The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1849-06-16


ship or sailing of the of the United States
belonging y part TO etfissa, thereof shall enter into
bond the United States, with sufficient surees, prior
clearing the same double the of the value Of
the vessel and cargo board, including her armament
that the said ship vessel shall not be employed by such
cruise or commit hostes against the subjects
citfens property of foreign prince or State, Of
any colony, district people, with whom the United
sso. H. That The collectors OF the customs be- and they
hereby respectively authorized and required TO den
vessel maniiesty built for wake purposes and about
10 depart the United States, OF which the cargo shall prn
cipally consist of arms and munitions OF war; when the
number OF men shipped on board or other circumstance
shs render probable that such vessel is intended be
ities upon the subjects citizens property of any foreign
prince State, or Of any colony, district or people with
the President be had thereon, until the owner
shall give such bond and security isrequred of the
Of armed ships by the preceding section OF this act
We have carefully examined the act of 1915 and find
that its main and only purpose is to prevent the fitting
out of war-like expeditions in the ports Of the United
States against other powers with whom peace
II is designed only to preserve the neutrality OF the Uni.
ted States, and moi to proAibd trade and commerce even
articles eonnabana Of So carefully is the obec, Of
the act kept in view, that while II prohibits
own citizens from enlisting, or taking measures to
enlist others, it permits the citizens subjects OF
other powers ansiently IN the United States to enlist
the citizens and subjects of those powers who may
be temporarily here to in the armies and navies OF
the powers to whom they may respectively belong See
section 2.
Now what were the facts with regard to the steamer
United States They follows She purchased
by the German government for the purpose of forming
the nucleus of navy, and not for the express purpose Of
entering into the against Denmark Those The
suspicious of the Secretary, without any facts yet dis
closed to justify them. We regard the protest of the
representative of Denmark nothing in this affair." mas
much the Secretary admits that he had inteered, or
had determined interfere with the matter, before he
heard from the epr NATIVE of Denmark And, under
such circumstances knowing well the disposition of the
administration, it was not very likely that the agent
of Denmark would fail to nterpose in order to Civ.
the willing Secretary reason for his trepublcan
conduct The vessel was purchased by the German GOV,
ernment and not by individual or citizen of that en-
pire Ii ,cas act Of commerce, and not OF war The
German government had right to purchase the vessel
and her owners had right to sell her, without in.
frngement of the laws of neutrality II CONNER
cal transaction throughout And after the purchase had
been made act of courtesy and good will to the
German government, the late administration permitted her
to be taken into public dock be fitted up vessel
of war, aware or believing, that she to be used
against Denmark or any other power with whom are
at peace.
Will the organ of the Secretary deny these facts' Will
deny that citizens may sell shps to other nations
as well corn and provisons' Are not shp.timber,
corage, sails. and ships, articles Of and
trade and may they not be sold to belligerent
tons, well flour and provisions And may they
not even load vessels in ports with guns, powda
and ball. and every other articles contraband of and
go with them to the ports OF any nation carrying on war
will thor andf hprp spll And may
begerent nations into ports and purchase
of citizens contraband articles without involving The
neutrality Of government According the laws
nations, our citizens may do all this without in
volvng the neutrality of the government but, in doing
it, if they go abroad they expose themselves to the peril
of capture and confscation by the nation at war with
the nation with whom the nerdcted commerce is car
ried And will the Intelligencer the Secretary
deny these well-known principles of national aw We
think not.
The act OF Congress upon which Mr.. Clayton justfes
his unwarrantabe inerposon in this case does not in
teere Nth the betwcen citizens of this country
and bgecnt nations articles contraband of ar
They may sell them guns, ammunition, cordage, sails
ship timber, and PROVISIONS all of which general or I'M
der particular circumstances contaband articles They
may fit vessels with cagoes of these articles and carry
tnem 10 Oegerent DaOnS, ii tney Will run the rsk Oh
capture and confscation. And may they not sell ships
ready built Could not the OF the United State,
steamer have sailed her to Bremen and then sold her
the German government Undoubtedly. But they hap
pened to sell her here, in of ports, and
government offered the facilities Of converting her into
armed vessel Yet even them from anything which
has yet appeared che did not within the purview
of the 18th section. She manned as a vessel Of
She going to Germany to be manned with
German sailors
To say the lie asst, Mr.. Secretary Clayton has committed
great blunder in this matter. And in doing it, he must
have been influenced by two motives. He must have
desired either to reflect upon the last administration
to manifest to the world that this administration had no
sympathes with the republicans of Europe and would
take moderate, conservative the side of Gea
Britain and Russia. We deem the matter of no conse
quence further than to show the quo amino which In
huences the present administration.
"Tho Direct Issue"
Under this head the Philadelphia North American