Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1857-04-10
THE RICHMOND ENQUIRER.
FRIDAY MORNING, APHII. 10. 1857.
THE WAR WITH CHlNA-PoLlCY OF OUR
GOVERNMENT
BY RITCUIE, & DI-SSAv.ST

II is stated that Lord Napier, her Majesty a pinis
ter at Washington has urged upon the President,
the propriety OF d!spatching commissioner TO Chi.
ns for the purpose, II an opportunity oilers, Of co
operating with the representatives of England and
France 10 such az adjustment of the existing diff.
cuties betTeea the government OF Great Britain and
the Celestial Empire, us will iuurs 10 the advantage
OF all parties concerned in the obtainment and guar.
antee OF more unrestricted intercourse in com.
merce, between China aud the rect of the world. IL
is ntmated TOO, that in the event of this moral in
teryenon on the part of the United Sta.es as an ar.
oitrator and e'-adjutor in the cause OF ovlz alton,
France and England would be little inclined. for
the future, to !pte :nsdd!e in American AFFAIR." and
would otior no obracls 10 the exclusion OF our ius
tu,ona over any and every portion OF h. cont,nen
II II be true tbs each the gist and drift o, Lord
Ssplers proposition, it become, a question of mo.t
monsntous interest 70 the administration, and to the
country.
The Chinese empirs Is extensive Ia territory and
rich In resources But ths people are exclusive b.
go,ed and 5enightsd. They are now engaged in a
war With Eogaud, which, whether right or wrong,
just or unjust Is net unlikely to lead to results highly
beneficial. both tolhe assailans and the a,sailed.-
john Bull will BE- benefited in commerce, and John
Chinaman In modern arts and science
That nation la: the right because It has the
might, to tranps upon another, and accomplish By
exortion what 10 refused TO remonstrancs and reason
would bs a most da1olcsl doctrIns among u Chris.
tian peope, subvsr.vs At Once Of all law aud Of tbs
essential elements If cvz ID socsty. plr when
there Is Legitimate c.uss of war, and tbs stronger
the weaker power. it may dictate terms Of
peace which redouhd TO It's own Interest, without ut
all violating the vested rights Of na!lons, or nrud.
ing upon the usages Of the mos, enlightened leaders Of
liberty. II would seem. udesd from The history Of
the worlds vicssituces thatihs thunIsrboIts Of war
ars instruments and ssence, in the hands of Heaven
for the amelio-at!on tf mankind.
The inhabitants OF China arc uegl-c,ing and abu.
siLg the bounteous blessings tia; surround them,
much more to their twn thar TO the detrment Of tho
other nations of the globe. That thsy should con
tlnue So i. contradcnsy to hs la#s OF nature so lec
bly, written in letters Of dre in the concluding annals
of aboriginal AmerI,a, and traced In character. Of
blood, as the Aging footprint, Of the Indian pre-
ceded Anglo Saxon civilization from the Atlantic
to the Pacific. And since France and England as.
sumo the initiative, with fire and sword, for the rs
denption Of China and the Chinese from the va,sa
age Of ignorance aud in5eolty, whether the prete1t
be proper or not, il may be tho part Of policy, not
less than humanity, br the United States TO accept
the invitation 10 intervene as p.c:Scator for the
public good. That lie Chinese will be sad!y scourg
cd II the war is prosecuted long and ultimately
brought to terms at tie option Of their enemies
;t. tl, A,r n,fo Al
! iuHrence Of our government, exercised through the
syeucy Of an espeoa. minister to China, would tend
to promote peace and secure to u., In common with
France aud England, :ad 81 other nations engaged
in extensive comn=rce an un,eai!sined iptercoG-se
with that locked-up empire OF tbs East, rs can SEQ
no good ground o: objection 20 o co:1plaace witt
Lord Nupier's petition
Ii, sso on the other lnnd, il 10 true, that France
soG Euylsnd, for :he s,ks Of hs moral ralrnce Of
:;ie United STATES IA iae iayoy iu ;ae ;e:in":ion
OF the war e.o willing TO cooc9ds 10 ua undis2G
Ted empi,s over the entire territory OF this con,ineu
when the uis,uri;yof edvdacing events .laii justify
anu demald il, tiufe additional reason for oar
| acceptance Of tb' overture.
TIC day may pt be distant when Cuba, struggling
70 burst the bouts of Spanish thTsldcn-uCt unlike
the sweet suLdutd Crcsssisu slave In the embrace OF
luc:e and lust-rny point with one hand to her ci.nk
lug nanacles, aud with the o!ter 10 her beautiful do
mau, and appeal % Us to recognize aud protect her
tag OF inlaec-ie.ee: when Central America, faint
and feeble from Intestine strife, may ask to be admit
ted into our s!s,e,bood OF Sstesi and Mexico, at the
mercy Of mare,ders, revoutionists, fyrans and
traitors, trampg among The ruins OF her republic,
may implore Iheproteotou, and offer her az for the
guidance sud guardianship OF our Governnent.-
That thess things vii! trausp!re-that the United
81 ate. must eventually incorporate and absorb every
part and parcel :, the Immense empire to which We
have alluded, is already foreshadowed In the Incl
piency Of events England and Fsance are the only
powers capable Of impeding our progress IN the e1'
tension Of our territory, and expansion OF The eEs OF
our institutions over nations not now belonging 10
our Government They have, heretofore manifested
jealousy of the growing greatness of this county,
AID watched, With eager eyes, every movement on
the part Of our people for lbe acquisition OF terrific
ry And sine il s ixsd fact that there are fruits
rapidly ripeni,g around US, which must os gathered
into the Cuio, sooner or later it woud 6e as we'll to
pave the weyfor obtaining them as cheapy and with
as ltle difficulty and detention as possible, provided
the preparation does not counct with our own or the
interests aud honor Of any other nation. If France
and ENGLAND .-e content 20 couhne themselves 10 the
other sid. of The sea- tho Uuited Statse will bs ena.
bed 10 move on in he pathway Of progress and pros
pery Gu the American continent wiaely aud we'll,
wi,hou, obstruction. in accordance with the genius
of our government the autiepat!ve character OF our
institutions.
Our trade With Cblps is already extensive aud
highly lucrative. And should England and France
negotiate new treaies securing to them N IRE l5e
raj intercourse. without the participation OF oar gov
ernuent an opportunity may pass which We will re-
greet for ages.
There may however, bo iusuperable ohieclrn't TO
an acceptance Of the proposal of her British M+es.
rvs minister, CT which wo are not advised And, &c.
cordpyly, we aw,i, the decision of the ad'ninietra
tion convinced hat in this as well rs In every other
Instances, whsther pertaining 10 our foreign or domes
tic policy nothing will b.. done inimcal either 20 the
v.lfare or honor of the nation