The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-12-07
The Foreign Policy of the administration
What u Should He


What II Should He
Congress meets to-day, and the Message Of
the President will soon be before the public,
giving us probably some inkling of what will
be the foreign policy of Mr.. Buchanan's
administration.
1t is to he hoped that it will avoid the errors
and the weaknesses Of its immediate predeces-
sor, and exhibit firm and uniform course. con-
sis ent with our high position as a nation, and
with the great destiny that is before us. No
time ever more urgently demanded the estab-
lishment of a truly American policy in our
diplomatic intercourse with foreign nations
than the present, though, doubtless, the ad-
ministration of poor Pierce had more propi-
tious one to establish it, had it been equal to
the occasion. The constant increase in the i'm
portance of American questions to the whole
civilized world, and their evident tendency to
seek solution in Washington, is one of the
marked characteristics Of the present age.
While our relations with most of the countries
of Europe are confined to the occasional discus
sion Of commercial questions, and the perform
ance of the petty chores Of diplomatic inter
course, those with Cuba, Mexico and Central
America involve the problem Of the march of
empire which is our inheritance, and the ex-
tension of the political freedom, social order
and material prosperity, that thrive under our
institutions.
1t is the recognition of this great destiny
that is urging itself upon the present admins
tration, it did upon the last; and circum-
stances are combining to force us to assume
that moral preponderance in the questions ap-
pertaining to this continent that belongs to us
from our geographical position and the rapid
development of our commerce and population.
Mexico and Central America are looking anx-
iously to the fiat of our government to guide
them in the future; and the new Ministers sent
to the latter republics by England and France
arc ordered to proceed to their posts by way of
Washington, in order to learn, if possible, what
that fiat will be. The safety of the transit
routes across the isthmuses of America for the
commerce of the whole world the peace and
order of The discordant communities that occu-
ply those regions, and the future permanence of
the present material prosperity of Cuba, all
depend upon the proper exercise of our inlu-
cnce over them and towards the other nations
Of the world. This is great responsibility,
and should neither be undertaken lightly nor
men should be well chosen; and the country ex-
poets that as the administration has not been in
haste TO develope its policy, it will exhibit no
lack Of energy and ability in adopting its
course.
The situation of all the leading Powers of
Europe is one that lends itself to the proper ex-
ercise of an American policy on our part.
England is called upon to meet the exigencies
of a financial crisis at home, to re-orSanize her
empire in India and open the avenues Of indus
try to its oppressed and starving nillioas, and
to re-establish her trembling influence in China
and throughout the East. Louis Napoleon will
find his attention fully engrossed in the main
tenance of his power and restraining the revo-
lutionary ENTHUSIASTICALLY increased by the
want of employment-of people whose history
shows them to be politically compound of the
tiger and the monkey. Spain is vibrating be-
tween revolution and absolutism, and has little
power to waste on an active Intervention in
American affairs Whether we accept it now or
at some future day, the leading influence in all
American questions must be ours, and the adj
ministration that understands and employs it
will make its mark upon the history of the
world.
We do not advocate any imitation of the
policy pursued by President Pierce in our Span
ish and Spanish-American relations. Toward
Spain he began with the boastful message about
the Black Warrior affair." and ended with a
Dodge, while the just claims of our citi-
zens have been ignored, and the COM
municatons of our Minister at the Court
of Madrid passed over in contemptr-
Gus silence. We want no more Gadsdens,
wheclcrs, Bowlins, Morses or Carey Joneses
sent to the Spanish-American republics, where
events that affect our national interests are
daily transpiring; but we want high and no
BILE policy, and men that can comprehend its
bearings, and the true tendency of our future, to
fiji the missions TO those countries Let the
Clayton-Bulwcr treaty be abrogatcd, and we
shall have no trouble with England let men
who understand the language and the customs
OF Spain and her former colonies be sent there,
and We shall have no trouble with them. But
If we have neither policy nor diplomatic
ability in our foreign intercourse, we shall
make no progress, and continue the same snarl
in our foreign relations that the last admins
traiion was so successful in creating.
GENERAL Wool AND SENATOR DAyE.-We
publish elsewhere letter from General Wool
to the Flag Of The Union, a Mississippi journal,
by which II will I've seen that the correspondence
between these two gentlemen, in relation TO the
delay in presenting the sword voted by Con
gress TO the first named, has already reached
the fifth remove, or "countercheck quarrel
somc," as defined by Touchstone. II will be
remembered that this testimonial to General
Wool. after having been prepared in accord