The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-04-18

is only momentary impulse, due to present |
circumstances; and that, If tomorrow The
Eastern were at an end, she would again
assert her claims as dogmatically as before.
But in point of tact, the trade Of the world has
increased to such proportions since 1872, and
now occupies such footing that no grea CON-
mercial nation could afford either to tolerate
privateer ng or to deny the rights Of neltrals-
England would be herself as great sufferer
as this country if our ships were driven from
her ports: an if Odessa or any other or atRus-
sian seaport were not biockaded, the British
would be very glad to receive what produce
they required from thence in American ships.
The world has not forgotten the awful miseries
occasioned by the anti-commercial measures Of
the belligerents in the last war Mr.. Buchanan
will doubtless urge Che lesson they teach on the
British government as powerful reason for
Selling this opportunity of adapting the law Of
nations to the present advanced condition of
enlightenment and trade.
1t is asserted by our English contemporaries
that the Decl4 ration will possess less practical
Importance than appears on the surface, in con-
sequence Of the probable effective blockade Of
all the Russian ports. This may possibly be
the case but should Prussia and Austria join
the Gar, as they very possibly may, the case
would be materially altered. The Western
Powers could not blockade all their ports as
well as those of Russia: nor could the entire
fleets of Eastern Europe be swept from the
ocean. Such thing might occur, in that event,
as a wish on the part of the British Ministry to
hasten the termination Of the war by placing
Dantzic and Trieste under O paper blockade
If the war had lasted some time, the royal navy
might be short Of scamen, and it might be Sc
riously mooted whether the impressmcnt of
British subjects serving in American ships was
not justiliable under the circumstances. Con-
tingencies of this nature might arise without
the Intervention Of any abnormal or uncom-
mon agencies: and if they did, it would then
be matter of deep regret to right-minded
men in both countries that the possibility Of
such events had not been precluded, when our
MANUAL relations rendered the task easy and
pleasant. For, without abiding to the last re-
sort of hostilities, it cannot be disguised that
were Great Britain to relax so much as a hairs
breadth the policy proclaimed in the Declara-
ton, or were she only to talk of impressng
seamen, a large and ultimately very inauen-
tial party in this country would at once agitate
for the repeal Of the law against privateel'ing
British statesmen are by this time sufficiently
familiar with our politics to know that move
ment ofthis nature would rapidly gain strength
the only classes from whom resolute opposition
might be expected would be the merchants and
these are always minority. The seizure and
condemnation Of an American vessel or the
impressment Of a British seaman might not i'm
probably let loose on the ocean hundred
American privateers, and destroy British COM
merce in six months.
There is not a man in this country who would
not deprecate such a calamity. 1t rests with
the British government, and ours to render
its occurrence impossible.