The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1855-11-15
DANISH SOUND DUES.

mark may act preudiciay upon relations with Great
Britain. This know to be a mistake There is diff
ference Of opinion between the governments the
subject We believe that in Great Britain well AS
in the United States, the public Judgment is oil but
unanimous to refuse giving the least heed to the
tempt of the Danish government to convert the mat
Ter of the Sound dues into political question: and
thus to the chances of keeping this preposerous
exaction alive by of possible political diff
erences between the governments of Europe and Amer
lea does the absurd idea of the Danish
of having the Sound dues capitalized it is calledha
is of inducing other governments to pay all possible flu
Sound dues in advance and in cash--receve the
least in England. 1t is perceived on all
hands that the Sound dues have no righful foundation
that it is nothing but back-mail in its character, in
which there be prescrptive right--in word,
that in origin and nature, the Danish Sound dues are
precisely the same the Barbary corsar Dues which
President Jefferson put end tribute dishonorable
to those who paid it just President Pierce proposes to
put end this similar tribute to Denmark Of course
il quite absurd for Denmark suppose that Great Brit
ain, Prussia the United States to pay the Sound
dues in lump and in advance for twenty years
ahead. The thing is ridiculous And to show conclu-
svey that the thought this subject Great Britain
lowing very intelligent exposition of the question: which
find in of the respectable journals of the city
of London
From the London Mercantile Gazette, Oct 90.
The DANISH SouNp-puE ouEsTIoN.-The question OF the
Danish Sou nd dues fairly before the public and all
that be said for against their should
spoken at The ENJOYS of all foreign powers
ed in the matter to meet next month Copenhagen
then and there defnitvely dispose it, In anticipation of
this congress- tho cabinet of Denmark have issued
randum suggesting basis upon which it stated satsfac
tory arrangement may be arrived at for putting end
the tolls, without infringing the rights of the Danish
The basis to capitalize the dueseach State wing over
to Denmarka certain sum, in proportion to the duty
levied its navigation by the exaction tolls In other
wo d the any country has had complain
the mpedmen thrown by Denmark in the way of
mece, the greater is the of compensation be
expected to contribute.
The memorandum to which we are referring staes "that
Denmark herself would be disposed to have the
tariff but neither America the other powers would be
satisfied with that"
Certainly not Neither will the other powers be content
that the question should treated not as an affair Of trade
or money, but purely in political light The exacon Of
the Sound dues not affair of trade Why
is exactly what the whole amounts to- In what way
trade to be relieved these Dues the question to be
askedby what amount Denmark is to be compensated
their loss the second There another very important
money question: nlso which before
and that is whether Denmark has any right whatever by
concession prescriptions to insist upon the ALL
whether the abogaon Of the existing between other
States and herself does not relieve such States from
Of the tolls Should the Congress decide that
Denmark has right to the Dues that country
find that the nonpaymen of the may have expected
for their capitalization is serious money affair" her.
instead OF regarding the question in political view and
thus the Danish note staes mpressng upon nego
taton the character and impulse to which is entitled
would suggest that should be simply as affect
ing the interest of the and world
Either Denmark entitled to levy the tolls she not
there's an end Of matter and she be content
with the black mail she has already levied If the other
hand she make out any right demand the TOLLS
her right must be compromised in which only question
is for how much How much Denmark afford to take
How much a.d to give? Surely this affair of
trade and moneypounds, shlings, and pence. There
in this poitical light" which Denmark suggests
iumne the Copenhagen Congress- than that State uld
probably be explained very poorly
other in desiring to see it regarded rather political
than commercial light particularly when the main ques
ton, so far as she is affected is of money We hope
that England, France and the United States will not be led
into any German political renemens in ascertaning
istence Of Denmars rights in bringing about the abso
Lutte and complete abolition of the tolls As waiting,
Of the American papers suggested until the
emit war at end before any determination defntvely
arrived at relative to the TOLLS absurd
ity will not be countcnanced Denmark right be just
calmly reviewed during the continuance war as at its
close and since the question is fairly opened now let be
settled.
Although the Congress Copenhagen is fixed for Novem
ber have yet heard the of the envoy govern
men intend to appoint We would, however, earnestly i'm
press upon Lord Clarendon the Importance of selecting
able representative for the Office, since the imposition
the Danish Sound and the Hanoverian State dues
regarded by the maritime world the intoler-
able remnants Of those ancient exactons which
and navigation formerly subjected. The Eng
lsh envoy should be expressly instructed that he is
deputed TO treat to any revision of the tariff but for
the total abolition Of the Dues that he is to make the
Copenhagen Congress clearly understand that England will
longer permit Denmark, any other country to i'm
pede the free navigation Of her ships and subject her
exactons; and that, whatever the issue Of
the deliberations at Copenhagen may be, this country
viii again the treaty existing, WILL
upon its termination, claim and insist upon the
Baltic, like every other sea- being open to her flag.
In arriving impartial conclusion the rights Of
Denmark, the representatives assembled Copenhagen
should not be influenced by any personal consideration
wards what be termed secondary Denmark
has for the last century been impoverished State end
large Of money have been advanced TO her BY private
capitalists and spectators Many large banking houses
only in England but in Germany and the Italian States,
doubtless interest in the payment of the Sound Dues
and the Of capitalization that Denmark may bs able
secure 1t is already reported that two members the
English Parliamentr Watkn Wynn Sir Fitzroy Kel-
view asceranng the of the negotiations between
Denmark the hand and Prussia the other respect
ing dues These gentlemen il further stated have
been by great London banking deeply interested
the loans FOR which Denmark has pledged by way of
ritv The produce of the Sound dnes This report may
may true, and merely refer 10 IL with the object OF
their guard against