The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-12-02
The Relations " tho United States and Eng
l~nd--Demsyogu. In Diplomacy.

We have MAXIM Of doubtful morality TAT,
right or wrong, we arc for our country" Al
owing il to be fair sample Of ArAerican
IDEAS on the subject, il ia immeussiy impor-
snt that we should be right 90 oil occasions.
Dur institutions OF governments are the excep-
ton, aud not The rule. We are republic,
and the only real republic in the world. We
are sometting more: we are demo
craey--wc call it representative demo
10 matter what it is called, as q
government we are weak, as a people we ere
strong. Our real property constitutes the pri.
mary source OF our wealth, aud it employs o
vast majority OF our people. In fact, ours is
more on endless Individual proprietorsbp than
government. We doubt not at all but that our
ideas and our po,ity are an advanced step 10
the progress Of civilization thar our mission
is one OF humapity--that our system rests
npon higher degrees of popular intelligence
than any oiher--yet we are liable to suspicion,
to combinations against ", and above all to
Misrepresentation and abuse.
Now, then, how important it is that the pub
lie administration of the United States should
aud craftsmanship, and the purest patriotism
Our strength lies as much in the integrity of
our political leaders as 10 the Justice of our POI
litieal system--in the honesty Of its executive
department as in the equality OF it's laws. Con-
situations and statutes are lfeless records with
out persons to execute and enforce them. These
suggestions are enough to show the importance
pf ho yi 10 aht knt f,,%l ~ "a,
discharge our domestic and foreign obligations
aud duties. undeniahly American statesman.
ship has degenerated into in.rigues aud dema.
gogical contriyaDces to secure personal ad.
vancement. The patriotism aud wisdom Of the
early days Of the republic are known only in
historical records. We have been passing
through an age of political chicanery-of self
isb combinations to procure the spoils Of Office.
Already it has become had time for dema-
gogues. The great Interests of society, com
merce, manufactures, capital and enterprise,
and the growing and advancing Judgment OF
all co0i-headed men, are condemning them.
They are The capkers OF those classes, and the
great enemies OF free institutions The fonts
of onr government commend it's policy to all
all men but for u selfish demagognes who
use the Offices they possess for personal objects,
who pander to insane prejudices, who build up
local and national ansipathies in short,
live by subyertng the true purposes Of our
government TO their own petty schemes of am-
bition and plupder.
How well is all this illustrated by the course
~ "a
course with Great Britani The present al-
came into power on the coaserva-
tive element OF our system. 1t was those who
had become disguised with agitations, with ab-
stractions, with intrigues, with fraud Of every
kind, that placed General Pierce in power.
They had sicxened with the endless policy of
Van Buren,, with the ceaseless lamentations
Of Seward, with all the radical extremes of
our country, and, planting themselves upon
the constitution as the irrepeaiable, The sacred
compact Of Union-the only true compromise
between the North aud the South, the East and
the West-they united to place General Pierce,
who was believed to be the truest representa-
His first act was to organize his Cabinet by
securing in its members an organ of every ex-
treme opinion entertained by factions Policy
was thus endorsed in the outset as the govern.
ing rule of his administration; and it must be
confessed, if he has been true in nothing else.
be has at least been faithful to that instinct OF
his nature--that OF administering our domes-
tic and foreign affairs on the maxims of policy
alone.
We had five adjourned questions with Great
Britan-Canadian reciprocity, the fishery dis
pute, the Central American intervention and
protectorate, Dominica or Hayti, and indirect.
~ that Of Cuba. All these matters were, 10
fact, mere distractions, save the latter. They
were, however, permitted periodically to alarm
the great interests of commerce, manufac-
lures and money, aud were very good means
at each recurring election of making po-
litical capital for needy adventurers in
our politics. They had served as the
staple commodity for vast number of small
aspirants for public notoriety. 1t was, there
fore, not very strange that General Pierce,
whose natural instincts lead him TO sympathisc
with them, and whose abilities had not raised
BIN into the ranks Of statesmen, should con-
ceiye the idea OF clarifying his administration
through their instrumen.ality, There was no
great friendship for Great Britain in the States
it was easy TO stir up popular Indignation
against that country. Lord Clarendon was ig-
norant and foolish enough to avow purpose to
set limits to the action Of our government and
people. The time was auspicious at all events
for General Pierce and Marcy to set up q con-
genial retail trade on the strength of the uu-
settled matters in dispute. 1t was manifest, too
that the controlling interest of England and
the United States demanded peace. In fact
war was impossible. II was, therefore, safe for
the demagogues of the London and Washington
Cabinets to make little personal capital by
fomcnting disputes upon the five points of no
minal controversy between them.
III .1.xysn II, al.