The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-12-11
The Gathering Fleets In the American Metli-
terrnne nn-Mhnt are They For!

errrnenn-WhRt are They For!
The questions Of Mexico aud Central America
have 1T he present moment complicated as
pect and it is very evident that there is to be
conflict of policy on the part Of the United
States and Europe.
France and England have triumphed in the
effort 10 establish what they call "the balance Of
power on the European continent, which means
nothing more than an obedience on the part of
the other Powers to their behests; and their
operations among the crowded nations of East
ern Asa are N course Of successful deyelope-
mcit Now the time has come that was contem-
plated in Lord Clarendon's boast when he an
bounced that the policy Of the union between
France and England was one that would affect
the policy of every nation in the world. In
other words, the course of affairs on this CONT
nent, and in the islands of the American Medi
terranean, is TO be so shaped as to meet the
views and wishes of the ruling classes that
now hold sway in Europe A barrier of some
kind is to be created if possible to the I'M
limited Development of American democracy.
In this movement England and France
claim TO be the leaders of civilization, and
denounce us as wild and rude people that
would ride roughshod over every principle of
order, justice and right Conservatism in Eu
rope does not like our American practice of
placing the men Of action first in the social scale
and estimating every man according to his true
value as worker In this contest between
blood and muscle the latter is already making
tno % x~o,
able to the coroneted noodles of the old CONT
nent.
Indications Of this purpose on the part of the
AngloFrench alliance are to be found on every
side. The intrgucs of Gabriac in Mexico, Belly
in Central America and Ouseley in Washington,
are all Of piece. The denunciations in the
ministerial organs in London and Paris of the
Monroe doctrine. the Cass Yrisarri treaty, the ac
QUESTION of Cuba, the Paraguay expedition, and
the enterprises of the filibusers all of which are
designedly classed together, have a singular sig
niGcance. Then Caracas is threatened with bonn
bardment by an allied fleet, merely to impress
upon the Spansh-Amerlcan nations the fact that
England and France will act together on this
continent; and now Lord Napier is recalled at
the dicta.ion of Louis Napoleon, who is the
strong man Of the allied policy, because
he is suspected of apprcciating too highly
our go-ahead ability. The policy which
hitherto had counselled Spain to act with
and to commit no act of aggression towards us,
is laid aside ard she is pushed forward into
Mexico to try to head us off there. Thus sys-
tematic movement is being made to counterfeit
us in Cuba. Mexico and Central America.
The movement is purely one of diplomacy,
intrigue and buster, and TO support il large
fleets arc to he gathered in the American Med-
terranean. We give in another column list of
those of England and Spain, with partial one
Of the French feet. 1t will DC seen that the
first two Powers have nearly fifty vessels, carry
ing over eight hundred guns, in these waters,
and those of France will probably bring the
complement up to one thousand cannon. Along
side of this array our little Home Squadron
of seven vessels and one hundred and sixty guns
looks rather small. This however, We could
double in six or eight weeks from the resources
now in our navy yards, and could create in the
same time volunteer navy quite as large as
the whole allied feet, including that of Spain,
now in the southern waters.
We have no idea that these forces are to be
brought into active service against US. but they
are to be used to back up the intrigues of the
alliance. and to impress the weak Powers south
of us. Farther than this they will not 90; but
this l. quite far enough to give our government
n great deal of trouble in its efforts to arrange
the pending questions with Mexico and Central
America. The present British Cabinet dare not
take a step further than that. Ii holds its pre-
sent tenure of power by very slender thread,
and there is much significance in the haste Of
the opposition British journals TO announce that
Lord Derby had recalled Lord Napier because
he was suspected or convicted Of entertaining
too strong American sympathies. The true re-
lations Of England with the United States are
too evident TO be ignored by any government
In this critical period Of our Southern relations
il bchoves our government to act with frmncss
ard energy, and upon Congress lies the RESPONSE
bil;y before the people Of giving it IN unhcsi-
tating support
TnI TARuF QuEsIIoS-MR. BUCHANAN W. M
Copn.-The opposition journals arc raising
great outcry over the wide differences between
the specific dutics Of the Presidents Message.