The Arkansas banner., 1847-05-05
From hs Washington EAdOn.
 RELIEF OF THE IRISH.

A-eonespondent from New York refers to the Macedonian, on her charitable voyage to Ireland. We wish ter safe and pros porous voyage. But we are sorry to see that any one has objected to sending pro visions in her to the relief of the Irish pee pie, because she bears the name of eaptur- ed vessel. There is no substantial objection to this. The vessel was built at Gospori, by American architects, and out of American material There is not plank of the old Macedonian in her. The British people are too enlightened to suppose Tor one moment that there was the slightest intention, by sending this vessel, to wound their feelings, any more than there was in sending the Jamestown from Boston.
 There is no more reason in another ob- jeciion. Some of the citizens of New York complain, that anything in the way of freight should be expected from the British govern meni to meet the cost of sailing the vessel. We fully enter into this feeling. Although the government has loaned the Macedonian for the purpose of carrying relief, yet it is impossible to divesi her Of her public char acter. It would cast a disgrace upon the navy, to charge the British government with one cent of freight. The shipment, if done in national vessel, should be free act of grace. One Of the bes, writers in New York thinks there is no serious objection in taking freight, and he urges that other persons are taking up private vessels for higher freights than the Macedonian would receive from the British government; and moreover, that whatever funds are taken from charity to pay for manning and sailing her out, jus, SO far diminishes the amount of food that otherwise would 20. We are compelled to view this matter in a different light. To make use of his own words, we think the condescending to receive freight for the use of national vessel from Great Britain would. indeed, be the means of marring one of the most beau- tiful acts of charity of the age.
 We do not speak, upon this point, with out some knowledge of the wishes of the administration. They protest against such an act. They will listen to no such idea. They regard it as calculated 10 degrade the navy; to lower us in the eyes of Great Britain; and to cast blur upon the act itself, and the character of our government. We can- not doub, that there are merchants in New York, who will not be oui-stripped in gene- roeity by the charity committee of Boston but that they are willing to open their purses to raise the small sum (small, we mean, for the abundant and overfowing resources of the Empire city) which may te necessary to meet all expenses without talk ing one pound of bread from the furnishing lips of the Irish people.
 IF is be supposed that the British govern meni will not admit these provisions, with out carrying out their rule of paying the freights upon them, then we have no doubt that our government will instruct our minis ter in London lc ask ii as favor of minis ters to admi, her withou. advancing a cent of freight to the shippers. Thus the govern ment would cooperate with the generous purposes of Commodore DeKay, as expres- sed in the following paragraph in the New York Herald:
 @THE MAcEpoNIAS.-We are requested by Commodore Dekay, 10 say that the re- ports relative to freights on charities sent by the Macedonian, are entirely without founda- ton. No freight whatever will be deman- ded by him, or under his authority; and, moreover, fl by law he is required to receive money for freight, that money will be given fn ths contributors