Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1855-04-18

I'll INTEREST !
ss,.ros 10 have set about Feden Sc his ira1guial
'ssioe ATTEST Better lae thar assvei; and itslr.
j,;r.a acts now with energy AMI stacsiou temper
ed xth 81 so much OF prudencss a. common sense
will dictate, he nay yet do inue7 10 redeem the
di-gracenl failure OF his Administrators hitherto.
II our correspondent IS not misnGorme and be
IS rot apt to be IA error when he speaks so de-
c;siEely feet has been directed TO cruise in the
track OF our steamers crossing the Guh with o.
deTs to sink sny Spanish vessel which shall dare
10 repeat npou the high seas, the outrsees imposed
upon the Ell D0I ado, the Daniel Webs or, aud the
Limos. ga 49,
The measure is an extreme one; but We lnisun-
derstand the popular heart If it does not thorough
" approve and sustain il. True, Spain Is vesk
and we are strong; but her mbeciity gives Ter
license for insoence, notwithstanding her conduct
of late years has indicated firm faith in such
right 1t hes been matter Of surprise to us that
some of our contemporaries defend the right Of
Spanish cruisers to bring TO our vessels and ex-
anime their papers, to ascertain whether they are
| iibusters not. We can admit no such doe
tiine 1t ID directly 10 the teeth of the principle
for which we fought 10 1872 It's volative, clearly
of the broad American principle so Often so ele
quently, and SO forcibly laid down by the late la
mented Webster The ship covered by the flag Of
the United States, is 's part of American soil"
and, unless it shall be within marine league of
| the land, it can be no more invaded in time of
peace, by the armed agent Of a foreign power,
than can they city Of New York itself
| We are told that Spain is weak, and fearful lest
she shall lose her precious colony and that there
fore we must kindly permit her to throw a shot
across our ships often as she chooses and search
them at will-thst it is necessary to her safety and
consequently we must be lenient. The doctrine is
| monstrous Spain does not ask our leniency; she
claims her search as matter of right and enforces
| it without so much as saying "by your leave!'-
hers is not the attitude of poor, weak, trembling
suppant--but that of bold, insolent, defiant equal,
conscious ofpower either in itself or its allies, to
sustain and defend its assumptions right or wron2i
So the poverty-stricken plea can avail her nothing.
But if we admit the right of Spain to search our
vessels low, how are we, upon principle, to deny
the same right to England and France? If we
abandon in favor Of Spain, the doctrine we main
tanned in 1872 and admit the right of search sure
ly England and France may just as properly exer-
else II, some not distant day, upon every vessel
which crosses the Caribbean Sea- And if the
right of search is thus conceded it is but a
short step further to admit the right of imprson-
ment, by Britain or France of the sailors found on
board our ships who may be claimed by them as
their subjects; and so, at single blow, we sweep
away one of the grandest principles established by
the Government of these States. Who Is ready
fer that issue
Ooncede to Spain the right of search on the pre-
tence that she is suspicious of our shipI Why,
that IS precisely what we refuse to let a foreign
nan-of war do on the cost Of Africa, where, in
cordance with treaty stipulation we keep feet
jointly with Ergand and France to suppress the
African slave trade. There, no matter how suspi-
cious vessel looks if she carries the American flag
she passes unmoested. She can only be searched
by ship of the United States; and it will be re-
membered that Hon. Robert c. Schenck late Min
lister tc Brazil, in the course of an interesting off
| al aI
SINCE gave this the explanation for the very fire.
{ qaent fraudulent use of our flag by she slave
| traders.
This it the principle which we long since adopt.
ed as nation, and such the practice under it. We
adopted it in the firm conviction that it was right
If our fathers erred, and this principle is good for
nothing, let us abandon il and notify the world Of
the fact. But if the principle is right, let main
tam II, as against the weak or strong at any and
every st,-for honor is not to be weighed by
gold, nor measured BIZ blood. If the principle is
g true one and Spain cannot maintain her colonial
, dependency, without our abandonment of that
principle, then let Spain abandon her possession
1t IS not for US to stutify ourselves on so import
ant an issue, for the benefit OF power which at
tempts to hold in lis feeble grasp territory and
people having no interest in common with it, and
struggling 10 detach itself from the unnatural
mother who cares only to draw from it the great
est possible amount of revenue for the support Of
her own luxurious incidence.
We hold, then, that the President does well to
resent, and resent vigorously this insolent search
ing Of American vessels on the high seas. The
) country will sustain him in it. What may be the
consequences of the act it is not necessary now to
consider. 1t is sufficient that the occasion is pre-
sent for the vindication of great American prin-
cpe, and certainly that should be maintained
, Special Despatch to the Neso York Duly Times.
WASHINGTON, Monday, April 9.-The President
really has determined to make demonstration
against Spain at last. The selection of Commodore
; McCauley to command the Gulf Squadron is sig.
; nifcant, and the rumors Of an increase Of the
squadron, which gave you some time since, are
all confirmed. As strong naval force as can be
spared for the purpose has been ordered to cruise
ia the neighborhood of Cuba, in the track of oul
steamers, and future insults TO flag seem likely
to be promptly redressed.
Captain General Concha is much frightened
about the Ell Dorado affair and makes all the apollo
gies in his power. The President has taken very
decided ground in that matter, and assumed the
responsibility OF carrying out his own views of the
measures proper to be adopted These, you may
rest assured, are vigorous and extreme.
1t seems that not only the Fl Dorado and the
Daniel Webster have been brough. to on the high
by the Spanish cruiser, within the last month
or two but the Illinois, also, was served the same
way not long ago. She did not report the fact
however, such outrages without atonement hav-
ing become too common to be deemed, in the
est nation of her officers, worthy of notice
The Spanish Naval Commanders, rejoicing in
this opportunity of INDUCING their hatred Of los
Yankees will doubtless ms ct that they cannot per-
form their duty without firing a shot at our
passing steamers, and pursuing their insulting
search They viii probably, therefore, quite dis
regard Conchas frightened exhortations to greater
proprietyj but the next time a Spanish cruiser
to one Of our mail steamers on the high seas, it
is intended that United States war vessel shall
be near enough to participate in the entertainment
by pouring her broadsde into the Spanisrd forth
with. Mark the truth Of this The instructions to
bring Macauley will confirm what say whenever
| they are made public. Such demonstration will
make an issue not to be evsded; and we shall then
learn the true character of the secret protectorate
of Spain maintained by England and France
What capital privateer feet our Cuban Fillibus-
tiers would fit out in the event Of war with Spain
| arising out OF these events"
! From tie Albany Journal April Il
THE NEW YORK PRoHIBIT0RY LIQUOR Law
The act which has this day become law, in res
per to the sale OF intoxicating liquor in this State
viii be found on our first page, in full. We give