The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-04-10
Position of the United states In the European
Struggle.


news, &c.
Position of the United STATES In the European
Struggle.
More. desperate more bloody grows the pros
pect of the European war. A simultaneous
fall in the funds, cotton and breadstufs, nd-
Gates less confidence in the result of the con-
test than has hitherto been felt in England. A
check in the voluntary subscriptions in France
shows that the alacrity with which the French
responded TO the call of the Emperor has begun
TO decay. Anxiety, of the most painful kind,
with regard to the position of Prussia and
Austria, pervades every article in the two Or
gans of the Western governments Nor is
that anxiety without foundation. The nego-
tiations still pending between the German go
vernments and Russia--the scrupulous silence
observed by Austria-and the new loan pro-
posed to the Chambers of Prussia-are ominous
symptoms. Meanwhile the Gear is entrenching
his position on every side. He has no answer
to give to Great Britain and France but to
strengthen the ports on the Baltic, reft his
fleet, and press the attack on Kalefat. Suppose
he be beaten at these points suppose Sir
Charles Napier destroy the Russian feet and
blockade the Gulf of Finland, while the Black
Sea is swept by the allied fleets, and the Turks
maintain their position on the Danube; what is
to prevent the Car from concentrating his
alliance with the German Powers, and march
ing an army Of 100000 men from the Vistula
to the Rhine, and thence to the walls of
Paris? If he did SO, what guarantee have
uyo 4Iaf Ensrlapd 1vn,,1l no faithful IN
her French ally-that new ministry would
not supersede the present cabinet and pursue
policy Numerically opposed to the Palmerston
system? Such things have been done before
and the attractions Of peace, the fear of injury
and the interests Of commerce, might certainly
bring them to pass again. Whether they occur
or no, it is certain that every mail aggravates
the prospects of the war, and renders even
brief duration Of hostilities more and more i'm
probable. Upon the approach of such mo-
mentous events, it is not proper that govern
ment of a first class Power like the United
States should look with Indifference. We have
interests which will be directly involved in the
struggle, and others which will be indirectly
affected. For the sake of both we ought, at the
present time, to declare openly the position
which We shall take in the coming struggle A
frank expression ofopinion on this sub ect will
save the governments of Europe some embar-
rass ment, and will allay whatever anxiety is
entertained by our own citizens.
Our shipping and commercial interests abso
lutely require some authoritative declaration OF
the national policy on the questions which the
war has again brought on the tapis We were
forty-two years ago, dragged into a war which
might possibly have been averted had Great
Britain understood at the outset that we intend
cd to adhere at all hazards to the principles we
asserted. Now, again. we find at least a doubt
in the British mind as to whether the same
provocation should not be repeated Not week
passes but some member of the British Parlia-
ment rises to argue on behalf Of American rights,
and some member of the government replies
that the ministry have not yet decided whether
we have any rights or not This shutting is
not complimentary to us, in the first place: and.
in the second, it may be protracted till ssne
untoward accident actually plunges both coun-
tries into war. We must not leave Mr. Miner
Gibson to plead the cause of the United States.
We must do that ourselves; and in tone that
will show the world that whatever Lord John
Russell decides our rights shall be maintained
There are three points to which this declaration
should refer. The first is comprised in the
maxim that free ships make free goods The
second is the right of seamen serving in Amer-
can ships to pursue their calling unnolested by
British prcssgangs. The third is the execution
OF the statute against privateering. On these
three points il is right and proper that the Pre-
Gent should send special message to Congress
embodying the views of the government. He
should declare that the United States will re-
gard the seizure Of goods shipped at or consign-
ed to helligerent port, in an American vessel,
rs . good ground for declaring war against the
nation whose cruisers commit the outrage
that the United States will pursue the same
course in case one single American shin Is
searched or one seaman taken from her. and
that the law prohibiting privateering passed in
1915, i stu in fall force, and wiz be strictly