The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-02-07

tory Of Great Britain, and How It was Oh.
tanned.
The English conservative press, represent
ng, we presume, the opinion Of the government [
md of the majority of the people, has late ~
made terrible outcry about flibusteriDl ON
he part of inhabitants of The United S,eates.
We purpose to devote a brief space for che pur-
pose of examining the character of the Power
which has thus become 80 savag<ly virtuous all
at once.
To begin NJ the beginning-whicb is always
the best plrn--the ancestors of the dominant
rsce in England proper. were no more nor less
English peers that they can srace their lineage
from ste robbers who came over with William
the conqueror, who had 40 more business OF
Hastings than william Walker in Nicaragus-
nor 80 much; for the first William went of his
own accord, Will, the second received several
pressing invitations. The FIRST william went
upon apure tlieviDg and numbering expedi-
ton, while the second seems to have had no
base motive.
From the time CT William the Conqueror to
the revolution which placed William the Third,
Dutch filjbuster, on the throne. poverty and
civil war prevented the pirstical disposition
natural TO the English character from break
ing on. violently, although 1t appeared once or
twice, and resulted in the stealing OF Wales
with few murders, the entire absorption OF
Ireland, and the shifting of Irish AmaleAises
by Cromwelfs pious flibusters. In the brief
reign of William the Third we shall find COM
menced all those grand schemes OF annexation
which have since been carried out, and which
have given weight to the remarkable express
sioE that the tattoo OF British drums follows
the course of the sun around the world. 1t was
in this reign that the power of France was
checked-that the Honorable East India Com
pany was newly and firmly established, and
that all Europe was made to feel that England
was thenceforth to be one of the ruling Powers
Of the earth. With the best of Continental
statesmen on the throne-with an army
led by Marlborough-a feet under the broad
pennant of Russell, and with troops who
had been almost constantly engaged in despe-
rate civil wars for thirty years, the English flag
was in truth an invincible standard. During
the century and half which has elapsed since
that time, the English government has been
secure and quiet. With the exception of the
little Scotch and Irish breezes of forty-fiye"
and ninety three" there has been nothing for
the English army and navy to do at home. In
order that they might not be unemployed, they
have been flibustering abroad. Wherever
England has seen piece of territory that she
wanted, she has seized it, in defiance Of trea-
ties, the law Of nations and everything else
that stood in her way. We purpose to reca-
pitulate few instances of this kind of rob
berry!
holds in this country were ell gained by rob-
bory- Sir w@lto. palsish, ~fser - Of
splendid dlibustering, previous to the period
above mentioned, went home and was the star
| of the brilliant court of the Virgin Queen.
| Captain John Smith, after "beginning and
| setting on foot hostile expedition in
country with which England was at peace, and
cutting off the heads Of great many Turks,
came out to Virginia and engaged in regular
flibustering expedition, for which he was duly
honored at London. The French had discovered
the St. Lawrence, the Mississippi, and several
other important points Their posts had been
pushed down almost to Albany. England took
| all this, with the aid Of the American colo
nists, Upper and Lower Canada being ceded in
| 1859. In the South we find England's pet
| island, Jamaica, q nest of pirates; they were
protected by English Governors who did
| little Of the same kind of business. We find
them in the seventeenth century flibustering
in Central America, and occupying the har-
boIs on the Atlantic coast as rendezvous for
their buccaneers. Indeed, Blewfelds and b.
lize--two important ports in Mosquito ard
British Honduras-are named for pirate chiefs
who sailed under the meteor flag of old Eng
land. Morgan, a pirate, a flibuster and
murderer, was knighted for his buccaneering
exploits, was made Governor of Jamaica, and
was particularly honored when he was present
ed TO the sovereign, who always patronized
successful men, never ninding the means by
which they obtained success. So Morgan, as q
reward for making numerous persons walk the
plank, had the honor Of walking arm-in arm
with the King Of England.
| We also find that England now holds por-
| ton Of Honduras by virtue Of q permission
| given TO certain Englishmen by Spain to cut
wood there under certain restrictions Having
collected pretty good colony, the English go
| vernment assumed jurisdiction over the terri
| tory now known as British Honduras, with no
! more right than we would have to seize Cuba
to morrow, and without half SO much reason.
We also find England holding az protecto-
rate, about one-third Of the territory Of Mica
ragua, after haYipg thrice solemniy relinquish-
cd all claims q 0entral America, from sea
to sea-" We - her still clinging to her
power in Central America, in spite Of solemn
treaties and we find her selling valuable
portion Of the territory of Honduras called
the Bay Islands after having expressly agreed
TO DO nothing Of the kind.