey town is likely to render the
British temper anything but concillatory; and
the knotty problems which are sure to come up
will afford constant opportunities for rupture
between the two governments. We shall only
echo the opinion Of every intelligent man when
we say that to involve ourselves in war with
Great Britain. at the present time, for such
pretext as the dominion Of Grey town, would be
an act of folly perfectly disastrous to our best
interests. Had no domestic troubles interfered,
we should now be beginning to reap the advan-
tage of being the only nation free from the
curse of actual or prospective war; and in spite
of these, five but pursue a cautious common
sense policy, we cannot help becoming ere
long the traders, the carriers, and the bankers
of the world. Let rs involve ourselves, how
ever, in squabble with England about Mos
quito: let us recklessly plunge into hostilities
with France as her ally; let US afford Spain an
opportunity Of feastAg her old grudge against
us; and we shall not only throw away all the
benefits chance has placed in our path, but
shall heap miseries incalculable on our head,
without the most shadowy vision of single
gain to be derived from any possible issue to
the conflict.
The chances are that we shall do so. The
chances are that the present position of affair."
from the destruction of San Juan to the nsurpa-
ton of Mosquito and the chase Of the Cyaae by
the British-was deliberately calculated and fose-
seen by the President We know that the great
outrage was distinctly directed and planned by
Mr.. Marcy. He must have known that it would
rouse fierce resentment on the part of the
English, and that one lawless act on our part
would probably lead to other lawless acts on
theirs. The meanest comprehension could not
help fOreseeipg the imminent danger of a cnlii.
sion between them and US, arising out of such
acts. For our part, we have not the smallest
doubt but that Marcy did feresee it, calculated
upon it, and desired 1t. We believe that he
was and is seeking to plunge this country into
war with Europe-not for the purpose of
gaining any substantial point or asserting any
principle Of immediate moment, for we have
nothing just now to gain or to assert by such q
coDfict-but solely in order to divert attention
from the corrupt and imbecile policy which has
brough: iniamy on the administration OF which
he is a member. We are convinced that his
destruction of San Juan-with its formidable
train Of OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES intended as a tub
to the whale: q lure to draw OF the public eye
from his own disreputable conduct: reckless
endeayor to drown the clamor his unpcpularity
has aroused in the din and tumult of an uu-
righteous and q proftless war. To him it mat
ters little that the hopes and welfare of millions
would be crushed by the realization of his
schemes, and the progress Of the nation retarded
half century. His conduct would escape no
tice in the general ruin, and this is all he
wants.
Cuba and the Spanish ReyoIut,on--zp ecfsl