The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-08-03
The Proposed New British Empire
Huda0n's Bay Territory In Parliament


in California, gentleman, who was a native of
Panama, but who had been many years absent
from there, returned to see the wonderful
change that had followed the American in
coming. We saw him on his return to Europe,
when he complained to us bitterly that the
Americans had ruined the Isthmus. Formerly,
said he, the trip up Chagres river was delight
full; you had an abundance of monkeys, par
rots and cocoa nuts on every side; but now
there is not monkey, nor parrot, nor a
cocoa nut to be seen. The Yankees, with their
internal rifles, have either killed or driven
them away. A similar result seems likely
to attend the Frazer river gold fever, and
its natural conflict with the Hudson's
Bay Company monopoly; and it has
given rise to one of the most remark
able debates in the British Parliament that has
occurred for some years. We published full
report Of it in our yesterdays issue; but as
large portion of it involves the question of the
progress of the United States, we refer to it to-
day.
The debate was opened by Mr. Roebuck with
some resolutions against the Hudson's Bay Com
pany, which he supported by telling speech.
Mr.. Roebuck is man Of strong sense and many
crotchets. He never troubles himself about
finding soft names for hard things. Like all
crotchety men, he always holds to the extreme
of every idea; and therefore do we find him
admitting some great facts, which Englishmen
generally are not yet ready to admit, and
drawing the strangest conclusions from them
He recognizes the wondrous growth of the
United States, and plumply says so. Thence
he concludes that If England does not build up
counterpoise to us on this continent, We shall
overshadow Z" not only England, but the whole
earth" He insists that English civilization
is greater than American civilization" be-
cause we recognise the domestic slavery of
an inferior race. From this he draws
the conclusion that the English are free PEG
pie, and that we are not. He sees that if Eng
land does not plant colony from the head Of
Lake Superior to the Rocky Mountains, Mime
sofa will send her cohorts there. From this he
deduces the necessity of fight between this
country and England. In the statement of
facts Mr.. Roebuck's was the great speech Of
the debate; in drawing conclusions, none of the
gentlemen who followed in the debate accepted
his differences.
The great fact that is recognized in this dis
custom is the growing power Of the United
States as a nation. We are already casting
shadow over Europe. Our moral influence is
being acknowledged everywhere, and the day lie
not far distant when in every European con-
ference the great question will be, what will the
United States think! This position we shall at
tain without a battle. We have no more great
wars to make. So far rs we are concerned, the
present age is the age Of the abuse Of weak.
nese not Of the abuse of strength. No great
Power will defy us-little ones only con6ding
in their weakness, may insult US We agree
with Mr.. Roebuck, that Minnesota will send her
cohorts to the banks OF the Saskatchewan; and
that as she is nearer TO them than Eng
land, she will beat England in settling up
the country But there is no fight In this
With the reciprocity treaty along our Northern
boundary, and the Anglo Saxon right Of self.
government, there will be no cause for disputes
The Minnesotans already talk Of making a
dozen States there but il makes no difference
whether the national flag be English or Ameri-
can. Canada oday lends more moral power to
this country than che does to England Great
Britain cannot build up rival to us on this
continent. II she can beat us in building up
new States, which we much doubt, they will
form a part Of our commercial system-our
American zollverein, which is the keystone Of
our political power.
But il is in this matter Of empire building that
we have beaten England everywhere, and the
cause Of our success is precisely the difference
between American civilization and English civil
lization, as defined by Mr.. Roebuck. II is a
difference which exists also between the only
two living political parties now in England. 1t
was the cause Of the separation Of the Old Thir-
teen colonies from the mother country. IL is
the cause of highlands failure in the West In
dies. in Southern Africa. in Hindostan and
thus far in Australia. England has pursued the
abstract we the practical. England has sought
to develope the moral, we the material Eng
land has consulted a morbid and i'll directed
conscience; we have felt in our pockets. As soon
as George the Third, pursuing an abstraction
touched our pockets, we separated. From this
point Of divergence the two civilization
have grown and waved strong. England has
fallen into the hands Of the evangelical fanatics
of Exeter Hall, who have blighted some of the
fairest portions Of the British empire. The
United States have increased from thirteen to
thirty.two States, and from three millions to
thirty millions of prosperous people. While
moral darkness, ignorance and rebellious mil
lions have accrued 10 no small portion of Eng
lands empire, light, knowledge and happiness
have flowed uninterruptedly over that Of the
American Union. That the development Of
human knowledge and civilization is insepara-
bic from the progress Of industry and Of ma
tional wealth is demonstrated law