The New York herald., 1873-11-14
AMERICAN HONOR.
Lessons from History for
Present Use.
The War Of 1872. tb, Caroline, Martin
Kostza, Sir John Champion, Greytown,
Mason and SIidell Cases.
The Vengeance OF Fish
on Catacazy.

on CatacaZy.
| The war of 1912 was undertaken against England
| because OF the repeated insults to the American
nag and outrages upon our ships and citizens at
| sea. The impressment OF American seamen by
| Great Britain, the searching OF American ships
upon the high seas, the bringing to or the Chesa-
| peake by the English man-o-war Leopard, and,
alter pouring series OF broadsides into her, the
| taking from on board four seamen and
SHOOTING ONE AS DEsEKTER.
| had exhausted the patience ef the Republic Not
| then 30 strong materially % to-day, but having
| James Madison In tine Presidents chair and James
| Monroe In the State Department. America declared
successful war upon the greatest maritime Power
| OF the world. In Madison's message to Congress
| we find words which can, by substituting Spain
for England be read In all their vital force to day
He says
ave behold, in fine. on the side OF Great Britain
q state OF war against the United States and on
the side Of the United States q state OF peace tow
ards Great Britain.
"Whether the United States shall continue pass
i've under these progressive usurpations and their
accommodating wrongs, or, opposing force to force In
defence Of their national rights. shall commit just
cause into the hands OF the Almighty Disposer Of
events, - Is solemn question which
the constitution wisely conddes to the legislative
department OF government
He asks, In conclusion, for decision "worthy
the enlightened councils Of virtuous free and
powerful nation" That decision was declara-
tlon OF war ON the 18th OF June, 1912. On tho first
day OF the year 1914 arrived at Annapolis, Md, the
British schooner Bramble, bearing Gag Of truce,
and the Treaty OF Ghent whicn followed settled
the war honorably to America. In the war the
rights OF American SHIPS and seamen had been vim
dicated In the only manner that an arrogant, bully
Ing Power can be made to comprehend. II the
outrages ON American ships and seamen mad been
perpetrated by British colony instead OF by
Britain herself neither Madison nor Monroe would
have hesitated to deal with the colonists as they
dealt with the centralP over, II the latter proved
unequal to forcing reparatton unwilling to offend
Its colonial supporters by giving up the trans
gress0rs to the condign punishment they deserved.
THE CAROLINE.
In the Canadian rebellion OF 1887 when that col.
ony was in revolt against the mother country. the
American ferrypoat Caroline was engaged in
bringing succor to the rebels on island near the
Canadian shore. Had any attack been made upon
her there nothing could have been said, but when
she lay anchored against an American dock, and all
on board were asleep, an attack was made upon
her by an armed body ana at least one of
the crew murdered. The vessel was then
fred, the hawser cut and the Caroline allowed
to drift over the Niagara Falls. Immense indlgna-
tion was excited, and the people along the border
could hardly be prevented from bloody reprsals.
A man named Mcleod was seized. tried and &C.
quilted for the murder, but the English govern
ment had taken the responsibility OF the act upon
themselves. A timid policy under Tyler's admins
tration allowed this question to DRIFT into the
vague ways oi diplomacy, where q timid Secretary
OF State may allow the late Spanish atrocty to lose
itself unless stirred by the nobler examples OF our
history to a contrary course.
THE MARTIN KoSTZA CASE.
II the administration should prove forgetful OF
the dignity which the nation owes to itself in the
matter Of protecting it's citizens abroad, 1T must
previously wipe from the record the case OF the
Hungarian refugee, Martin Kostza. This man had,
during brief residence in this country, declared
his intenttonr OF becoming an American citizen,
and. before filing all the conditions emitting him
to citizenship returned to Europe. He took
up his residence In the Turkish port OF
Smyrna In Asia Minor. On the evening
Of the 22d OF June, 1858, he was pounced upon
BY gang OF Austrians, and, after brief struggle
was carried on board an Austrian brig of-war, the
Hussar. The American Consul made protest on
the following morning, but the arrival Of the United
States corvette ST. Louis, under the command OF
gallant Captain lngraham, in the harbor, put
new face on the matter. Some days passed, during
which the Austrlans refused to deliver up their
prisoner. On the morning OF the I'd OF July Captain
Ingraham was informed that the Austrian was
about to carry Kostza TO Trieste. He went on
board the Hussar and saw the man IN chains.
He asked Kostza II he claimed Ameri-
can protection. Kostza said he did.
'Then," added Ingraham, "you shall have It,"
Returning on board the st. Louis, he wrote to
the Austrian captain tSchwartz), giving him until
four O'Clock to deliver up the prisoner, and cleared
his guns for action, although there were two Aus
trian war vessels in the harbor. While Uncle Sam
showed his teeth on the water in this determined
manner q compromise was being effected on shore,
and It's result Kostza was handed over for SAFE
keeping to the French Consul at Smyrna, thus CIV
ing the victory to the plucky American. Nor
did the American State Department iall behind
the courage OF the naval oficer. Marcy was
then Secretary OF state, and the administration
OF General Pierce did not decline the RESPONSE
bintyn Koszta was released and American dig
nifty sustained. In q clear toned enunciation OF
the position OF the government upon the matter,
attributed to General Caleb Cushing, then Attor-
ney General, and printed before the release, we
nnd that the nation, when represented by one
small brign could compel respect, and the conduct
OF the gallant of1icer Is thus referred to:-"The
vigilant dignity which becomes every American
oricer to exhibit In defence Of those public laws,
the enforcement OF which is
ESSENTIAL TO OUR FREEDOM OF COMMERCE
and intercourse, justnes Captain Ingraham." :"
These are words for the government to study to.
day, when Its citizens have not alone been seized,
but executed when ship carrying the American
nag has been overhauled, the nag hauled down and
the emblem OF Spain Haunted in Its stead while the
ship was being towed into spanish port, amid
the derision and insults OF boodthirsty barbarians
THE CRAnPr0N CASE
In February, 1855, during the Crimean war,
Mr.. John +. Champion, the British Minister ~
w