Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1865-07-15
TINW NV 7NIVF NT'NTF "
SELI.PREAERYATION.

SELT-PKEAEhlA AIION.
-self.preservailon Is undoubtedly 9Th
first law of nature, whether with indiyid
uals or States. Statesmen Of every grade
all writer's ON tho law of nations, aud al
political oasulats egreo in thcprinclple tha
il IS the duty of nations TO adopt that lin
of policy which may be deemed essentia
TO their future safety. Kent, who is know
to be very conservative in his opinions, say
IN substance, that II Is the duty Of nations
TO provide for their own safety and to take
due prccaulion against distant as well as
impending danger. The right of sei-pro
seryation is paramount TO all after oonsld'
erations. a rational fear of an eminent
danger Is said to be justldable cause OF
war; Vattcl lays down the same doctrine
in language equally strong but somewhat
differently worded.
All nations sufficiently enlightened "a
have a policy have ever kept this principle
in view in their foreign relations. Eng
land, Franco and Sardinia, for instance,
waged costly and bloody war against
Russia some ten years ago-the Crimean
warm order to maintain the balance oil
power in Europe, without having themselves
the slightest cause of quarrel with the Rus
sian Government. In the interest Of self
preservation, however they did not hesitate
TO plunge into bloody struggle which cost
them $3.50, 100000 of money and 100000
lives. And we do not blame them, for il
the Czar had once gained possession of the
Principalities, the absorption of the whole
Turkish Empire would have followed with
inevitable certainty, and the possessions of
England and France in Africa and Asia
would have been at once seriously cndan-
gered.
The far. reaching and sagacious commerce
ial and maritime policy of England has
frequently, within the last century, led to
acts of apparently the grosscst injustice
A very few years ago, for instance, she or
dcred, without coloring of title, the seiz-
ure and fortifcation of an island that COM
mands the entrance to the Red Sea. She
held Malta in direct violation of treaty
with Napoleon /. She has
line ard time again, by force of arms taken
possession of independant countries in In.
dia in order to secure tic safety of her in
terests in that country.
But it is not necessary to our purpose to
accumulate instances illustrative OF q prin-
ciple so generally acknowledged and acted
upon by every civilized nation on the globe.
The territorial relations of Cuba, fMoxico
and Central America to the United States,
together with the political Status of those
countries, is matter we'll calculated to
arouse the deepest concern in this country.
Our only routes Of trade and travel at pres
ent, with large, wealthy, and rapidly i'm
proving sections of onr own country, are
over foreign soil, as for instance Tehaunto-
pee, Nicaragua and Panama. Our only
exit from the Gulf othc Atlantic is through
the narrow passage between the reefs Of
Florida and the Island of Cuba, with its
large, safe and well protected
harbors. Our only outlet from the Gulf in
to the Caribbean Sea is the narrow pass
between Cape Catoche in Yucatan and Cape
San Antonio in Cuba. Hundreds of mil
lions of wealth pass through and over these
routes Of travel annually, which may, at
any moment, be most seriously jeopardi2ed
by the countries commanding them, aided
by Europeln combinations Interested in
crippling the energies of our great and
country. The vast military pow
er Of the United States as developed during
our late civil war, the boundless resources
ol tne couutiy3 tito iASSAtAe@S gu" 'iSo' "
its population, all combine to arouse ...a.a
fears and Jealousy of Europe, and it may
we'll be imagined that combinations will be
formed of the principal nations of western
and central EurvPv TO OiroSh sror.tii
and cripple our energies. Inc monarchics
of Europe, in every thread of their policy,
are actuated by the following motives:
lst, To grow rich
I'd. To become powerful.
3D.. To secure their safety.
Not one generous throb controls the
counsels of their Cabinets, or is ever en-
tertained in their deliberations. Selhshness
ness, pure unmixed selhshness, mingled
with abject and cowardly fear, dictates
avery move of very Cabinet in Europe.
Several of the leading powers of Europe
have large interests on or adjacent to this
continent. England has Canada and num-
erous Islands in the West Indies. France
has Mexico and some possessions in the
West Indies; Spain has Cuba and one or
on the throne of Mexico who has of course
.bo extmnnIbinq of hie i'm ncria1 .hrofher of