The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-04-01
Shall the United States 60 to War with
China9

Shall the United States 60 70 War with
Chinas
Our intelligence from Washington shows tina I
nothing will be left untried by the British gov
eminent to induce the United States to share in
the movement against China which the populace
of Canton have precipitated. Nor is it at all
clear, considering everything, that Lord Napier
will meet with insuperable obstacles in the prose-
cution of his task. Whatever the policy of the
country may have been in time past, the present
has exigencies which cannot be dEegarded.
There was time certainly when the modest
interest of the United States in the international
quarrels Of the nations of Europe was not suf6-
cient to invite this country to participate. Ev
at the present day, Russia has gone TO war with
the Western Powers and the whole of Europe has
been convulsed without stirring pulse on this
side the Atlantic. But we very decidedly appre-
bend that this attitude of cautious neutrality will
not be maintainable much longer. The interests
Of the first mercantile Power in the world-for
such are the United States, according to the
latest censuses-cannot be circumscribed within
limits which answered in General Washingtons
time. We kept out of the Russian quarrel, GER
tainly; but it is very doubtful whether any other
great war could break out without interesting us
too largely to admit of our neutrality. Such is
the necessary consequence of the general diffu-
sion Of intelligence, of railroads, of steamers Of
telegrapAs and of the universal spread Of civil
cation.
This Chinese quarrel happens to be one of the
questions which illustrate our solidarity in
the family of nations, in the most marked man.
ner. We import from China nearly twelve mil
lions Of dollars worth Of teas, silks, &C., every
year. A large portion of this-the tea-is an
absolute necessary of our life, and cannot be
ioregone, or enhanced In price without causing
great general annoyance among our people
Now, the effect of the war will be to cut us of
from the supply Of this necessary. We must
either therefore do without tea and wait till the
French and English are pleased to make peace
and graciously admit US to the fruits of their la
bors; or we must take with them the part that
belongs to first class nation. Any American
citizen can decide which of the two courses it
best BELTS the country to adopt
the first outbreak of hostilities, our countrymen
have been sufferers. We have heard of an Ame-
rican pleasure boat being fred upon. We have
heard Of American missionaries being kidnapped
and assassinated. We have heard Of American
vessels 80 outrageousy attacked that they felt it
requisite to vndcate their credit By capturing the
tort which sssailcd them. We have heard of An
rican heads adjoining the wall at Canton. Aud by
the very last mails, We learn the lamentAble story
OF the massacre OF Americans on board the i-fated
Thistle. Now If there be any use a. all in a ma
tional marine. that use must surely be TO viudi-
cate the national honor under outrages Of this
kind and to avenge the blood Of our unfortunate
murdered countrymen. Such cases as these are
precisely the ones contemplated by the national
Legislature when large sums Of money are we
Tor the equipment and maintenance Of vessels
like the Niagara and the Mississippi
II seems In fact 10 clear that we are bound to
,spouse the same cause az the allies-for Our
own sake that without little reflection one
can hardly understand hos the question can ever
have been mooted. Here are these Chinese
with civilization somewhat akin 10 that Of the
Nexicans when Cortez fell upon them, or sa..
more to that of the Cbaldeans OF Baoylonians 10
the days o. Nebuchadnezzr or Senna:herib; po-
lisbed, and civilized in their way. but that way
poor one, and clearly destined 20 give way and
disappear on contact with stronger types o. ci-
vihzation: immensely numerous, but totally de.
void Of the discipline and organization requisite
TO make their numbers available; with a govern
ment highly centralized, and once perfect Of its
kind now corrupt and 10 decay everywhere;
vastly rich. but knowing none Of the gres;
snd useful usagcs Of wealth great,
abnormal, prepoterous anomaly for this
world in the nineteenth century. Upon
these Chinese We are dependent for one Of our
rccessaries Of life; and they arc not only deny
ing it to us. but arc falling upon our people and
numbering them wherever they can But for the
friendly shelter n the Brit SD fort OF Victoria
on Hong Koag. we should have had far more
Losses to deplore.
Under these circumstances, we canno. doubt
but that Mr.. Buchanan will direct that hostilihes
b, commenced in earnest against the Cniness.
There il perhaps hardly any necessity for such a
.T-a.y a. the English s0d French have made. and
i Iight hamper us without doing any good.
But We can { zht as well without as with treaty
and that is tle main thing. Not so much that
additional a.sstancois needed TO whip the Chi
n,se. whom no doub. either E1glAnd or France
could setslc single handed. But because il will
have the best eject among The Asiaics TO
Learn tha, the three creates. Powers o; The
vorld are OF the same mind on this matter aud
tia' ubpy viii combine 10 achieve their purpose
Tnis alone would probably induce Toe Emperor
" pa. an crt 10 the war.
On every ground policy ex ledicncy, justice,
and humanity ii wonld opJear that bold oD-