Daily Los Angeles herald., 1884-06-08
The Republican Party and Our
Foreign Relations.

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The Republican Party and Our
Foreign Relations.
Oar esteemed contemporary, the Los
Angeles Timeg, the other day, objected
to the HnRALDs claim that tho Demo-
cratic party was the only one which had
upheld the prestige Of the United states
as against foreign powers, and in oppo-
sition TO our statement it instanced the
surrender to Great Britain of Vancouver's
Island, under Mr.. Buehanans admins
tration. As matter of fact this con
troversy was adjusted under tho admin
istration of President Polk, MIR. Buchan.
an being that gentlomans Secretary
State. That It was adjusted most hon
orably and happily to the United States,
our continuous possession OF Washing
ton Territory shows. When It began
the British had possession both of Van
couver's Island and OF Washington Ter
ritory. When it ended and on the part
OF the United States the negotiations
were carried on IN a most masculine
and aggressive way. the famous "llity-
four forty OF tight" ultimatum being its
most marked feature, this country re-
mained mastor of Washington Territory,
while Vancouver's Island was retained by
Great Britain. Onr contemporary could
not possibly have selected a worse case
for its o@n purpose than this noted con-
troversy. The HERALps position that
when tho Democratic party was in pewer
this country has always maintained
most robust attitude affirmative of the
rights of oil Americans is absolutely un.
assailable. In the war of 1872 and since
Democratic administrations have always
upheld the flag abroad. aud the Demo
cratic policy has been steadily one Of
national aggrandizement. No man
who lives on California soil can
possibly be ignorant Of this fact. The
very existence OF California as an Ameri-
can State is referable to this fine and
masterful instinct Of the Democratic
party.
The eorrelative proposition which we
advanced in the article commented upon
by our contemporary was that, just in
proportion as the Democratic party had
maintainedthe American prestige abroad,
the Republican party had as uniformly
surrendered it. and under circumstances.
In at least one case, of exceptional in-
fanny. tits perhaps notgenerousto attack
Gen. Grant under the present develop
ments; but an editor who is to some ex.
tent public lector, should recognize no
squeamish scruples. 1t is of the first
should be vindicated. la the article
criticised we dwelt upon the fact that,
under Gen. Grants administration.
vessel carrying the American flag,
which was cruising In Cuban waters,
was seized by Gen. Burriel and scores of
its passengers, who were American citi-
zens, were shot down in cold blood, The
British Admiral at that station, feeling
that blood was thicker than water, in
terposed peremptorily to prevent addi.
tional massacres. During this surprising
episode, in which the butcher Burriel
was the absolute judge OF the law and
the fact, the government at Washington
interposed nothing but the faintest pro.
test. The contempt with which the
Spanish cabinet received the remon.
STRANGE of the Grant administration was
shown by the promotion of Burriel
within few weeks after it had received
the very temperate note of Mr.. Hamil
ton Fish, the Secretary of State for the
United States. AT that time it
was notorious that Mr.. Sidney Web.
ster. Mr.. Fish's sonin law, was
the Spanish law adviser at New
York City, with salary of s3c,0OO
year. The one fact dovetailed into
the other.
Our esteemed contemporary says that
Mr.. Stewards intimation to Louis Napo.
leon that his presence in Mexico was
distasteful to this government was
something on which the Republic an
party ought to plume itself. As mat.
ter of fact, the Mexican enterprise mis-
carried on grounds absolutely in.
dependent of the fortunate result of
the war OF the rebellion. The Mexican
expedition was originally undertaken by
France, Great Britain and Spain, with
the tacit support of Austria. England
and Spain Withdrew from the project.
The French people were restive under
the large expenditures involved in a
wild goose chase. and the French forces
would unquestionably have been with
drawn in any event. The mild protest
of Mr.. Seward may have counted as a
factor in this proposition, but it was OF
very milk and water consistency.
1t requires a magnifying glass OF very
strong power to see anything in the Re
publican control of our foreign relations
which bears the faintest resemblance 10
the masculine and consistent policy of
the Democratic party, in which the honor
Of the American flag and the individual
ity of the American citizen were always
steadily upheld.