The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-01-27

AMERICAN HosoRs TO GENERAL HAvELocK.-
previously given in some of the city journals,
the flags of the principal hotels and the vessels
in port were yesterday displayed at halfmast,
in honor Of the memory of the late General
Havelock. The evenOwarrants few remarks.
That General Havelock was soldier of ex-
traordinary skill, GOODNESS, fortitude and cour-
age; that he served his country well aud man
fully at a most critical time; that he earned
title by his exploits to the gratitude of the Bri
fish nation, and to an everlasting remembrance
among their military heroes, is admitted by
every one throughout the civilized world.
More than this, every individual in that
world felt personal regret on hear
ing of his death, 80 strongly had his ex-
PLOTS and his chivalrous qualities endeared
him to generous hearts. If the British govern
ment had made him Duke instead of Baro-
net, and given him ten instead of one thousand
pounds year, no one would have thought the
reward too great. And if the English residents
here had gone bodily into mourning when the
last mail arrived, no one would have wondered
at such mark of respect for the iuustrious
dead.
But these are very different matters from
the suspending at half mast of the flags
of all the leading hotels and the entire
shipping in an American port. What has
New York to do with General Havelock
What was he to us? 1t strikes US that this
travelling out of our way to pay such mark of
respect to this deceased English general was an
act of very questionable propriety. If he had
been the leader of the Indian army the COM
pliment might have been explained but he was
merely subordinate officer, who had done his
duty, as, it is to be hoped every officer in the
British army would have done in the like emer-
gency. If, again, he had been engaged in any
cause which appealed in a marked manner to
the sympsthies of the American people, then,
again, the public honor might have been appro-
pirate; but, after ALL leaving the barbarities Of
the Sepoys out of the question, General Have
lock was only engaged in a work of foreign
cOnquest-as the champion of power, not of
liberty-as the instrument Of ACKNOWLEDGMENT
and filihasterism. He died in the act of doing
in India-the very thing for contemplating
which-with regard to Cuba and Mexico-we
have been go soundly abused by the people of
England and France. 1t certainly looks as
though the city of New York, with all its intel
lgence, and all its associations and all its pres
tige has played the noodle and the toady in
this matter.
If General Scott were to die, does anybody
suppose that the cities of Liverpool or London
would hang flags half-mast out of respect for
his memory? By no means: the English have
too much common sense for any such ridicu-
lous exhibition. They honor their own people,
and leave other nations to honor theirs. They
are not in the habit of toadying to foreign
nations.
1t would have been we'll for our people here
to have reflected little before they suffered
their individual admiration for General Have
lock-which is quite right and proper-to be-
tray them into an act which is absolutely ridicu-
lous and preposterous and which will set half
Europe laughing at us in their sleeves.