The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1858-10-30
CALEB GUSHING ATT RICHMOND


the Republic, of the improvements and discoveries
of our day, mingled with a sufficient amount of
glorfcation of the American offspring in general,
of "the demigod peoples of Teutonic and Celtic
Europe, and of the GLORIOUS State of Virginia. he
launches forth boldly into defence of the theme Of
manifest destiny with especial reference to the
method of its practical application expounded in
the Ostend Manifesto. He says:
And yet, have we not the spectacle, year after
year, of the Congress of the United States the
sttutional guardian of the common federal inter
ests, and with no authority duty beyond them,
abandoning and neglecting all those interests,
month in and month out through each entire
sion, to resolve itself into sort OF moot court for
the discussion of fancy questions of political philos
ophy to regulate the party struggles of some in
significant Territory or, worst of all, to perorate
in set speeches for the of their own local
stituents the domestic institutions of particular
States, to the disregard of the obligations of the
constitution and the Union.
Where meanwhile, are the material interests of
the Union. its commerce, its exchangeable produc-
tons its shipping its finances, its foreign relations?
To the Executive of the United States these, of
course are always present; for the calls of official
administration make them so; but Congress, which
speaks the popular voice, and furnishes the food of
popular emotion if it tear itself away for moment
from its moot questions, and philosophical dsqusi-
tons and unconstitutional intermeddling with the
affairs of the States, to attend to the appropriate
material interests of the Union, does but for
moment, and then, after brief, hastv thought be-
slowed these, returns to its sectional agitations
| and its theoretical distractions And so the Union
| drifts along, half wrecked upon petty terrific
rial question, like giant staggering and stumbling
at straw in his pathway, while strong enough to
lift Atlas upon his shoulders, or in his outstretched
| hand to uphold Athos
Alas that all this exuberance of vitality of the
people of the United States should be thus wasted
on triies or Illusions Are no wilds left for us to
cultivate no rivers to bridge, no forests to pene-
! trota t,l,,rn IN prIsb iptO tbn
heart of the land, mines to disembowel. no cities
to build, States to raise up in the bosom of
| America? There are, there are The interests of
| the Cnion-the honor of America-the welfare of
mankind-the cause of republican government, re-
! gon, and of peace-the sympathies of our race of
the noble blood of Europe-invoke to cast an eye
of thoughtfulness towards those rich regions OF the
| New World, once the dominion of Spain, and now
the prey of anarchy, and of social rather than civil
war; and all these considerations do most especially
invoke to send forth the full of our own vital
force for the redemption and regeneration of unhap
ply Mexico.
Unhappy Mexico The initial step of her ma,
tional independence not like ours, a Congress
of the colonies deliberately pronouncing and pre-
pairing to maintain it, but tumultuary uprising of
Indians warning on white men. Such was the re-
evolutionary Critic of Dolores under the auspices of
! the Priest Hidago. The second step. that of the
Priest MOrelOs, was no better; for this, also, was
but another tumuItuarv insurrection of Indians
The third step, Iurbde's plan of Iguala, proessed
| to give equality to the two races, European and
! Indian; but that, of course, did not satisfy the
latter. Since then, forty years of revolution and
| of domestic foreign have elapsed with
gradual expulsion extinction of the white race,
and now, from end to end of the land while the
Silly pretentous party cries of Liberal, Constitu
tional, Federal Central, Pure, and what not are
watch words of contendng factions, efficient alike
only to waste their common country--that country
plague spot of social all over, is fast losing
all the attributes OF civilized State and relapsing
into aboriginal barberism. Those of the depart
IN StatnS al DIV bol
depopulated by the incursiOns of the nomad saw
ages; the more central and pOpulous departments
are oyerrun by red guerrilleros and robbers, their
plantations ravaged, their cities off than if
sacked by foreign foes and their white men COVER
ing in presence of the Omens of coming disaster,
while the extreme southern departments already
at the mercy of their resident Pueblo and Sierro In
dans
As to our Intervention to stay this surging deuge
OF calamity, it is question of amcabe intcrna-
tlonal negotiation, not of unconstitutional inter
medding with affairs not rightfully concerning us:
1t is not question of the conquest of a neighoring
people, but of their salvation; it is not question
ofhostilites, but of commercial union and protec-
tive alliance.
When America had been discovered by Europe
it was not the voice of the Pope but the voice of
God which gave to them the New World to occu-
Ply, to Christianize, and to civilize. And so the
will of God by evident signs and portenfs to
intervene as nation for the salvation of the people
of Mexico
We frequently hear of the American policy of
excluding Europeans from America. | think that
much of what is said on that SUBJECTS somewhat
vaguely said-snce they who say it seem not to re-
member that all along northern frontier there is
British America ON the one sea and a British Co
ombia on the other and that while we are absorbed
in the discussion of metaphysical subteties, England
Is, with our aid, attaching those colonies more
closely to herself by oceanic telegraph and to
one another by continental railway; so that, not
ours, it ought to be. but hers shall be the line of
communication from the Atlantic to the Pacific
Let that pass. British America, after ALL has her
own republican future, plain and assured before
her. | assume that our predestined line of expan-
sion, now at least, is to the West and to the South
If Cuba lies in the path of that destiny, much the
better; but that Mexico must and does, rclieiously
believe; and would have it not in the of
animosity but friendship; not by the act of riyo
lous, Irresponsible mischievovs, private invaders,
but by the deliberate ethcacous and official action
OF the Of the Hni ted Saef sl apart
from the question of expediency, they doubt its
rghtiulnesS, and therefore oppose the continuation
of the advancement Of the United States-et them
tell me by what arguments they justify the begin
nings OF that advancement, and its progress thus
far-nay, let them tell me by what rule of right we
stand anywhere in America? Where is Powhatan?
Where is Massasoit? Is not the occupation of any
portion of the earth by those competent to hold and
till it providentia law Of national life? Can you
say to the tide that it ought not to flow or the
rains to fall? reply, it must And it is with
weli-constituted and therefore progressive and
pansve, nations They cannot help advancing; it
Is the condition OF their existence.
When, in celebrated State paper of the last adj
ministration, three eminent statesmen alluded to
this law OF natural life as applicable, in assigned
contingencies to the relation of the United States
to Cuba, the suggestion was reprobated, in some
quarters as a political heresy Was it such Did
not Washington himself reserved as he was usu-
ally in speech of such matters express the idea
in one of his letters to Lee, anticipating twenty
years before hand the acquisition of Louisiana
''Whenever the new States" said he, ''become
extended the Is
to need it, there will be no power which de-
prive them of the of the Mississippi" pray
you to weigh well these words-to penetrate into
their inner thought-and then decide if you can, at
what point on the continent of North America they
cease to have significance.
He says that ''the United States are already most
benefcently as well as gloriously involved within
the fortunes of Mexico;" speaks of Scott and Tay
lOr in connection with the glores of the Mexican
war, and eulogises the benefcent policy and 'nobe
forbearance'' of the Polk Administration towards
that country. He then says:
az reiterate, then, that the sum of our national
action respecting Mexico, has been conceived bene-
fcenty and so conducted. And | assert, what
believe to be true, the double proposition-iirst,
that the people of the United States desire. expect,
and intend. sooner later, to interpose in Mexico
and secondly, that the interpositon will be in good
will towards her. and with conviction of the com
mon utility of such Intervention, well to Mexico
as to the United States
And who shall gainsay us, when that day ar
rlycs! SpalnI / trOW not. Sutice 1t Tor her II
she have other or earlier cause of quarrel with
the United States. France? We do not call her
to account for the progress of her authority in AL
geria; nay, we applaud what she is doing there,
in the common interest of civilization: and we
should not be sorry to see her. or SPAIN do for the
sheriff of Morocco and Fee, and the bigots of bar
barism he rules, what she has done for AgerS. As
little right cause would she have to complain,
and as much to approve, if we should nterpOse for
the redemption of Mexico. England? l think we
have no reason to expect will not say to apple
hend-any jealousy the part of England She
dscerns now in the retrospect what she did not see
clearly in the prospect, that, whilst her mission is
in Asia, is in America To her, the termi-
nation of her attempt to hold in subsection
was the real commencement of the conquest of
India.
The Moiras and the Cornwaises, who conquered
it for her. learned the lessons of victory at the
hands of one by whom it honor enough to be
defeated, and even taught, namely, George
W Washington, oil virginia. England wisely resolves
no longer to dispute with the supremacy of infu
ence in America.
LATER FROM CENTRAL AMERICA
From the Panama Star and Herald, October 1871
The Panama Railroad Company's steamship Co
lumbus Capt T. NJ. Dow, reached her anchorage in
this harbor. from Central American ports, on the
evening of the 9th inst, bringing recent dates from
Guatemala, Honduras San Salvador, Nicaragua
and Costa Rica, sixteen passengers, the coast mails,
and large freight.
The cholera still races in Guaten,ala with oon