New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1860-02-22
VOLUME XII.
Neu OrIeans @ailu Crescent.
WEDNESDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY u, 1860.
"coLoMIEs, COMMERCE AND CONQUEST

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"ooLoMIEs, COMMERCE AND CONQUEST"
An impression is generally abroad, and Isl perse-
veringly entertained by many even of the most
eminent statesmen and political economists, that
England has oyerreached herself in carrying out
her traditional policy Of .scolonics, commerce and
conquest and has finally got 50 many irons in the
fire that she will not long be able to man the bel
lows in way that will keep them all etfectuaIly
hot for working operations. We find even the New
York Herald taking such stand, and sustaining it
with arguments tlle most superficial, for they
hinge upon buttwo propositions of the text, towit:
the colonies and the conquest y and leave COM
mercc" untouched, when it il the saving clause
which redeems The other two; for in making con-
quests and attaching colonies, commerce is the
object and the reward of England.
The Herald thinks that the recent advices from
England eare full of melancholy instruction and
bitter lessons" These adYces are to the effect
that the Bank Of England had been compelled to
raise its rate Of interest in consequence of the
cent enormous shipments Of specie to the East to
pay the civil and military expenses of the British
Power in India. Hence the Herald deduces that
distant and expensiye colonies, generally and in
this instance, very serious burdens to mother
country, and that Englands are gradually drawing
her nearer and nearer to the point when the deca-
dence of her empire will begin-in fact, that it has
begun already; that she has overtasked herself
with and disseminated her strength and wealth
among her immense and costly dependencies. I'm
pressions like these to the condition of England
and her colonial relations current with most,
but while wishing to avoid the charge of arrogat-
ing superior wisdom, we must confess that they
seem to not only superficial but strikingly erro-
neous. 1t is in to fancy England is less pros
perous than ever, for she il richer than ever, and
it is an error which is fallen into in consequence Of
| the oversight Of confounding the Government of
| the country with the people.
The Government is always in want ofmoney, and
It is true that it is kept by the expensive colonies
and the vast expenditures for the maintenance Of
the military and naval establishments, but these
very causes Of the Governments poverty are also
the causes Of the country's wealth. Such expend-
itures secured and such expenditures retain for
England that mighty commerce which alone consti-
| tutes her greatness. During hundred years and
more, she has spent countless millions in creating
| markets for English merchants and manufacturers
| in carrying out her hooted policy Of colonies,
| commerce and conquest and she herself now
stands the grandest of monuments to vindcate its
| wisdom. What nation in Europe can compare in
wealth, progress and power with the people of that
wonderful little island, and yet she owes it all to
! tile policy Of colonies. commerce aud conquest
| which wise men for hundred years have continu.
4 ally asserted was suicidal and would work her
4 downfall. Yet the Herald says " there is no pic
ture presented in the world at tile present time SO
truly pitiable as that of England as the mistress
| India!"
| Balancc.sheets of England's accounts with hel
various colonies are trumphantly exhibited as con
elusive evidence Of her Improbable policy for they
show that the expenses of foreign possessions
with scarcely an exception, exceed the revenues
derived. But this is one-sided evidence altogether
showing all the expenses and but moety of the
revenue, for they do not exhibit the increase o
wealth among the people of the island of Grea
Britain which is consequent upon the commerce en-
surel by tile possession of these colonies this tax
able home wealth the revenues derived from which
should be credited to the account of the colonies
/ This magnificent home prosperity, the creation o
foreign commerce, secured and sustained by public
expenditure in acquiring and retaining colonies
running steamship lines and other ways, is ready
to respond to any demands for aid which the Gov
ernment may make upon its subjects.
4 If the Government needs ten millions to pay the
expenses of q colony of which the commerc,
brings hundreds Of millions into the country ough
not the people to be willing and able to furnish it
The people of England are always willing, and car
well afford to be. If the Government is !" short, ,
though its revenues as well as expenses are enor
nous, in consequence Of its 'colonies, commerce.
and conquest policy it has only to put its pape
for any amount in the market and it is taken up
the country. Colonies the great paying nsti
tutions of manufacturing empires, costly thougl
| they be. IF their public revenues are not large
the great is, that duties cannot be levied
merchandise from the home country, and just s,
much is saved to manufacturers and taxpayer
who contribute it to the public fund in other ways