Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1854-12-14

the United States. This rapid growth has res
ulted from the legitimate exercise Of sOssTeig,
rights, belonging alike 10 all nations; shd 3,
many literally exercised. Under such oircum
stances. Il could hardly have been expected N a
those among them. which have, WithinS con
ParatiVely recent period. subdued ahd absOrbet
ancient kingdoms. planted their standards OF
every continent. and nov posaess or claim the
eoLtrol, Of the islands OF every ocead as theil
appropriate domAiR, would look with tnfifend
ly sendments upOd the acquisltiOns ofthIs eouh
Try In every instance honorablys obtained, q
would feel themselves justified in inapu,inS oul
advancement to q spirit Of aggression, or to
passion for political predominance.s
Our foreign Commerce has reached mag,
nitude aud extent nearly equal 10 that Of ID,
hrst maritime power on earth, and exceedine
that Of any other. Over this great interest, L
which not only our merchants, but all classes
OF citizens At lea5tiudireetly, are concerned 4
Is the duty ofsthe execuaiSG and IeQislatiS,
branches OF the goKeruInent 10 exercise Ecare
fuI supervision, and adopt proper measures fol
lts profession. The policy which hare bad
IN view, 10 regard 10 this interest, embracea ID
future as we'll as ia pfeseat security.
Long experience has shown that, when the
principal powers Of Rarope are engaged in war
the rights Of neutral ma ions are endangered =
This consideration led. in the progress Of the
war Of oar Independence, 70 the formation Of
the celebrated cOnfederacy of armed neutrality,
primary object Of which was, 70 assert the
doctrine that free ships make free goods; except
in the case Of articles contraband Of war; adoc.
trine which, from The very Commencement oI
OUT national being bas been cherished idea
of the Statesmen Of this country. At one PER.
iOd, or another every maritime power has, by
solemn treaty stipulation, recognised that grin
ciple and il might have been hoped that it
would come to be universally re ceived and re
spected as rule Of International law. But the
refusal Of one power prevented this, and in
the next great war which ensued, that OF The
French revelation, it failed to be respected
among the belhgerent nations Of Europe. Not,
withstanding this, the principle is admitted to
be sound and salutary one; so much 50, that
at the commencement of the existing war iE
Europe, Great Britain and France announced
their purpose to observe il for the present, not,
however, as a recognised international right,
but as mere eopcession for the time being ~
The co operation, however, of these two pow
erful maritime nations In the interests of neu-
trail rights, appeared 10 me 10 afford an occa-
sion, inviting and justfying. on the part Of the
United States, renewed effort to make
the doctrine in question a principle of interna.
tional law, by means of special conventions be-
tween the several powers Of Europe and Amer
lea. Accordingly proposition, embracing not
only the rule, that free ships make free goods,
except contraband articles, but also the less
contested one that neutral property, other than
contraban1, though on board enemy's ships,
shall be exempt from confiscation, has been
submitted by this government TO those of Eu~
rope and America. s- at ]- 77s-2-
Russia acted promptly in this matter, and
convention was concluded between that coun.
try and the United STATES, providing for the OBJ
servance OF the principles announced, not only
as between themselves, but also between them
and all other nations, which shall enter into like
stipulations. None of the other powers have as
yet taken inal action m thelsubiect, am not
aware. however, that any objections TO the pro-
posed stipuatiOns has been made; but, on the
contrary, they arelackuowledged to be essential
to the security of neutral commerce; and The
only appaent,obstace to their general adoption
is in the possibility, that stitmsy be encountered
BY inadmissable conditions, ii.s z.a Is q-,,
The King of the Two Siciss has expressed
TO our minister at Naples his readiness to con
cur in our proposition relative to neutral rights
and to enter into convention on that subject.
The Kingof Prussia entirely approves Of the
project Of a treaty to the same effect, submitted
to him, but proposes an additional article. pro-
I ding Tor the renunciation Of priVateering.-
Such an article, for most obvious reasons, is
much desired by nations having naval estab-
Gshments large in proportion to their foreign
commerce, HIT were adopted as an interna-
tional rule, the commerce Of nation having
small naval force. would be very
much at the mercy oflts enemy, in case Of war
with power of decided naval superiority. =
The bare statement Of the condition in which
the United States would be placed after having
surrendered the right 10 resort to privateers,
in the event of war with belligerA Vt of naval
supremacy will show that this goyernmr mt could
never listen to suca proposition. The navy
of the drst maritime power in Europe is at least
ten times as large as that Of the United States,
The foreign commerce of the two countr es
10 nearly equal, and about equally exposed to
hostile depredations,, In war between that pow.
er and the United States, without resort on our
part to our mercantile marine. the means of our
enei-y to infiict injury on our commerce, would
be tenfold greater than ours toretaliats,c We
could not extricate our copntry from this une-
Qual condition. with such an enemy, ,1unlesS we
at once departed from our present peaceful pol.
10y, ard become q great naval, power. Nor
would this country be better situated in war
with one ofthe secondary naval powers. Tho
the naval disparity would be less. the. greater
extent and more exposed condition Of our vide
spread commerce, would give any of Them a
hike advantage over Us, = -. 49, {.
|. The proposition to, enter into engagements to
forego resort to priyateers, in case Ibis country
should be forced into war with great naval
power, is not entitled to more favorable cunsid.
Grafton than would be proposition not to accept
the services Of volunteers for operations on land
When the AoB0rlof the rights of our country
require il tolassume hostile attitude. it CONT
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