Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-01-15
NATIONAL INTELLIGENCER.
LETTER OF MIR. RUSH
ON THE NAVAL EVENTS OF THE WAR OF 1912

M DEAR Sln have received your letter Of the 26th
Of April and will reply to it once, looking for
ward engagements shortly that may mas larger drafts
than usual upon my time. sss "a - -sstf
In review of diplomatic history should you undertake
such task, division into the three periods you ndi-
cae-lst from the peace of Westphaa to the peace Of
Utrecht; ID from the peace of Utrecht the peace of
Paris 1868 3d. from the peace of Paris to the present
tmes-would unfold large plan, full Of matter in the
highest degree interesting in international affairs
The third period would be the important and
stirring Parts of it fall within the personal knowledge
of many still living and the easy researches of all 1t
comprises the startling revolutions among nations,
revolutions in which oddesses of Reason enthroned
in place Of other gods and kings topped down the
formidable operations of war; with results the most
mentous by land and sea; and the most wde-sweeping
transactions in diplomacy Of the last century and early
part of the in which live Under this period op
portuny would open of doing justice country for
the part it took in the Of neutrality and also of
recalling outline of achievements in naval arms,
that ultimate negoator which finally obliged
have recourse Without recalling these achievements
the spirit and compass of our diplomacy could not be ade
quaely illustrated The two, together, give marked
place in history had done nothing else The subject
is ample and inviting 1t is known in all its aspects only
partially among ourselves and confess that tempt
thing of it than would otherwise be necessary, in
the possible hope of being able to in your mind
some little nducement 60 into it all yourself must
do this at the risk Of perhaps always saying what you
may concur in, risk had to in my former letter
but my may start Ets you and will knowingly
fall into of fact 1t is by recalling facts in their
connexion with principles that would desire to let It be
seen hatthe greatness of this Republic did not begin
yesterday spheres the very highest the broad theatre
of the world prefguring the commanding destiny before
it if we are true TO ourselves. Nt
From the commencement Of the wars Of the old French
Revolution and earlier the State papers Of the United
States which aimed upholdng the fair rights of the
neutral Aag, and TINS maintaining the domain of
and civilization, would probably form, all col
lected and arranged the best international code under
this head be found in any volume The in
of tonnage during these very great
In addition to large exports and imports for then
manufactured but little took the lead Of all nations in
an immense carrying trade. This greatly exposed our
merchant vessels in all hghhanded molestaton
in al ways Besides the heavy outrages received from
the first French Republic outrages within territory
and ports well at there the British 'pro-
vision order of june 1898 the French consular and i'm
perial DEGREES Of Berlin Milan Bayonne Rambouilet
the British orders in council issued and reissued the ap
plicaton Of their old rule of sc vastnomina bockades
half the world over by England and the enforcement by
France Of the continental system" called of Napo
eor both alike desolang legitimate commerce the
impres Of our by England with her deeplyag-
grsyated attack upon our rigae Chesapeake in time Of
peace each nation striving if in the rivalry of belge
fury which could wrong the mosall these, and
more than these made up the violations indignes and
losses TO which exposed To settle, between
these two giant nations the proportion of begerent
enormity against would be extremely difficult. Alto
eether they brought into position stand up for the
neutral cause and became foremost in that champion
ship for much less than quarter Of century while
the world was in 1t most eventful epoch.
Many Of the liberal principles which had been gaining
head under maxms incucated by long list Of pure and
able pubicsts and the Of nations beaten
back by the fearful height which the passions Of
Europe we're reused These swept away all and
Justice ruthless law, the law Of force, retaatng
force as il was often termel usurped their place.
ing portend the entire prostraon Of and JUS
tice in the governing powers Of the world.
Yet in 1914 when Napoleon first struck down. the
great Allies took notice Of in their treaties Of peace
and settlement at Vienna, multitudnous those docu
ments were and comprehendng almost all other subjects
between nations, as they did Not word Of inerces
sion had we from any one Of them. Not even breath
Of good will did they vaft over US In regard to our
had gone to war singe-handed against England The
still raging between Nevertheless they left us
to be crushed by her power for her undivided
strength by and land free to be used exclu
sivey against us Such was the condition Of things
Events flowed from them among the most striking tha
have ever occurred between nations To portray then
hty would caf for the pen Of Tactus or Thrcyddes
The calm retrospect Of them that the passions ant
partsanshps Of the day over little short o
miraculous. In after times they will rank among tn
maryels Of history
The Europeah Alliance left us, ] say, be crushed
This they must have believed This inference was force
upon them, when they looked only to the oyerwhemin
preponderance Of British naval power Consider what
was Not only did II preponderate to an extent maxim
all numerical comparison absurd over sny we had in
Of equipment but that all Europe combined
Still it absence Of wisdom glaring absence Of wi.
DOM in those continental Powers either through fear
offending England dislike to the principle Of our Go,
ernment codly stand aloof from u.s. Most especial
was il SO in France and Russia Never did great nation
err more in maxims Of State We were fighting for Ii
Just freedom Of the seas We fighting their battle
ne well a. our own. We fighting them with NOR
sterling and weldreced courage and it turned ou
with more effect than ever marked any the greatest
Napoleons battles splendid Of his campaigns
even when fresh from the fields OF Marengo Austert,
or Jena Let not this be called American boast Rattle
let facts be recalled Let these show II say much