The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-06-21

WASHINGTON, June 10, 1864.
Prirottering-Latc Of Neafyais-7He Poiicy Of
Engiaad-Ihe Case Of TIE General -4,Bsstrong.
The English government has for the present refused
to grant letters of marque for prvateering purposes
thus pretending to be totally adverse 10 the system
in order TO make its influence felt on this side Of The
Atlantic, and to prevent this and other governments
from resorting to great of offence and defence
England and it's press have suddenly found 1t good
policy 10 become highly moral and refined in the tao
tics OF warfare and have therefore denounced priva
teering. Several journals Of this country who are
afflicted with morbid philanthropic sensbity and
who are but too ready to echo anything coming from
the leading British journals have taken up the hue
and cry. But doubt if the term privateering,
which has lately been so fearfully denounced, is
properly understood by those who oppose it.
priyateer vessel is nothing more or less than
private armed ship, duly commissioned by the gov
eminent as national vessel Of war, and being sub
Ject to the orders Of the government and the same
rules and regulations OF the navy, becomes so in
every respect, except being owned and manned by
private citizens instead of the government and its
officers. But privateering has been denounced by
weak and narrow-sghted individuals a. degrading to
people, and looked upon In the same light as rob-
berry and piracy This Is rather severe on our patriot
ic citizens. To strip things Of their gded pomp and
glory OF position, national vessel, IN time of war,
is but IN truth what pirate is in time Of peace she
takes life, burns and destroys, and captures the
high seas. Besides, national ships of war prey on
commerce and capture merchantmen with the same
eagerness and avidity as pirate ships oiwar for the
sake of the distribution of the prize money among
the crew. So, too, what would be murder by vo-
lunteer in time OF peace, against foreign citizen,
becomes soldiers duty in time Of war. Why not
then denounce our gallant volunteers as robbers
and mnrderers on the same principle that privaeers
al objected to?
Our volunteer merchant marine has, perhaps,
been more relied on in cases of war with CONNER
ca natl ons, than our volunteer militia force. This,
England is well aware of. The distinguished SER
wees rendered our country by the private armed
1rig General Armstrong, during the war OF 1872
Ii rises up with hideous terror in the minds OF the
English whenever they reflect on this subject The
General Armstrong, commanded by Capt. Saml. G.
Reid, then Young and gallant officer Of our mer-
navy, sailed out of your port with small force Of
seven guns and ninety men. In September, 1914,
she anchored in the neutral port Of Fayal, belong
ing to the Braganza dynasty Of Portugal. Soon
to join Admiral Cochrane OF Jamaica, as
part of the expedition against New Orleans),
anchored in the same harbor. The British
force attacked the privateer, in violation Of the
laws OF neutrality, and after most desperate strug-
gle, in which the British fleet was entirely discom
flied and crippled by loss of between two and
three hundred OF their best men and officers, the
Americans abandoned their vessel and the British
naval history, the Americans having lost but two
killed and seven wounded The British were three
days in burying their dead and two sloops-ofwar
were sent TO England with the wounded.
This battle frustrated the grand design Of England
to capture Louisiana, by delaying and preventing
the concentration Of their forces, until General
jackson could arrive with his troops, and it was
mainly instrumental in saving Louisiana from the
recovered from this blow. This is sufficient to
silence all objections on our part against privateer
ing whatever may be the views of foreign nations.
The attack on the privateer General Armstrong,
by the British, while enjoying the protection Of the
neutrality of Portugal, was an act, under the laws
Of nations, of plumber and piracy, which she has
never been made to atone for, Notwithstanding the
signal service rendered. And while our government
has been lettering from its duty in carrying out
principle, and vacillatng in an act of justice, the
gallant lngraham has maintained the principle that
mo power on earth shall touch anything American
IN neutral port" This principle is sustained by
the COMMITTEE on Foreign Relations of the United
States Senate, as well tact expression of opin-
ion in favor Of prvateers, in late report made in
the case of the brig General Armstrong, which ia
now before Congress for adjudication. We take the
following extract from the report made by that able
states man, the Hon. John Siidell of Louisiana and
one OF the soundest jurisconsults Of the country
Under all the peculiar circumstances of the case tn
committee are Of opinion that the claimants justly
entitled to relief on strict legal principles and
their convictions the subject less decided than they
are, they would find in the heroic conduct OF Captain
Reid and his gallant crew, strong inducements to give
them the benefit of their doubts
There are two points Of general interest involved in
on the action of the Senate. The effect to be produced
on citizens by according indemnity is stimula
ting them to emulate the noble example of Captain Reid
Tor there can be no doubt that he had suffered himself
to be captured without resistance full pecunisry salts
faction would long since have been accorded by Portugal
TO the claimants Shall we refuse il because he has
added to al history of its most brilliant
Again. If we net upon the avowed principle that ct-
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