The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1847-06-14
NY THE MAIiz.
Affairs In Washington.


Affairs In Washington.
WA'nIscros, June a. ls.7
Menican Pripaf.,rins
In the absence OF any positive assuran.. 80 -
Dc decison Dy the Spanish authorities in tbs cas-. or
the bark Camslits captured by the pretended
prvstesr Unico, 1t IL yet confidently believed her. ~,
the latter vessel will be promptly condemned as n,ra,
On thorough investigation Of the whole transacton
and trying by the rules Of prize law recognized among
the nations 1t will be found that there Is not shadow
Of validity In the capture Of the CarmeIte
1t appears that in July 1896 Paredes the then Pres
dent Of Mexico, issued privateerng regulations one
hundred and fortysix in number, Whereabouts
second OF which declared In substance that any one pur
chasing privateerng commission, enlisting amon,
the crew Of privateer would be pso acto constituted
Mexican citizen. These regulations put in
practice until after the revolution by which Parsdes
deposed and not until last winter that number
vi PrVateering commissions thousand or more were
issued signed President sal9s and countersgned by
Amonte, Secretary Of War; and at the same time were
Ssuea certhcates OF naturalization signed by saas and
eo"n'erssn ed by RECON. number Of these com mis-
ons were offered for sale ut Havana found no pur
ehasers Gen ODonne having TO treat az nj
spanish SUBJECTS who would engage in prvateer-
s s"S' the commerce Of the United States Tho pri-
q nnfu aliza.
'ion IL Is proper to state, drawn up In blank.
never hitherto pursued by any nation and as alb
horrent to the spirit Of civilization an TO the racoor,a
rules OF warfarefor the granting prize commission. "a
an act OF high sovereignty before exercised
cept by tho Executive Of the nation putting In practice
This mode OF annoying its enemies and never delegated
10 subordinate OF irresponsible agents. The eEec
would be, to let loose upon the horde of despe
rate and reckless adventurers uncontrolled by anv of
tIAaa al
those Wholesome restraints by which Christian nations
have kept the system in check curbng and
exacting from those avains themselves of the license
permitted under it. the strctest of their exer
else Of such license 1t would be wholesale lsgaIisa-
ton OF piracy The agents of the Mexican government
we're empowered to sell those warrants
10 all who would purchase and % bestow indscrmi-
nateiy certihcates Of naturalization all who would
accept them Who ready to purchase the one or to
accept the other the free boor who desires to pur-
sue with IMMUNITY his awless trade of rapinc on the
ocean! Our prize laws compel those fitting out pri-
vateers to give weighty security that they will respect
the laws of and the rights of neutral nations and
they obliged to return year to the port where
they fitted out, to give strict account of their
conduct.
Some months since certain Signor Pereda, went out
70 MADRID as Mexican charge daGaires carrying with
him. as has since been ascertained number of privs-
teerng commissions in blank. For some time nothing
was heard of him but lately 1t appears he has pro-
ceeded to Belgium duly accredited charge d'efares
to that government is believed that he has succeed
ed in dposng Of Of these to those who
fitted out the Unico II this be he has more sue
cessfu in Spain than he will be in Belgium From in
formation received here appears that the Of the
Unco are all Spaniards with the exception Of one Por
tuguese and one Frenchman. This being the case the
Spanish admiralty court WILL doubt feel compelled,
In order to preserve the neutrality Of that to de-
clare the capture Of the Carmelite invalid.
But there is another informal and illegal feature in
this attempt ut Mexican privateering 1t is funda-
mental rule of prize law that the prize shall be
holden in some port belonging to the power commission
ing the privateer As there evident mpossiblity
that prvateers could bring their prizes into Mexican
ports for the cosst was by
our squadronone Of the prize regulations of Paredes
provided for the organization Of prize under tho
Mexican consulatcs ut the various ports in which such
consulaes exists 1t was in view Of this regulation that
the Carmets was brought into Barcelona. The ques-
ton arises whether not Spain will regard this regula
ton, when put in practice it has been in the Of
the Unco rs trenching her neutrality. There no
doubt that 1t will be regarded by the United States
The question with the Spanish authorities then will
be, not as to prize price, for over that question
they have no Jurisdiction except may be affected
by their decision OF the other question: of which they
have the decision, namely whether not Spains neu.
traiy is violated by the capture II it be violated
have no doubt it will be declared to be- firstly on the
ground that the commission Of the Unco issued
formally and contrary to the laws Of civilized warfare
and prize secondly, that the commander and ma
jorty OF the crew are Spanish that the
prze-court is unlawfuy constituted holden 1t is in
the port Of neutral power the Mexican Consular flag
having no virtue in it to authorize the holding of such
court under It, than it would egaize any other
act Of hostility against the people Of the United States
committed on Spanish so-then there will be no course
left but to declare the capture invalid Although Spain
undoubtedly sympathizes with Mexico In her struggle
with the United States, still there is every reason to
hope that she will be regsrdfu Of national courtesy
and national rights to direct her admiralty courts 10
be careful that her neutrality may remain intact
GALVIENSiS