Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1854-04-08
GBe aalIg Spp,
SATURDAY, APRIL 8. 1854.
The Rights Of Neutrals.

We suppose that the Eastern War is now a
fact. The period of diplomatic shutting,
evasion, and insincere conference is past and
the period Of hearty, earnest hatred, massacre,
and destruction has come. The dogs of war
have been let loose at last, and havoc will be
heard Of anon. Now, we may describe this
as " foreign war;" and we may take our
stand upon the policy of having nothing to do
with the quarrels of other nations, but, new
ertheless, we have an interest in the probable
consequences of this quarrel, which may after
all, involve us in it. One nation cannot de-
tach itself from the community of nations,
though it may desire to do SO. Commerce,
that great interest of humanity, which COM
pels even despotisms to modify their most in
veterate usages and laws, and to accommodate
them somewhat, to the advancing spirit of
freedom, binds nations together. 1t unites
them in the closest of unions, that of trade,
SO that what affects one, affects in some degree,
the whole The. question with us now is,
What effect upon our commerce will this
war have" Ale the ships of neutral powers.
on the high seas to be respected by the YES
sells of war Of the belligercnt parties or are
they to be detained, overhauled, and perhaps
seized, upon the pretext that they have goods
on board, which belong to the subjects of their
enemies
The general sentiment in this country is
that our ships on the high seas, are sacred
from intrusion, by any foreign power. All
nations have equal rights on the high seas,
one of the most sacred of whrch is, the right
to go your ownway, and mind your own bust
ness, without being molested by anybody
Hitherto, the rule in war has heen to seize the
commece Of the enemy, wherever it might
be found rule which a weak power may
acluiesce in, but which strong one with any
spirit would never tamely submit to.
A proposition has been made in both branch
es of the British Legislature, to form treaty
with the United States, securing the princi-
pie that ''free ships make free goods" Great
Britain and the United States can compel
general observance of this principle, and, as
they are the two greatest commercial and mar
thine powers in the world, it is their in
terost, as well as duty, to incorporate this new
clause in the code of international law With
this principle established, the war in Europe
would afford to our Commercial Marine, an
opportunity to vastly extend and multiply its
operations. 1t would give us quiet possession
Of the carrying trade of the two hemispheres;
and would probably place as permanently at
the head of the world in Commerce as well as
in agriculture. Our ships, our manufactures,
and our produce, would be free to come and
go among the nations, which, in their insanity,
will destroy one another The first part of
our policy is, to insist that the ships of neu-
trails shall be respected; and the next part is,
carefully to avoid all cause of quarrel, but
quietly, steadily, and energetcally, pursue our
own business. By such course, we shall
escape from the calamities of war, and COM
mercial arrangement; and be enabled not on
ly to advance the interests of our country but
also to render the practice of war less barbar-
GUS and oppressive.