The New York herald., 1863-08-16

Dnr Special Mission 40 ttse West Indies--
Lxciislnens of she Colonial Press.
we publish to-day.seyeral articles from the
Kingston (Jamaica) papers, rejecting in terms
Of the severest censure on eur special agent to
the West Indies, because, forsooth, he had the
courage to be Just and truthful in dealing with
the Initiative colonists of the British islands.
| The letters Of which these sheets are now 50
loudly complaining have been freely repub-
lished IN their columns; and such is the i'm
| rortance attached to the statements Of our cor
respondent that one Of these journals grayely
says that prompt instructions had been sent of
to all the other islands of the British West In
dies, SO that our agent should be intercepted
and the formidable designs Of the NEW YoRx
HERALD frustrated. Another, even more foolish
than the first, thinks that our reporter
was no more nor less than federal agent
sent out to examine the Notifications OF
the island. It is really wonderful to see
how far the potent influence of the
HERALD extends. Wherever one Of our in
Vulnerable agents makes his appearance it is a
warning to evil doers to arouse themselves and
be on their guard; and even this distant British
province has formed no exception to the gene
raj rule. These British West India islands, imi-
tating the dishonest policy of their so-oalled
parent government, have long been carrying
on a remunerative trade with the rebels Of the
South There was no question of principle in
volved, SO far as they were concerned. 1t was
mere question of pounds, shillings and pence
or, as we say here, OF dollars and cents. The
United States had no need of the very good
services Of these people, and, as consequence,
the hungry colonists could make nothing out of
u.s.. They therefore sided with the Sosth--a
portion of the United States to which they have
hitherto been most violently opposed-because
this was their only chance Of turning penny"
even though dishonest one, and saving them
selves from threatened starvation. Their sea.
ports have been opened to every Confederate
pirate that swims the sea; captains Of notorious
cruisers, known to be violent supporters Of
slavery in the South, have been .feted and
fawned upon by these wretched colonists, for
the most part themselves the descendants Of
qu,ndam slaves; their storehouscs, arsena!s and
shipyards have been given up to the nse of
notorious pirates--and all this with the single
view and intention of annoying and injuring the
people Of the North, whose industry and enter.
prise supply them with almost every mouthful
Of bread they eat, every ounce Of pork or beef
that flavors their pottage, and neayly every
one Of the other articles of comfort or luxury
which they ever taste or see. .7l
When Napoleon the First declared that the
British were nation Of shopkeepers he made
| very sage and well-mcrited remark. John
Bulls energy is principally confined to the
prosperity OF his shops; aud after this comes
another thing with which no man must trife :
| the rotund condition of his capacious stomach.
| His colonial children, who have faithfully
initiated him in all things, are even ahead Of
the old man in this respect. Within the past
two years the colonists have sold and resold
themselves thousand times over for the small
amount Of gain which the Confederates have
been able to throw in their way; and yet no
one despises them more than the Southerners
for such detestable conduct and this they will
find to their cost before very long. ,
In the face Of all this, the colonia
newspapers published in the various islandl
visited by our correspondent have beer
very severe in their reflections on what
they are pleased to term Yankee meanness .
This assertion means very little; for the truth
is that there is nothing like meanness In
the United States. Generosity to strangers and
warm liberality under every circumstance are
the distinguishing traits of our people. But II
there be any lingering remains of such objec-
tionable characteristics among the Americans
they may be very readily traced to the source
| Of all mea1hSss>the British Hovernment ITSELF
| Meanest Of the mean, it has carried it's mean
tendencies to every corner Of its dependen-
cies. While America had the misfortune to be
under such dominion she may have initiated
some Of these fashionable British vices; but we
believe that our citizens have long since got rid
Of them, and now enjoy a truer and purer
liberty, united to greater strength and vigor,
than we could ever have achieved under the
oppressive rule Of England.
The public are satisfied with the way in which
our special agent discharged his duty on his
todr to the West Indies. The coarse abuse.of
| few colonial sheets neither affects us nor
him. Their rage and violent desperation form
the best proof that he has spoken the simple
truth. The boasted hospitality TO which
the Standard alludes he never received; for,
like all Of our correspondents, he paid his ex.
penses as be went, a. these are our invariable
directions. The Assertion, however, absspealls
the meanness of the source from which Il
comes-another fact in point Of colonial
degradation through the force Of British
example. From Nassau to Jamaica, from Ja-
maica to Barbados, and oil s|opg the whole
belt Of the Antilles, he sent a dndoubted testi-
M3Ay OF the decentralization OF the British
colonies, the failure Of emancipation and the
future misery awaiting the helpless people Of
the British isles. The bccssted stre5st6 IL these
islands Is merely imaginary with these deluded