The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-02-19

ncaD press plunges into and TOO often loses itself
in specnstions more p0mp0us tn An profound on the
Eastern question, there are here passing under it's
very eyes ct least there in course OF prepare
tion facts which may from one moment to the other
create for the United States role as serious as it Is
amentable and unforeseen, In the events which 1t
proposes to itself to judge Of In the character q
simple spectators. s-A ..Eas
II is now about two months since several journals
occupied and even excited themselves, with the y.
rival al New York Of some Russian slheers. OF
these officers, Aome belonged to the naval service,
and some to the army OF the Gar Tine vist Of tho
former at first found pretsxt in the necessity Of
experimenting the consruc ion Of two steam fhgateg
which are in progress Of completion in the docks
OF the East rver for the service Of tina Russian gov
ernment But this superintenderce did NOT evident
necessisAte either the presence Of 80 great num-
Der Of persons, (seven or eight, il we are rightly In
formed and more especially that OF general of
brigade and staff officers.
Some correspondents, who pride themselves upon
eyacttude In penetration but who have the fault OF
plnming the nselves always and of only occasion
ally giving proof Of the possession Of these quai
teewere struck at the time with the strangeness Of
this fact They suspected some mystery with
ont dvinipg it; and seeking the explanation with
the small means which they are in the hat&
Of employing in similar circumstances, they stoppO
short proud Of their success at the first solution that
public learned that the Gear Of all the Russias had
opened in the United States general 0fROo ofnplst
ment. The newly landed officers had been cnkged,
neither more nor less, with the mai0n OF raising in
the cause Of tyranny At this revelation the credu
ous opened wide their eyes, sensible peopled shrug
ged their shoulders; then silence enveloped the i'm
probability, as IL shrouds all things which cannot
How is it possible in fact to discuss this idea, verg
ing on extravsgance, which represents the autocrat
OF sixty millions Of men, Of whom he can dipoee ct
his will, as coming here to pick up few doubtful
soldiers at distance Of two thousand leagues nom
his empire, and Afterwards to transport them there,
at an immense expense and through thousand din
culties sDd dangers.
These romancists, however passed nearer the truth
than they themselves suspected. IT. instead Of halt
ing at the surface OF the secret of which they poe
sessed the thread they had penetrated to the bottom
ry which now Inspires, namely that enlistment,
not OF soldiers, but Of sailors, is now carried on In
New York and some other ports Of the Union, and
that the Russian agents are silently but actively escu
plying themselves, not. with the formation Of reg
ments, but with the arming Of corsain!
The assertion may seema little bold it ID, at all
events less strange than that to which previously
alluded; But we have reason to believe II wen
Matters have been conducted up to the present mo-
ment with discretion which smacks Of European
diplomacy and TO which tho open conspiracies which
we witness from time to time have not accustomed
u.s. But the peril lie for that very reason only greater
and more real.
A small number of agents, selected with extreme
skill and care, were first enrolled and then launched
amongst the crowds OF maritime adventures and
Others, who have swarmed for years past on the
soil Of the American Union. Through their medium
assurance has been sbtaoed OF the manner In which
(the contingency arising) categorical propositions
will be entertained by certain individuals TO UNDER
take cruise against English aud French ships Ne.
EQUATIONS more or less explicit, according 3 tho
character OF the parties, have oeen already opened,
Lists have been drawn out, and the cddre Of equip
ment almost decided upon even the ships have been
indicated that will be best adapted to the purpose.
In FACT, matters are In such state Of fOrwardness,
that at the report OF the first cannon fred In the
o. anna 70 ho lrnA l.. A. la
teIs OF marque in order to launch into the AtAnte
Q fotilla Of American corsairs, carrying the Russian
nag at their mast head. m. =
On the part Of Russia the expedient Ia a. inGeni-
Gus as II has been prudeDtly conducted. Without 8
marine worthy of that name, without seaport from
whence che can disquiet the commerce Of ner mari
time enemies, she has at once comprehended the
immenfe inferiority in which she is sced BY her
position. She has also com pretended that il would
be useless TO seek In Europe what che wants ct home
In default even, Of the principles Of international
law, which are happily still rememb cred, the fear Of
England and France would have deferred every
secondary Power 70 lend any point of its coasts to
the armament of Ausc0vite corsas. OF all nations
the United States alone offered resource, OF which
the Car Is endeavorng to profit with arsfnlness
that ustifes the eulogy frequently passed upon his
peIspicacity and profound knowledge Of foreign
1t may seem strange at first sight that the man in
whom is personifed in the highest degree the idea
OF despotism, should bave thought Of coming 10 rex
aid OF any kind form whatsoever Ia Q country
which u not only the born enemy Of all tyrannies,
and the champion Of all liberties, but which has
proclaimed besides her unequvocal sympathy with
the caufe OF Turkey. This ap parent anomaly only
proves that the Car a. we have just observed has
American COME Iteration.
There Is no doubt that q e years ago the pvopo-
tition to make OF the ports u the Union har6ors Of
ease for the Muscovite ships and TO assa the COM
merce OF friendly Powers, would only have net with
refusal and contempt from oil Classes Of American
people.buf, other times, other doctrine At that
epoch the elastic interpretations were mot known
which have SINCE subjected International law and
the ideas Of justice and injustice to the pleasure q
the first audacious conner IT that epoch the United
States did not comprise within It's population that
crowd Of adventuren, without other iih or law than
their covetousness that the Mexican war ana tho
circumstances that followed It have attracted and
multiplied, to the misfortune a. we'll the shame Of
the Union. At that time Russian agents would
his hand against an allied flag; ct present-nelaa.
choly abundance-thers il no enterprise, no matter
how silly or unworthy that can b conceived, 70
which the American soil does not offer contingents
which plages the public treasury Of Csrdenas and
seizes upon Lower California to that which gives
chase in she open sea to vessels OF friendly flags,
there 10 but q STEP
Far be II from US to reflect upon the entire nation
the responsibility Of individual acts, but our pen can
only spare 1t the reproach. IL Is for her and her
alone TO guard against the consequences that must
inevitably ensue from the facts that We signalixe.
II deplorable relaxation Of principles has made
international law word almost void Of meaning for
certain men Of the Union, Europe has not ~ yet AZ
rived at this degree Of progress. vessel armed 40
. prvateer in an American port might show al the
coors Of the world, and exhibit the most authentic
letters Of arque that the Russian admiralty could
sign, bat she wsuld not be the less considered ~
pure and simple pirate, and treated - such. We
know what that means-the yardarn for the mon,
and connscation a. fair prize for the vessel No
nationality would hold good In such ease. Th4 mar
tial Law Of the sea does no. recognise two mods d
qualifying fact any more than Il rscognises no
means Of purashiDg Il.
These summary and direct rcprisab would s4M b
Of little Importance for they would strike only tho
guilty But behind the corsair, trestsd according
70 his merits Europe, bencefsrth deprived OF Ill -
curity would necessarily zee only the Union itseh-
the Uuion culpsble at least Of indifference, and NOR.
ay responsible for she acts that she would have al
lowed to be committed on her territory and On her
waters. Now, times OF war are not the nttest for
dpLatic djscufeioDs on the rights OF neutrnle and