The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-08-15

was, the calm dignity with which Captain Jolly met
the insults OF Captain Hoiins, and the moderation
q orr government, increased the unpopuarity OF
this act OF the President English interference
not diverting the attention nor exciting the Jea.
lousy Of the American public, ito reprobaton and
lieve, the Joarnai Of Commerce, that President
Pierce, wishing to fight some one had chosen
an opponent Of his own size" expressed feeling
s sh'h wS1S ssse seaS 't .e %S
Grestown men,, as it had formerly with the
King Of the Mosquitoes Again, there can be
no doubt that the Cushing and Marcy ministry had
made up its mind to acquire Cuba by fair means or
foul; doubtless it formed its plans with the hope
that political capital might be created not only out
Of it's object but out Of the opposition Of France and
England to it's attainment. Hence the insult Of
despasching Mr. Soule-a notorious ilibustering
agitator-to the Court Of Madrid and hence also
his violence and intrgues, and the absurd Ostend
Conference. Had Spain retalated these insults, or
do so, q sensitive feeling OF nationality would now
be proppng up this foolish and falling ministry: as
it has BEEN tho, gh Louis Napoleon, by his arrest
of Soule did almost succeed In giving Il such sup
port, American good sense has been allowed fair
chance; and the result is, that from their foreign
policy, perhaps more than from any other reason
the Pierce administration is now far more unpopular
than ever II was popular. Instead OF making the
Black Warrior AFFAIR casus beH POSSIBLY the name
Black Warrior may have been considered too
ominous), the pucnaciOus Mr. Sonic has been re
called to make way for the pcaceable Augustus Casa
Dodge; and meantime, his locum tcneas, Mr.. Perry
10 accepting the arrangements " proposed by
the Spanish Cabinet, expresses in the name q
the President Of the United States the most
fendi? sentiments, and the hope that the conclusion
Of the affair viii draw closer the relations between
the two countries" Possibly the men still in place
at Washington keep on the watch for any, chance
WHICH the pride Or laiy Of Spain, or her disagree
ihents with her colopists, may give them for war
knowing well that through war alone can they hope
for fresh lease Of power; but we may in great mea
sure thank the moderation on this side Of the Allan
tic for the fact that their constituents are also
the watch to see that they do not make such chance
We say, in great measure, because there has been
another cause in operation the existence Of which in
America may well excite our envy In England. In
our last number, the mode was explained by which
the republic makes secret diplomacy impossible;
certain M were the deliberations Of the Ostend Con-
ference to bring ridicnle upon all connected with
them, they could not be concealed from the Commit
tee OF Congress, nor consequently from publication
Seeing that Prime Minister has ventnred to tell
our Parliament that, till negotiations have have re-
suited in peace or war, we are not to know their ma
tire or position. it may be well to try In another
European difficulty, whether the American system
OF publicity might not prevent Foreign Minister
from having to confess that we have "drifted
into war Atany rate, we cannot too strongly in
sist on the expectancy Of the most thorough pub
iicity in all our dealings with America Every con-
cealment on our part excites their suspicion, and
gives a color to the absurd calumnies aud canards
act unfairly towards America, by all means let us
know what it is doing, in order that we may repu-
diate or dismiss it, on the other hand il its conduct
be fair and just, let the fairness and justice Of the
American people have the opportunity of o
response.
In one respect such response would be more pro-
bablc in future than il has been OF late. Hitherto
our bitterest enemies in the States have been the
Irish Immigrants. The peasant flying from starva-
ton takes with him his hatred of the saxonthe in-
heritance OF generations OF oppression aud neglect
the unsuccessful rebel tries to revenge himself for
his defeat by ISLANDERS of both the English people
and their government But there is another quality
which the Irish have taken with them-that iawiess
ness or rather that facility of organization for dis
us to misgoyern them, and which even now makes
their good government so difficult. Their
experience of what tie Celt is in Anne
RIGA. is quickly making the Americans sympathise
rather with the Saxon, and has been the chief in
element to the new political movement which Is now
sweeping throughout the Union. Although our OBJ
ect is to discover the foreign policy rather than to
discrss the internal politics Of the republic vet this
new Know Nothing party is 80 likely to affect the
former. that we aust dwell briefly on its origin and
meaning.
Few persons will have studied the progress Of
politics on the other side Of the Atlantic, without
experiencing difficulty in distinguishing the prin-
eiples Of the different parties. At the time the
stitrtion was framed, and while the institutions Of
the republic were still developing themselves, the
two great divisions If wings and democrats had
purpose and a usc. In order to get the States to
unite, it was Necessary that there should be demo-
Gratis TO vindicate State rights and independence in
order that the Union should be strong, the wings
federalsts were needed 10 contend for centralza-
ton. Now, however, the relation Of the whole
public TO the different States is clearly defined and
70 firmly established, that there In left hardly any
margin Of uncertainty in which to dispute. II the
Legislature OF New York be wing II asserts its indie
pendence as unHincbingly as il would II it were de.
mocrat; and, on the other hand democrat majority
of Congress would he equally jealous Of its privileges
There certainly is vague tendency to conservatism
in the one party, and to innovation in the other:
the desire for CONTINUATION for q strong govern
ment tending to the former, the ardor for indepen-
dence TO the latter. But for the collision of these
two principles Of conservatism and innovation. there
is but little scope in the States. With constitution
not seventy years old, with universal suffrage and
with privileged order, there few institutions
TO censure, and still fewer changes for sovereign
people to desire; there the rights Of property
tanly to protect but then as yet there Is hardly any
one to attack them. The war between those who
have and those who have not cannot IA &c in Ameri
ca while the Western prairies remain untitled.
Politicians, therefore, IN America find themselves al
fault for work. There IL not, as with u.s. the
hand powerposse.sng class who strive to keep their
position, and on the other hand apowerseeking class
who seek to share this position with them or to drive
them from it. There is little for government to do,
and therefore little for the sspirants to government
10 aim at, except 20 preserve order and even that
the people not seldom prefer to do in somewhat pc
collar fashion for themselves. To this rule how.
ever, there are Two great exceptions: there is o
IOfelXn DOucy 10 CONDUCT, ana tncre II the slavery
problem TO solve But since the wars with England
and France, the states have been too powerful to
attack; their position, and the wise counses OF their
founders, have alike pseserved them from European
ENHANCEMENT; ard therefore until recently, when
The aggressive desires which we are now consider.
ing began TO develope themselves to conduct their
diplomacy has been no hard task. Not 50 the slave
question to answer that is hard en0ugh-so hard,
that. with the exception of the SHAREHOLDERS, who
deny the right 10 ask It, almost every one conspires
10 shrk IT, and 10 vote the few abotionists who per-
sist in raising II, nuisance. While, however. the
objects Of politicians thus limited not i their
number The political faculty, Ike all other facui-
fes hungers after exercise but while the hunger Il
geat and prevalent, the substantial food is scanty or
forbidden. Hence all manner of garbage IL eagerly
sought for, or, In other words. parties cease to
10 be the embodiment OF principles, and become
schemes for the attainment Of personal or sectional
objects. Hence the degeneration Of the American
statesmen, and the abdcation by their best citizens
ian aud Ltrrppfahle--nf the dptpq of