The Express.
London, England, 1856-12-11 00:00:00

MR. COBDEN ON OUR MARITINB LAW.

A letter from Mr. J. E. lenkineon. of the Bradford
" Committee for leurigattag State Affairs," to Mr. Cob
den, M.P., or the changes is maritime law agreed to at the
Congress of Paris has bun published. The following is
Mr. Cobden's reply :
" Olyn Garth, mu Bangor, Bth Dee.
"812,—The whole lathe argument in your letter is founded
upon the asinunption that we surrendered our belligerent
rights in the late war from Grillage of forbursass to
Russia. I should have thought our maritime opera-
tions in the Sea of AsofF and the Gall of Bothnia would
have prevented any one from falling into such an enor.
It was the *nitride asauard by the United States which
led to the change. Thou who were in a position to ob-
serve the manifestations of public opinion In the prom of
that country, and through the speeches at Washington, on
the eve of the Rasataa war; and, still more •they who
know what was passing between the United States minister
la London and our Foreign Moe, need not be told that
say serous attempt on our put to uphold the right of
search, which, as you truly tay, is essential to the
maintenance of our ancient belligerent rights, would
not have bees tolerated by that country. It may
be all very true that our common law was opposed to the
pretensions of the Americans, and even that, as you state,
their own most eminent judges had confirmed the decisions
of our Admiralty court.. But this did not touch the
facts of the sac as they wire presented to our govern-
meat In 1864, wheat it was unmistakeably evident that the
American people were determined that their merchant
ships should not be visited and searched by our
cruisers; and that any attempt to revive the pro-
ceedings which lid to the rupture of 1812 would be resisted,
would load to bloodshed, and would, to all probability, end
in a war between the tweet's:item. Oar government, there-
fore, very wisely yielded the point; and, In defog so, met
the wising, not merely of America, but of every nation of
Buro_po.
" You seem to attach seas loportaoca to the mode of at
this "hugs in our pens', and to be of opinion that,
before say 11111•81111• QOM IMO ands In the " law of nations,"
• sonespendlig Amp must be *fleeted is our municipal
law. I an" skald the law of nation' has bean hitherto little
more thus Me will of the stroller, saedified, ud slightly
controlled, by the progress of civilisation. I can see no
objection, however, to an act of parhamot being passed con-
firming the decision of the Congress of Parts. Bat, after
this septa:titles K the meaning of my words, " imperious
neammity," I sag not add that I should look upon each an
act as • mere matter of form.
_

" Bat the winks width pullamant will have to decide,
jadgleg from the soutimenta put forward by those organs of
the pram supposed to be commented with the government, is,
whether,bbsp of necessity gone so far, it is not for our
interest, that of any other nation,to embrace the offer
made to ua y Mr. Kam, to exempt private property stoat
from capture during war. I have not the lent doubt, when
this proposal is discussed in the Howe of Commens—taking
for the startintpoint of the argument the 811116111 QUO SO
settled Co ogress the ogress of Pail', which no une man will
dream of disturbing —that there will be all but a unani-
mous decision in its favour.
" I think I can foresee great benefits to the rause of pinto
and humanity, in a variety of ways, from this change; bat,
as it NOM to be offensive in some quarters to give utter/um
to the aspiration that the intercourse of willow, as well as in-
dividuals, may eons day be brought into harmony with the
precepts of the New Testament, I will forbear aayiog more
upon the subject—l am 4a., " RICHARD COSDIN.
" Jos. E. Josakinson, In., Secretary."