The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1855-04-28
APPEAL TO FORCE.

we are sorry to see such conservative
journal as the New York Express secondine
the appeal of the N Y Tribune to the fed.
eral government, to send the u S. Army to aid
| Gov. Reeder if necessary in maintaining law
and order in Kansas. That is always the
way with these free .soilers-the interposi.
| ton of brute force. That which is the last
argument even of kings, is the first resort
| of free States.
However. it is wonderful letting down OF
their expectations. They sent out hosts OF
| emigrants, armed, no doubt, but unable to
use their arms. Now they call on Hercules
for help. Hercules will bid them help them.
selves. Gen. Pierce is too wise and patriot
ic to send the U. s. Army to Kansas and
thereby kindle a fame of civil war that
would rage from the Atlantic to the Pacific,
and from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico.
RIGHTS OF NEUFRALS IMPORTANT DE.
CISIoN.
The London Times of the 3rd inst, gives
an interesting account of the unjust deten.
ton, last May, of Mecklenburg vessel, by
Sir Charles Napier, and the manner in which
that act has been regarded in the British
Courts The vessel in question, the Ostee,
left Cronstadt on the 18th of May, before
any blockade had been regularly establish
ed. She was detained by one of Sir Charles
Napier's captains on the 1st of June, Sir
Charles informing the master that there was
blockade, of which he pretended his igno-
rance. Notwithstanding, Sir Charles put a
prize master On board his vessel and sent her
to London for condemnation. The Times
gives the rest of the story and the important
decision, as follows:
Upon arriving In the Thames the law officers OF
ths Crown appear to have acknowledged at once
that the gallant Admiral himself did not know
whether there was or was not blockade at Cron.
stadt; for that In point of fact on the 10Th of Nav
no legal blockade of th at port was In existence.
The captors were accordingly advised to desisl
from all further claims the vessel and the case
was at once abandoned But the Mecklepburp
owners of the ship and cargo having been brought
against their WI from the Baltic to London were
not SO easily satisfied they pressed their claim
against the captors for costs and damages and nj.
though the Judge of the Admiralty rejected tina,
demand, the Supreme Court of Prizfs has decided
that officers OBTAINING neutral ships acithout sucien,
grounds, and under Interpretation of their dun
| their act may hare occasioncd
The very able judgment delivered on this occa.
sion BY Mr.. Pemberton Leigh proved beyond all
doubt that this is the rule of the law OF nations act
| cd upon by the French Courts, by the American
Courts, and by Lord Ssowell in many instances
1t Is the rule which British subject would invoke
In his own defence, If his ship, being neutral suf
| fered an unjust detention by the cruiser of anv
foreign belligerent; and 1t is of the utmost mpor
| lance that our own Courts Of marstme iurisnru
dence should uphold to the fullest extent those
and liberal principles which are calculated az IN,
as possible to lessen the evils of war to ali nations
IL in the exercise of beLiserent rights, an oUers;oh
or an error has been committed it is infniteiv mar
desirable that compensation should be acordedto tbt
injured party than zoe should useour maritime nom
er TO tnfict and justify irreparable iujuries The
compensation due is mere triie in the vast OUTLAY
OF war, but 10 money be better spent than This
II tserves to raise the reputation OF the country
TOR forbearance and justice and to satisfy foreiQn
States that our Courts not closed against their
complaints, even when they are adverse to the ma
| val officers of the Crown
The Baltimore American justly remarks
that this case shows the increased liberality
of feeling, which is growing up in Europe,
with respect to the rights and privileges OF
neutrals.