The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1880-03-05
HOW TO EucHRE DE LEssEPs.
New York Times, editorial.

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The first step would be for Mr. Evarts
TO draw mp an elaborate diplomatic note
to the French government He would
show that canal through the Isthmus
would be matter of immense import
ance to commerce, and that as the Unit
ed States has no commerce to speak OF,
our interest in the canal is necessarily
greater than that of nations like France
and England. which have great deal of
commerce Then Mr.. EVarts would
convincingly prove that the part of the
Isthmus which is to be cut belongs to
Colombia, an independent nation, sepa-
rated from the United States by the in
PREVENTION OF several other independent
nations, and that we therefore have
the sole right to say whether Col
ombia shall authorize anybody
to cut canals in her territory. Then
the able and eloquent secretary
would demonstrate that the United
States has long entertained the opinion
that there ought to be canal somewhere
in central America, which fact gives us
an indefensiblc right TO say that no such
canal shall be cut. Next it would be
proved by formidable array of phrases
that we are willing to pay for cutting
the canal, and that it would be next
door to robbing us = AID any other ma
ton pay the cost of it. Finally, the ma
ture and attributes of MIR. Monroe would
be described, ard his great doctrine that
il is the right of the United States to
prevent colonization on this continent by
any Europeon government. Still, ii is
just possible that the French govern
ment might inform Mr.. Evarts that jokes
are out of place in diplomacy, and that
it might tell NJ. De Lesseps to go on
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comic writers of the United States.
We should then be compelled to en-
force our demand for the abandonment
of the canal enterprise. We could, of
course, do this with the greatest ease
Our best naval authorities estimate that
in the course of month one of our
wooden frigates might be repaired suf-
ficiently to make the voyage TO Aspin-
wall in safety. She would be met there
by fleet of French iron-clads which she
would Immediately engage. With her
tremendous smooth-bore guns, THROWN
balls of the weight of siXty-four pounds,
she would hammer away at the iron
clads and make sufficient noise to irri-
tate any particularly nervous French of
ficer who might be engaged in quiet
game of dominos. The ritied cannon of
the French vessels would not do the
American frIgate any damage, except
what might be incidental to the
passage of ii few bolts weighing
Il ton each through her sides. After con-
tinuing this terrific battle for five or ten
minutes, the Frenchman would naturally
be glad to cease firing, and with the aid
of their boats, they could probably pick
up an American sailor floating on a
large splinter of the frigate and notify
him that, owing to the disappearance OF
| his vessel, the combat had ceased. The
result of such "A battle, ought, of course
to be the precipitate abandonment of the
! canal project, and the hasty flight of the
French fleet to Cherbourg. And you car
never feel certain that a Frenchman viii
do the right thing at the right time. NJ
De LesSeps might have the impertinenc'
TO go on with his canal, and the French
admiral might have the brutality to sal
into New York Bay and demand a heavy
payment from the city as reparation 70
the insults offered him at the Narrow
by. certain unmanerly persons in blu
clothing who had thrown apples at hi
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