The American patriot., 1855-03-07
3 hse From the Baltimore Patriot.l
The American People Insulted by
1-a tue English Press.

desire for an alliance with that power for the
most nercenary motives It says: l
The alliance it is true, is not proffered in a
very complimentary fashion. The Estates" men
avowedly wish to keep friends with the Rus.
they can get out of him. 1t is their old habit
to bargain the way to greatness, nationally and
individually. Accustomed in earlier periods
to obtain territory from the red men in barter
for blankets and brandy, they still cannot fore
go chance of improving the weakness or
trouble of other people into the opportunity for
some profitable "deal" for themselves. To saw
nothing of former transactions, at the Oregon
boundary, in Texas or California, they have
Just obtained possession Of large slice Of Mex
leo, bought from its distracted and impoverish-
cd owners at the small price of ten million dol
lars. AT the present moment they have fixed
greedy eyes on Cuba Respecting the means
OF acquiring its ownership they are perfectly
indifferent, so that the "lone star" be but added
to their banner. They are equally ready to
purchase, if Spain be poor and willing to sell;
| or to annex, should she be disturbed and weak
But one thing is predetermined-that, though
Whatever process the property changes hands,
its future American proprietors will have got
! it at the best possible bargain.
Towards the Russian Emperor the attitude
OF our republican cousins is much the same.
They look on him as customer with whom
they are quite prepared to buy or sell or ''swap"
TO do business" in short, of any character
he chooses so long as they can but realize
something handsome out of it. If he wishes
to sell his North American estates, they have
the dollars ready. Or, if he will admit them
to share in several little pickings which are at
MS disposal in several parts of the world, they
in ofrv. oil 1o or
which their commercial intercourse and per-
sonal sympathies can afford
This paragraph is no doubt the work of some
hireling. whose dread of cudgel or verdict
closes his eyes to the social enormlies which
surround him, but stimulates his malignity
against those who are separated from him by
an ocean. It is no doubt a selfish pleasure to
this dog to bay at the progress of the United
States, but though his masters may look with
indifference upon the publication of libel
winch may never cost them penny Or sub
scloer, they should yet remember that to abuse
an antagonist who cannot retort is far from
magnanimous, whilst to stigmatize friendly
power because she will not take part in q
foreign war is alike unwise and unjust.
We know that many persons will ask, why
take exceptions to the petulance Of the English
press? Because the press every where speaks
the sentiment which surrounds it. Because
aspersions upon the character of the United
States are received by great majority of its
people as personal insult. Because this con-
temptuous insinuation of mercenary purpose
in all the acts of our people, tends to fix these
imputations in the opinion Of the world as our
national characteristics.
Let those who esteem the friendship Of the
United States Of any value to England, con-
slider the present state ofsociety in this country
II e ynpfn, lo, u.
principle of national union and national honor
Is it calculated to promote the harmony between
the old world and the new, to tell this party
that they belong to mercenary and low-mind
cd people whose only rule of alliance is advan-
tage? i-5.
We should not be surprised if public opinion
in America should become of more importance |
to England than it has ever been, and it is
surely a small contribution to secure it that
their writers should cease to insult us.
c" The Wheeling Intellgencer says that
the breaking up of the ice in the river at
that point on Saturday week, was accompanied
by tremendous surge along the shore, which
rs the moving mass became gradually checked
by gorging, dashed the ice in huge cakes on
the shore with a destructive and appalling eff.
feet on boats and other property lying in an
exposed condition. The bells of the boats at
the wharf were all rang, to give warning of
the coming avalanche and the greatest excite
ment prevailed. Eight boats had previously
been placed in the safest positions possible
under the circumstances, and all escaped ma
terial damage by the crash, save the Adele,
which, lying in more exposed condition than
the rest, received the whole force of the first
surge and was afterwards struck by the gorged
ice, aft of the wheel-house, making fearful
rent in her hull, and causing her to sink in
few moments after she was struck. The re-
ceding of the water left all the boats at the
wharf with the exception of the Baltimore
aground.
IMPORTANT ARREsT-The Chicago Times of
The 18th gives the particulars of the arrest
Of man named Nelson briggs, who had put
up at the Jervis House in that city. briggs
vas searched, and on his person, and in small
'atchel in his hand, and in his baggage at the
hotel, were found counterfeited and altered
bank notes to the enormous amount of thirty
thousand dollars! These counterfeits were
found to be in neat packages, and when loosed
would probably fill a bushel basket. They con-
sist principally in genuine ones of nearly all
the good banks in Illinois, the State banks of
Indiana, and of Ohio and the best banks in
Kentucky, Missouri, Louisiana, Virginia, New
York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hamp-
shire, Vermont, and Of several other States.
He had also in his possession notes of the