The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1846-07-12
MEXICAN PnwArrrRryo. We perceive that the


French and English press have at last taken
stand against the system OF privateering to
call it by its right name-legalsed piracy. No
doubt an international law will soon make its app
pearance among the great modern powers, by
which the right to grant letters Of marque will be
annulled, and prvateersman will be placed on
the same footing as common pirate. This, in
our opinion, is the right view of the question:
Were those who engage in privateering honest
citizens, or even citizens at all, of the country
whose flag they sail under, privateerng might
assume different aspect; but as it is, the crew
OF a privateersman is generally composed of the
most reckless adventurers-the sea wolves that
owe allegiance to no nation-and who are as will
ing to prey upon the flag of their own, of their
enemy's government. The love Of gain-their
life of reckless adventure-the association with
those already bad, and their almost complete ir-
responsibility, will in short time change even
honest men into vile buccaneers, and for one Paul
Jones, we will find fifty Backbeards.
The hitherto absence Of an international law
against prvateering, and the culpable indecision
of our government on this matter, have at the
present moment placed our commerce in most
perilous position. Our navy is almost entirely
taken up in blockading the coasts OF Mexico !;
while on the Atlantic ocean, on the great tho
roughfares to Europe to China, and the Indian
seas, our merchant ships are passing back and
forth, laden with rich cargoes and as detenceless
against armed privateers, as would be a lamb in
a forest filled with hungry wolves.
Is it likely that the Mexicans will allow this
chance of spolaton to remain untred or if so,
that the thousands of freebooters, who live by
limo nd tha els nd xvh "A re q
found in every West Indian harbor-Spanards,
Guineamen, South Americans and Portuguese
will overlook this opportunity Of enriching them
selves, at the expense of our commerce! Ger
tailly not If the Mexcans are TOO weak in ma
val resources to take advantage of the crisis In
their favor, other adventures will. 1t is neces-
sary, by the laws of privateering, that the Cap
tain, and two-th thirds of his crew, be Mexicans.-
This may have come effect in lettering many
entering into the business, but we have no
doubt that already numbers OF these pirates
are afloat, ready to prey upon cur commerce. Sus-
picious circumstances have already occurred in the
Gulf-but that would be the last place where
Mexican privateer would think Of remaining to
annoy commerce. We have squadron there
to watch him, but where is anything to prevent
him from making capture Of a fine ship on the
great road of the Atlantic, or coming out Of the
harbor of New York itself!
How would dozen letters Of marque issued
by our President and granted to respectable citi-
zens, operate in check-mating this Mexican pira-
cyl We should think we'll Our navy is by far
too small to afford protection to our commerce,
and how is it in the present crisis to be protected!
Should the war continue, there is no other chance
than to arm number of letters of marque, and
commission them to capture everything that car
ries the Mexican flag We have no doubt that a
dozen or two Baltimore clippers fitted out with
this intention, would in short time clear the
of Mexican privateers.
Let the Mexicans also take it into consideration
that all the damage and expense of this fitting
out, will be faithfully charged against them on the
book of Uncle Sam.