The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1855-09-22
rEo,i AS occAsioSAL CORRESPONDENT
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le-Deangrk's Cam 20 Exact "Daess and Righ
10 Napigaietle "Soand Discussed
Seized with nnaecountable fit of industry, sprang
from bed this morning ordered "pony, and soon found
myself ascending the mountains which almost encirce the
city Of st Thomas After riding for hour roeky
road seeing but litle TO interest the mountains being
covered with thick mist which yelled from the eye the
luxnrian grass the beautiful wild flowers the stunted
trees, and occasional mammoth moss-covered rocks
reached the apex which is about fifteen hundred feet above
the level of the just the above the horizon
and the morning melted before its gorgeous light and
tropical heat. Mountains, ocean, islands and city
gilded by this FIRST bgh, CLEAN Of Sunshine The lay
in boundlcss before in every direction so bright
y illuminated that the eye could scarcely bear to
its calm mirror-lke surface St Johns Cruz Porto
Rico, and the Virgin Islands reposed its bosom in the
distance the range Of mountains grouped in every var
ETY. Of light and shade, still desecrated by the time
and mutilated towers Of the ancient buccaneers
raising their frowning heads as though conscious
of the they inspired Of old in the breast of the
honest mariner who vennred TO navigate the Carb-
bean sea- with here and there dapdaed and deserted
plantation groaning under crop of weeds
The city Of ST. Thomas, with IFS many fiat red-opped
houses which seemed piled upon another at your feet
and the beautiful and placid bay, surrounded by hills,
stretching their blue heads above the clouds and the
white sails Of distant vessel bearing the proud "srs and
stripes at her main, completed the panorama After salts
flying myself with gazing upon this beautiful and varied
ly descended the city to breathe again its hot air. per-
fumcd by the odor Of the untodshed negro, and hear
again the eternal abbcrng of eight thousand free, hpiag
the wise philanthropy" OF that nation whose
perfdy cruelty and oppression to her subjects in Ire
land have loaded her with endless nfamy and brought
down her the anathemas of the civilized world
The policy of England, in etfecng the emancipation Of
the slaves of the West Indies has resulted in the total
partial bankruptcy of majority Of the planters resident
in those islands in which it succeeded beautiful and
extensive estate in the English island of Antigua owned
in part by citizen Of Ohio, which yielded annual in
Of $4,000 previous to emancipation, is valued
only six thousand pounds The estates of this island
though few high of cultivation previous to
ls4S but abandoned for the that the ean
cipated slaves will work unless driven to it by
ton hence most Of the negroes have left the country for
the town. The few who still remain living in misea
Bile huts suhsisting vans, panains, and frniL Tho
city of St Thomas literally crammed with these dest
tue miserable people, Of both sexes whose liberty consists
the right to sarve beg go half naked and degenerate
below the savage tribes of Africa. Is NOT parycllops
that enlightened statesmen of country seek pro-
duce the result in tho south of America? mplors
such to make tour of the West Indies they will return
their homes satisfied that every struggle to effect
emancipation they rvet tightly the chains of the
slave and if successful the very shackc they have
stricken of will eat deeply into the bleeding esh
and the monstrosiy Of English hypocrisy will be rewarded
by seeing the agricultural and consequently the
cia power Of the southern States of America crppedhc
envous food which has kept alive the flame Of this wi
phionthropywenigh extinguished by the of her
colonial subjects, white and black May Heaven protect
our beloved country from such calamity and we'll
fed wcl-clothed, well-protected contented and light
hearted slaves from this moral lrosy which in few years
would sink them low in the scale of degradation and
misery that wisdom and benevolence Of could
save theml
The question of abolition of the Sound dues upon
our commerce the Baltic has created feeling and
speculation among the Danes of this island. II is
here stated with great confidence that Denmark will
peaeeably consent to release the United States from this
tax ; and the question is asked, What will the United
States do in the event Of positive refusal by Denmark
treat the subject C0neo uesseis through he Sound
Adopt Jacksops cardinal maxim; "a sh nothing bit pAa
is rght-suJand 70 nothing acroa9' Is it right that our
commerce to the Baltic should be taxed for
OF the sound and two belts which the ocean and
the sea We appeal the law Of Nature and Of nations
support Of their free Denmark claims and exercises
=" "rht to impose duty upon tie Of the whole
world passing through this great outlet .. ~ u sea
upon mmemoral usage, md relics upon Yate author
iy to sustain her in the exercise Of this assumed right
Monsieur De yae is good authority questions Of
international law yet will show that his admission
of the right Of the King of Denmark to require customs
at the straits of the Sound is exception to the rule Vat
tel, sec 292, says:
at must be remarked with regard to straits that when
they for communication between seas the
igaton of which is to ALL several nations, the
nation which possesses the strait cannot refuse the Others
passage through it, provided that passage be innocent
and attended with danger 10 herself BY refusing it
without just she would deprive those OF
advantage granted them by Nature; and indeed the
right of such passage is Of The primitive ber-
y enjoyed by ell mankind Nothing but the care Of his
safety authorize the of tho strait to make
of certain precautions and require certain orma-
ties, commonly established by tile customs of nations lie
has right TO levy moderate tax the vessels that pass
partly account OF the Inconvenience they give him. by
obligng him to be on his guard partly return for the
safety he procures them by protecting them from their
mics by keeping pirates Mt distance and by efrayng the
expense attendant the support of lighthouses se
marks and other things necessary To the safety of mari
Thus the King Of Denmark requires custom at the
straits Of the Sound Such right ought to be founded on
the reasons and subject the rules as the tolls
established on land or riverSee sections 1903 and
l04)
careful reading Of this section will most certainly
show that Nate makes the act Of the King of Denmark
form tie principle and not the principle embrace the act
he refers TO his two sections loo and lo4 on the subject
of tolls rivers, which, together with note of expaua-
ton appended strengthens me in the opinion that yattel
did not well consider the subject of the Danish aSound
dues prompted to modify the principle to cover the
existing wrong, by the came sympathy which operated on
the congress assembled at Vienna caused its members
to leave this agiaed question untouched yatte on
the subject of toll land and on rivers in sections 1903
and lo4 says:
The construction and preservation Of all these works
referng TO roads bridges and cauas) being attended
Will he pato al