The Placer herald., 1856-06-21
AUBURN, JUNE 81, 1856.
The War Cloud in the East.

The War cloud IN the EaSt
If we remember correctly it was the amiable
and unsophisticated Mrs Partington, who remark
ed to her docile offspring. the gentle Isaac, that
our .foreign relations were after all not people
of such Importance that one should be con-
stantly talking about them. Isaac, who may be
supposed to represent the Young America prin-
ciple did not deem it Of sufficient importance to
contradict the old lady, and neither shall we.
Those are funny dogs. are those diplomatists--
when occasion requires it. Such fellows to joke.
There are times when they remind us of the chap
that was turned out of the house very unceremo
niously. Driven to DESPERATION he turned upon
his assaiant and retorted in this wise: Sir, you
have tweaked my nose, spat in my face hurled
me down stairs, and kicked me out of the house;
now sir, one step further and - you'll
rouse the sleeping lion within me-
The news of the last steamer, if it related to the
affairs of any other nation than that of the Gov
ernment of Great Britain, we should consider the
present an exception to the Partington principle.
In our time we have seen. the two great CONNER
cal nations, represented respectively at St James
and Washington City, so often at swords point,
apparently and yet all end in interminable state
ceased to Judge of them by ordinary rules.
There are many and wieghty reasons restrain
ing both parties from an actual collision-not the
least of which find numerous clamorous advocates
in the counting houses and workshops in Great
Britain. and the same class with the additional
support of the cotton planters in the United States
The enlistment question has arrived at the cul-
minatng point one would think. We have made
representations to the British Government and
that Government dscredits them. We demand
further apology, and the Prime Minister refuses
to give it, We edemand the recall of their Minister
and certain other of their representatives in the
United States and after nlaturely weighing the
matter in full counsel, the British government re-
fuses to do so.
lust as the match is about to be touched to the
fuse that is to explode the snrll, a-,---- l~ors
upon the Secretary's desk, the answer of the
British Cabinet, and Mr.. Marcy is smothered in
bushels of State papers. This answer is said to
contain various matters entirely to our Gov
ernment, and places the difficulty in another shape
altogether-more negation. Champion will pro-
badly be bundled off home and Mr.. Dallas will
have leave to visit his friends at home. Thus
diplomatic intercourse between the two nations
will be broken off. All this they say is not neces-
sary cause of war.
Then there is the Nicaragua affairs, the Clayton
Bulwer treaty. &c, &C.. all mixed up together.
We say that Great Britain has not complied with
the treaty, and she as stoutly insists that it has
been fully complied with on her part, and further
that she will not evacuate the possession of the
Musquito Territory. The Interpretation of the
treaty amounts to question of veracity between
our Government and the English Minister, and to
settle this difficulty an offer may be made to rule
it out to third party for settlement. There is a
question of veracity upon two points. between us
and John Bull, and to our unsophisticated notion
of those matters, third party can have anything
to do with the settlement of question of that
nature; neither will national honor permit us to
compromise our veracity for considerations such
as might be urged by merchants and cotton plant
ers. In relation to these interests they are with
out doubt important, very important and are rep
resented by class of patriotic men. We have
no wish to disparage them. They have habit of
considering the national interests as synonymous
with their own present pecuniary profit, and that
is not always true.
A third subject of some Importance, and perhaps
taken in all its bearings, more apt to produce
collision sooner or later than any of the rest is
the reception of the Minister of the Walker Rivas
Government There is no doubt but this Minister
represents the Government de facto of Nicaragua,
and that it is the universal custom of our Govern
ment to treat with governments de focto without
any question as to the government de jure. Any
one with half an eye can see that important re-
suits are to grow out of this settlement of that
country by the people of the United States.
1t is currently reported that Spain has solicited
the aid of Great Britain in opposing the move
ment, and intercepted dispatches show at least
willingness on the part of the latter nation to
meddle in the question. The foreign diplomats
in Washington have resolved to hold no inter
course with the minister. Wherefore? by
what authority do they set themselves up to Judge
of matter alone cognizable by our Government?
Do they act by virtue of instructions from home?
Was this thing discussed by those great magnates
who have recently been in session in Paris? We
know that the Paris conference have condemned
prvateering. This we regard stab at the
United States, for no other nation is much in
terested in the question: and to us it is of vital
Importance.
Come what will, the American people can never
recede from the Monroe doctrine. The mainte-
rance Of that principle is firmly fixed in our policy.