Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1857-06-05
Sin the Interest OF CIvl1Ixatlon.'

In the Interest of Civilization"
Of all The dicta of dictators and despots which his
tory has preserved for us, says the Journal of Com
neFce none perhaps conveys the selt-suficiency of
arrogance and egolism in more striking and SEN
tentous expression than the celebrated declaration
OF the French autocrat, Letat c'est moi" The age
for such words has passed away Their nnsnittigat-
ed audacy would make their utterance perilous even
at St Petersburg or Constantinople. No potentate
IN Europe, in the wild intoxcation of his power or
ambition, will probably ever venture to suffer the
like to escape bis lips Even in the benighted coun-
tries outly ing the frontiers of civilization, there
is multltudinous power forming behind the throne,
which it s not safe for desposm to ignore; there is
slow but sure development of a people, with its
serial ranks of intelligence, with it's myriad hearted
interests to be taken into account; and to say to
them. " am the State," would be assertion too
positive and peremptory to be uttered by the bodest
autocrat the world will ever again outside the
dominion of utter barbarisn. But b It may not be
sad may be acted in modified FORMS embOdying the
principle OF this proud dctum, and perpetuating IN
the subtle and sugaTed policy of national ambition
In all its transmigraIons from phrase to phrase, since
Nebuchadhezzars day. it has lost but little, if any
Thing, of its power, selfish and self acting mo-
tive AS evil spirits allowed to transform them
selves into angels of light to do their malevolen
work among men, so this principle, we may be sure,
has not become obsolete inactive. 1t has merely
put of the C,ious phraseology of Letat c'est
mo ahd taken 10 itself the attractive garniture of
some splendid catch word full OF the ring and tink
ling, tinkling sound T.: Democracy and human pro-
gress IN the ears OF mankind, but re aiming all
It's own aninas and aim of self Interest. We think,
with close observation, its eleven foot may be
In the emblasonry of that ensign raised for the
ralying of the nations of Chrisendom, and bearing
the seductive inscription, " In THE INTEREST OF
C1v1LIzAT1oN;' What expanse Of interests and
aspirations is covered by this presentious standard
In several qualities of attraction il beats the banner
unfurled by Peter the Hermit in the Middle Ages
How strongly it appeals to all countries and peoples
What wonder that it quickens the slow and feeble
pulse of hope in the heart IF oppressed nationali
ties !" They shall be taken to the embrace of the
great brotherhood Of nations They and all the lit
tie communities of men which have been hitherto
overlooked and oveFrun in the rate, shall be lifted
out OF the slough OF despond and bel ped onward
They shall share equally with the Great Powers in
the victories won under this unselfsh nnagnanimous
banner. Truly there is grand SOU d end seeming
10 this new rallying cry. Apparently, the opposite
poles are not more widely separated than s this mot
TO from Letat cest moi of the auocrat of France.
But apply to it the test of candid unbiased scrutl-
ny, and you will find it only a more plausible em.
bodlment OF the principle repusivey expressed in
the rough, bold words of that dcspolc Sovereign
Follow the footsteps of the standard bearer of this
policy. Take their range and issue Admit all their
incidental or lateral benefits to mankind admit all
that IS generous ln their inception and end and
still you will see mighty SELF, with ts personal in.
teresls, controlling the movement or directing it by
the aims Of its indivi !ual ambition.
! In assuming this new standard, England has nc
| reason to complain that here and there nation
should hesitate 10 follow her leading, and doubt
the unsehshness of her motives. Undoubtedly, she
honestly wishes to advance civilization But, then
there ls something in the tone and attitude she as
sumes in working 10 this end. There is direction
which her steps habituay take,-which seem TO say
{" La civisat1on, c'est MOI" She shouIi not be sur.
prsed if even the United States should be slightly
affected by this lmpresslon and decline active CO.
partnership With her in of the enterprises she
sets on foot In the interest of cvilizaon' So long
as she regards it totally and aggravatingly in.
compatible with that interest, that any member of the
family OF Christian nations but herself shall add an
acre TO lis territory, bring under its influence even
semi barbarous population; long as the power.
tu coalitions she organizes with her wealth, and the
sanguInay Wars she wages on all the eaIth's great
continents, seem 10 aim only the retention, but
at the continual extension of her possessions and
power, by sea and land so long must she be recon
cIled 10 that lack of complete confidence in the sin.
certy OF her professions, which it would be her
highest honor to wn and great pleasure for US 10
accord Notwithstanding the sharp and sometimes
bitter anlmadversons of certain English journals,
we INSIST that, as nation, we be loy al to civil
Zaton and lts interests, wit ,ut following to1yed in
her wake, into all or any ot the conflicts her policy
may provoke. 1t is from no want of sympathy with
her we'll belng that would decline that connex.
ion with her which would entail upon US the quarres
hatreds and prejudices, which her past course has
generated, or her future career may produce Suc!
an inheritance would be onerous this young re-
public. Its skirts sill; free and clean from the
blood of the Old Worlds battle fields We would
not Tedden them on either Ot lls continents in any
ambiguous struggle-not even to open China to the
elements and influences of civlz ttion We confess
sincere dstrust of the inte ests that are predomi
mating in this conflict with that Asiac Power OF
these, one, are inclined to suspect is political and
Do olrooto hot "a.
man Is rather apt to say by bis policy La cUiltza-
tson cest MOI Whoever opposes is friend to
human progress and enlightenment" With this ban
ner he conquered ut the hus,ings the combined hosts
that defeated him in Parliament. Under this he
would rally the nations TO the support OF his system
In fact he brought The very ahtpodcs together bis
allies at he recent election On the hand, the
Chinese Emperor said TO have repudiated the
action of Commissioner Yeh an commanded him to
make pacific arrangement with the British authori.
ties. Then the United States had been far more
severe and precpitate in Furnishing Chinese aggres-
sion In the British had been. 10 addition to this
there Was fair prospect that they would unite with
England ard France in letting the daylight of civil.
zatlon throu.h that hinge realm with the bayonet if
other means f&:led. We think, therefore, that it
would not be unfair to suppose that, among The mo-.
tves for drawing the United States into this conflict
with China that of ei.cling outside demonstration
in favor of Lord Palrer>ton aud his policy not
the least ow,rful, if the least prominent
Then there is the great East India Company, which
with instincts tnat have distinguished it from the
beginning, is also inoline to put on airs and say
I" La carihzation, c'est moi" Undoubtedly ii has a
great pecuniary interest, at least. in the "openng
up" of China. The London Star in recent number,
gives idea of The magnitude Of this Interest,
ami of the powerful motives which that vast corpora
lion must have, for being able to penetrate such a
populous empire with the elements of civilization
| Says that journal:
Though China has existed three thousand years,
il knew nothing of This desoatng curse pum) until