The Yazoo Democrat., 1854-05-03
Declaration of War.

Her Majesty the Queen of the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, hav-
ing been compelled to take up arms in sup
port of an ally, is desirous Of rendering the
war as little onerous as possible to the Pow
ers with whom she remains at peace.
To preserve the commerce of neutrals from
all unnecessary obstruction, her Majesty is
willing, for the present, to waive part Of
the belligerent rights appertaining to her by
the law of nations.
1t is impossible for her Majesty to forego
the exercise of her right of seizing articles
contraband of war, and of preventing neu-
trails from bearing the enemy's dispatches
and she must maintain the right of a bel
Hgerent to prevent neutrals from breaking
any effective blockade which may be estab-
lished with an adequate force against the en-
emy's forts, harbors or coasts.
But her Majesty will waive the right Of
seizing enemy's property laden ON board a
neutral vessel, unless it be contraband Of
war.
1t is not her Majesty's intention to claim
the confscation of neutral property not be-
ing contraband of war found on board enc
my's ships; and her Majesty further declares
that being anxious to lessen as much as pos
sible the evils Of war, and to restrict its ope-
rations to the regularly organized forces of
the country it is not her present intention to
issue letters of marque for the commission
ing of privateers.
WESTMINSTER, March %, 1854.
From the London Times, March %.
War is declared. A peace which has las
ted the unexampled period of thirty-nine
years, which many fondly hoped was to last
as many more, is at an end and the three
most powerful States of Europe are once
more engaged in a struggle, the duration, the
end, and the results of which no man can
tell; but which is too likely to produce suf-
ferings and disasters, of which we are merci-
fully spared the foreknowledge. 1t is not for
us to attempt to lift the veil Of futurity
which must be sad in many respects nor is
there any need. No alternative is left us
the decision has been taken out Of our hands;
and, unless we Mould submit, with our allies,
to crouch under the insolent dictation of a
barbaric Power, and see the liberties of Eu-
rope disappear under the tramp Of the Cos
sack we had no other course than to do what
has now been done in sad and solemn form.
The sight of the document we publish to-
day viii call many to their senses who to
the last have speculated on the chances oi
war as still remote contingency, or have
looked at it only in its holiday aspects. II
the mere sight of manifesto to which we
are happily so little used might sober the
most thoughtless, the perusal of it will re-
move every scruple from those who did not
think all war unjustifable. The document
does justice to the long and anxious efforts OF
France and England to heal the rupture
which the Car had all along determined
never should be healed, except by the subju-
cation of heighbor against whom he had
no longer quarrel. With simple COLA
tion of dates it convicts the daring attempts
of the Emperor to falsify the chronology OF
the negotiation, and throw on us the odium Of
provoking the war; It meets with just
rebuke the impudent hypocrisy with which
Russia has claimed to be the friend of relig-
ion and truth. when it was spurning the pure
precepts of the one and outraging the laws
of the other. There is not an Englishman
whose thoughts are still free, and whose hand
is not tied by some fanatical theory, who will
not respond heart and soul to this solemn
appeal. The greater part of us viii only be
called on to endure sacrifices, and thankful
we should be that our part in the noble strug
gle is not more severe. But those sacrifice:
all viii make cheerfully and ungrudgingly
from the conviction that Heaven has pu
them upon us, and that the only way to save
ourselves, and fulfil our part in the terrible
! drama, is to strike with all our might, anC
let the great culprit see at once the strong
determination and the tremendous power h'
has presumed to set at nought. We hay'
been slow to take the decisive step. The Rus
sian has evidently concluded that we prefer
ed negotiation to action; the very population
of St. Petersburg has been taught that we ar
too commercial to be real warriors, and to-
fond Of profit to be keenly sensitive to wrong
Now that we have thrown away the scabbars
and stand face to face with our insolent an
Etaconist, 1t only remains to disabuse him
Ithorougly of this imaginary estimate Of on
tay,r,er and power. That we have no doub