Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1855-09-21
The Danish Sound mr..

r.
The present situation of Denmarl !:
OF an article IN the Paris Constitutonna me subject
fatng the circumstances of the denunc;. After nar
treaty by the United States, it saws 0ia'ion Of the
The American Cabinet, far from
olinlnaton OF the dues like other Sta,ss for
que's'on 70 close oy declaring that tbev U,gs the
TO II appears difficult to believe tbo e'ension lead
States should succeed in thus regulana. ne United
own account, matter which interests ior their
navy OF the whole world. Could The IT,; Mercantile
be freed from the sound deus while tho % States
tune nations continued to pay them. the traS mari
Batlc would soon De closed TO all but vessa1a OF the
Union, which would have an immens" 'eiS OF the
over their competitors. The question of Advantage
dues can evidently only be settled bv ne sound
ment and by sort of general Congress- 80 agree.
tions" e'0S0 OF all na
The Constitutional then procasds
what will be the probable effects of ,b, examine
persistlng IN their determination not to coma States
| arrangement 1t says: W 'oi'e 10 Some
g If the United States PERSIST IN uos.
ment OF the duties and in declnino oil me pay.
then either Denmark will let Their vaasn egolaOn,
winch case no other vessel of anv r.t;o1 pass, in
VIII consent TO pay The toll, and Denma,L "uSSeVer
the brightest jewel of her crown and the viii lose
siderable part of her revenue which wonld oSt con-
aent TO the loss OF half her territory, or thu OT
cruisers will stop the vessels of the iTn;t.s Oanlsh
their passage. and if not the forts will sn states on
In that case there will be war We need vner-
10 explain all the consequences of such an pause
peclally in the present state of Europe, W. es
contingency to be realized, it would be- ha,3. such
s!ble for European diplomacy not to inarvacy pos
tiVely and with sufficient influence, in d;suu, &C.
which all commercial nations have seriono ;p IN
In point OF principle, dplomatists would ine~;asS
declare against the pretensons of the United Say
The latter say that the duties levied bv Dsnnooe
American vessels in the Sound exciusiveIr "a IN
from treaty by which the United States by, result
sented to this tax but that now this trsat n"I con-
expired Denmark has no right to continue y having
Denmark, however, maintains that he- right ;s y ~
yersal; that the treaty concluded with The Tn un;
States like those concluded with other Powers o" i've.
regulated The exercise of this right; that tho UaY
Government has enjoyed it from time immem onq
and that, even were the origin of the right in Om.
ton open TO doubt, it exists by prescr;nsdn
This line OF argument has some weight and :,
would have still had not Denmark for 60 I Ia.
time taken undue advantage of her position v ,ouS
brilliantly increasing the sound dues, and arht,,
modifying them, often even so as to cause cons;5ar!
Bile inconvenience in commercial arrangements Ia.
thus that this power has prepared storm and sn,
dered every one hostile to tax which, had if boo.
established with more moderation and subject 10 Iasa
change' would undoubtedly have continued to So
paid without opposition " Ve