Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1854-12-08

France announced their purpose to observe It fc
t4e present; not, however, as a recognized nte,
haH"nal rI9ht, but as q mere concession for H.
,e afpc beng The co-operation, however, Of thes
c "o powerful maralime nations in the interest =
,, neutral rights, appeared 10 me to afford an occa
n son inviting and justifyng on the part Of til
>. United S'ates, renewe effort to make the dor
Y tlne1n question principle Of international law
/ by means Of special conventions between tn,
e several powers Of Europe and America. Ac
coI4Agiy, proposition, embracing not cnly tlc
5 rue 'ha' Tree ships make free goods except con
iiaband articles, but also the less contested one
thai Neutral property, other than contraband
ehouSh on board entmy's ships, shall be exempt
from coniscHton, has been submitted bv mis-
Government 70 those of Europe and America.
Russia acted promptly in this mater, and a
convention was concluded between tha. country
ana inc United States, providing for the observ-
i'ce Oh the principles announced not only as be-
tween themselves, but also as between them and
All other nations which Shall enter into Ike sim
a!ahons. None Of the other powers have As vet
taken bnai action On the subject | am not aw are
however, that any objection 70 the proposed Stip-
ulations has been made: but, on the contrary
they are acknowledged 10 be essentia! to the Sc
curly of neutral commerce; and the only appa-
. -''tyi5 - tf4tT LtNtfdf adoption tho
posaIbilty that it may b. encumbered BIZ mad
fnlssable conditions.
The King Of the Two SiciIies has expressed
70 our minister at Naples hi. readiness 10 con
cur IN our proposition relative to neutral rights
ana 10 enter into convention on tina. subject
me hlng OF Prussia entirely approves of the
PROJECT OF treaty 10 the same effect submitted
% MN, but proposes an additional article proyi-
'in5 ior tie renunciaton Of priyaeer!np. Such
al article, tor The lost gbyint,-
desired by nations having naval establishments
ar9e IN proportion to their foreign commerce -
II u were adopted as an international rule the
commerce Q! a nation having comparaeivalv a
small naval force, would be very much at IL.
mercy ot Us enemy, in case 81 war with pow
eF "i decided naval superiority The bare state
ineht Of the condition in which the United states
would be placed, after having surrendered H..
ll5ht 10 resort to prVateers iu the event OF war
" "itA a DcItI9eTent OF naval supremacy viii show
that this Government could never listen to such
q proposition. The navy Of the frs. maratime
power OF Europe IS at least ten times as LARGE rs
Dhat OF the United States. The foreign com.
nefce u OF tne Two countries Is nearly equal, and
.oouJ equally exposed to hostile depredations
In war between that country and the United
o"'eS' "ltho"t resort on our part to mercantile
Marine lie means Of our enemy to ntlict ipiurv
,poh our commerce would be tenfold greater
nan ours to retaliae. We could not extricata ,
ur country from this unequal condition with !
"ch an enemy, unless we at once departed from
"r present peaceful policy, and became great I
avail power Nor would this country be better c
: slatel g ~ Ssr .y-,A one st ths -:
m OF our wide spread commerce would give L
nv of them like advantage over us u
The proposition to enter into engagements TO Q
,repo resort to privateers, IN case this country
houd be forced into war with a great naval
over is not entitled to more favorable considera-
ion than would be proposition to agree not To
ccept the services of volunteers for operations
N land When the honor or the rights Of our
country require it to assume hostile attitude, 1t
relies upon the patriotism OF It's clti-
,ens. not ordinarily devoted to the military pro-
ession to augment the army and navy, SO as 70
make them fully adequate to the emergency
which calls them into action. The proposal to
surrender the right TO employ privateers IS pro-
ressedlv founded upon the principle that private
property of unofending non -eombatants, though
enemies, should be exempt from the ravages OF
war: but the proposed surrender goes but little
way in carrying out that atprinciple, which equally
requires that such private property should not be
seized or moested by national ships OF war
Should the leading powers of Europe concur IN
as a rule of international law, to eN-
empt private property upon the ocean. from
seizure by public armed cruizers. as Wen as os
privateers. the United Safes will readily meet
them upon that broad ground.
Since the Adjournment of Congress, the iatIti
cations of the treaty between the United S'a'es
and Great Britain relative TO coast fisheries. ana
TO reciprocal trade with the British North Amer
lean provinces, have been exchanged. and some
of its anticipated advantages are already enjoyed
bv Us. although its full execution was to abide
certain acts of legislation not yet fully performed
:, soon as it was ratified, Great Britain opened
to our commerce the free navigation ofthe river
=. Lawrence, and TO our fishermen unno'cstcd
access to the shores and bays trofn which they
| had previously been excluded, on the coasts OF
her North American provinces; III return Tor
which she asked for the Introduction, tree OF du-
n. into the ports fsie United States, 9! the hsh
,.anrht on the same coast by British fishermen.
Tb;5 beiue the conpen Satioa, stipulated IN the
fr,,4v for priviIe res Of the hi CHEST Importance
srl vaIu, to the United States, which Were thus
voluntarily Welded before it became elective, the
request seemed to mo z reasonable one: bat 1t
eolli not be acceded 10 from want OF authority
70 suspend our laws imposing dui.s upon al Tor
: eiop iish In the meantime. the Treasury de
n1rtn,cut issued a regulation for asce-taining the
, duties paid or secured by bonds OF tish caagsii
on the coasts Of the British provinces, and brought
to our markets by British subjects after the fish
ing grounds had been fully accessible to citizens
Eof the United States. l recommend 10 your IA
yorab,e consideration proposition which VIII b'
submitted TO vou for authority to refund the du
: t;as and cancel the bonds thus received. Ih
. provinces Of Canada and New Brunswick hav
also anticipated the full operation ofthe treay D.
tIgefy. TO admit