Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1854-04-19


That she is never in the wrong.
1880 80
Our Position and Duty as a Neutral Ma
tion.
In looking over the darkening horizon
of the Old World, where the lightning OF
war threatens collision of all the greet
powers, it is we'll for us to consider our
own attitude and duty, in the possible
contingencies into which We may be
thrown, and to take prompt measures to
fortify ourselves for the worst. AS the
N. Y. Herald remarks, the last European
War, which grew out of the French revo-
luton Of 1899, e" ultimatel y involved GER
tain maritime interests ofthe United States
and compelled our government to declare
war against Great Britain. 1t will be re-
collected by every one that among the
most conspicuous of the measures that
were adopted by the bclligerents of that
day were the famous Milan and Berlin
DEGREES, und the British Orders in Coun
Gil by which they were met. At that time,
the maritime power of France was COM
paratively insignificant and so far as
that nation was concerned, the DEGREES af-
fected us but slightly. But the British
in the execution of the Orders in Council
inflicted almost as severe an injury on our
maritime interests as on those of the ma
tons with which England was actually
waging war. Our dogmas of absolute
jurisprudence, relative to the impressment
of British seamen serving on board for
eign vessels and to the right on the part
of Great Britain to make prize of neu-
trail vessels carrying goods to or form
belligerent port, induced England to com
nit acts which we very properly deemed
an infringement of our rights. We took
the ground that free ships make free
goods; that our flag must be respected,
and our vessels must not be searched.-
Those positions were denied by Great
Britain, and the war consequently
began. 1t is much regretted that it
ended without settling the controversy or
leading to any compromise of the points
in dispute.
knowing the peculiar sensitivcness
with which the American people regard
anything like an outrage upon the nation
al flag, we have looked, we confess with
some degree of anxiety, for some exposl-
ton of the principle on which Great Bril-
tain and France intend to deal with neu-
trail vessels during the coming struggle
And it is with singular regret that we
learn by our recent adYiCeS that the Bril-
fish government has officially declared
that belligerent property in neutral yes
sells shall be considered a lawful prize
Such was the emphatic declaration Of Lord
Clarendon in his instructions to the Bril-
fish Consul at Riga; and, though the
madness of such course was clearly
pointed out NJ Gibson in the House Of
Commons on the 18th, we see no evidence
Of any intention on the part of the British
government to withdraw that statement,
or modify the intention it published.
alt is hardly necessary for us to observe
that in the event of Great Britain again
pursuing the policy which led to the war
of 1912 we should have no other alterna-
tive but to resort to the means we then
exerted to protect our rights. The Uni
ted States cannot, under any clrcumstan-
ces, permit any foreign power to exercise
the right of search upon American vessels;
nor can we submit to the seizure of our
ships engaged in a lawful commerce, with
out regarding the act as an actual com
mencement Of hostilities against ourselves
- This sentiment, we take it, is the sentl-
ment of all men of all parties in this cOun-
try; and would be practically enforced
by any administration that might happen
to hold power at the time such acts might
be committed. We may add likewise
that the position Of the United States, in
the event of a rupture of our relations
with Great Britain, would now be very
different from what it was forty years
ago. England can hardly be ignorant of
the vast increase that has taken place
since then in our population, our resour-
ccs, and our national power. If We were
then able to maintain our ground, tits not
unlikely that We might do something more
now.
cit is not little remarkable that these
absolute pretensious should be revived by
Great Britain simultaneously with re-
quest for our friendship and sympathy
Lord Clarendon, declaring American YES
sells with Russian cargoes lawful prizes,
at the same time that he confesses a de.
sire for public meeting here to applaud
the course of the British nation, presents
SECULAR appearance of inconsistency.
A few weeks will soon clear away al
doubt on the subject. Meanwhile in view
of the menace that has already been ut
tered, it is we'll for us to consider our OWL
defenccless state"
EUROPEAN REFUGEES BOUND TO TUR
KEY.-A letter. from an intelligent Ameri
can traveller NOW in Europe, to friend