The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-01-12

Jesty's government assumed the responsibility
OF the acts of her agents. was it not the duty Of
the Pierce Cabinet either to have promptly
dismissed the offending officials, or, retaining
them, to have exacted at once an apology from
the London Cabinet and in the event Of re-
fusal, in whole or in part, to have suspended
all intercourse with that government? We
hold it to be in the last degree most undigni-
fed and wholly reprehensible course to fall
back upon the officials after receiving an in
sufficient apology from their principals. 1t thus
becomes a mere personal controversy putting
down our government from its position as q
nation to that Of swapping, snarling change
ling. Meanwhile, the President entertains Mr..
Champion with an official dinner, and extends
to the other officials all the courtesies and
rights of British agents. Within the eleven
months In which they stand charged and have
been morally convicted of violating our laws,
they have not failed to receive all the conside-
ration which has been extended to Ministers
and Consuls of the most favored nations. II
| it was intended to fall back upon them, was it
wise to wait till the statute of limitations had
| covered their offence with constructive oblivi-
BUSINESS? If they, and not the government of
! Great Britain, are to be considered the Of
tenders, does it comport with our dignity as
| nation to hold official intercourse with
| them long after judicial inquiry had settled
the question of their guilt? Can they be re-
| garded as offenders against our laws when
many months after their completely in this
violation was officially determined, the
~ fba Init al Ctofa 10 ayfa U tn
them not only the civilities OF life, but all the
| rights, honors and exemptions of legal agents
of the British government?
In TRUTH this affair of enlistments has grown
into national farce, in which the President
is playing the mountebank. He is degrading
our government by his hating, time-serving,
cameleon policy Affairs of honor have been
made to assume new phase, and are conduct
ed certainly in a new way. We commenced as
the insulted, wronged and violated party. We
found the offenders, charged them with the
offence, convicted them, and when they pleaded
that they were servants, we appealed to their
masters, which was all very well. Having ex-
hausted our efforts at naturalization and
apology with the latter, and finding ourselves
unable to procure the needful explanations,
our Cabinet sneaks away from its real antago-
mist and burries its stiletto in the hearts Of
the four officials named
All this is quite in keeping with the domes-
tic and foreign policy of the administration.
The inaugural was grand pronunciamento
under which we are made to understand that
our government maintained armies and navies
for the defence and security of the citizen;
that he could 60 abroad beneath it's flag aud
carry over all the earth national character
impaired to him by his government Spain has
been an aggressor, and Spain was to be brought
to prompt account and retribution. 1t is quite
needless to 60 farther than to refer to the re-
suits Of this scheme of decisive action at Wash
ngton, to show how the word of honor has
been broken.
Then, again, we have the Walker govern
ment of Nicaragua. On its establishment
despatch was sent Mr.. Marcy relieving Mar
coleta from his position of Minister of that re-
public. Mr.. Marcy, as the lawyers say, served
Marcoleta with copy. 1t was done even so
hastily as lily to conceal the JOY of the ad-
ninistration that Central America had a.
|
enterprise But like the inaugural, this JOY
was destined to be buried beneath second
thought. Marcoleta was called back and dned
at the White House. French was ordered out
Of the country, citizens were prevented from
going to Nicaragua.
Now look over this case. Champion violates
our laws and there is no doubt about it; he
&c horn md al h.
to his government. Palmerston takes it up
acknowledges the wrong, and avows that
we shall have no further cause of complaint.
Mr.. Buchanan says this is all rght--all satisfac-
tory. The Hertz trial takes place, the facts
come out, the Pierce Cabinet gets spunkv,
transfers the case back to Champion and his
associates and threatens their dismissal. The
Greytown offence was incivility to our Minis
ter; Greytown was demolished. The offence
and the remedy were neighbors. The enlist
ment and its redress are another matter.
What will be the next scene in the farce?
Another dinner to Champion, French received,
Marcoleta prescribed, Walker patriot Gen.
trail America the card, total backing down
on the enlistment, the administration trium-
plant. For particulars see the delegates to
the Cincinnati Convention.
THE Custom House DEMOCRACY AT SYRACUSE
ENDORSING AND DROPPING THE ADMINTsrRA-
TIoN.--Relieved of Prince John Van Buren,
and left wholly to the management of our
Surveyor of the Port, Mr.. John Cochrane, that
experienced disciplinarian in the "heavy ba.
siness" of party lodges the softs at their
State convention for the appointment Of dele
gates to Cincinnati, appear to have whipped
round the sharp corners of the Nebraska bill
without the slightest apparent damage to the
crockery. They, of course, endorse the admins
tration of Mr.. Pierce; but they can't endorse
him far enough to recommend him for another