Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1855-11-19

ing in which the Kinney sehoms was based,
was defended and justified as truth, by these
same journals, until, in the face of the real
truth and the intent of the law, federal
court judge in New York was so befogged by
them as to let Kinney start on his mission Of
wrong, agains. the consent and in spite of the
most strenuous efforts Of the Government to
the contrary.
But, as before remarked, these same papers
can hardly find words sufficiently strong in
which to condemn the Government for not pro-
venting Walker and his men from leaving the
United States on their GRAND of mischief
We have no argument to make to those who
thus blow hot land cold in the same breath;
because their purpose is simply to find plausi-
bles excuses for condemning their Government
or they would not thus berate il to-day for net
doing that which they abused it for doing yes
terdsy.
We may, however, call the disintcrested
readers attention to facts in the history of the
recent prosecutions growing out Of the efforts
of the English Government to violate our neu-
trality law-positively the only ones which
have occurred with reference to the current
European war, though the New York Al6ion
continues to repeat its baseless charge that
| the Russian Minister has, in some unexplain-
| able way, interfercd to further his Govern
ment's cause in this country, as involved in
| the current war Beaten off from the Engi-
| neer-Thompson roorback of Benefits Herald.
| and the no less false charge of the British
consul at New York against the bark fitted
| out for voyage to the Chinese seas, it now
rails at the Russian Minister'S conduct, while
| utterly unable to specify anything in it what
ever that may be plausibly twisted into q
| seeming want of due respect for our neutrality
| law. But cur aim at present is rather to illus
trate the necessity for a change in that law
To hold a vessel under it, it must be proved
| that the intent is, actually to employ her
| against power with which we are at peace
Thus, when recruiting captain in England's
service, not Icing since cssayed to send eff
some fifty men engaged in an American port
In violation of our neutrality law, as it could
not be proved that the steamer on which they
were embarked was fitted out to participate
| in the war, she could not be held And when
| it was attempted to hold the men illegally re-
cruicd in this country, the officers Of the law
were mot with the presentation of fraudu
lent paper, purporting to be contract b.
tween the recruiting captains in question,
and Mr. Howe, Zone Of England's chief agents
in the business,) authorizing the former to
| employ the men to work on q railroad in the
| provinces. The subsequent history Of these
| men, who could not be detained under the cir
cumstances, proves the glaring character Of
| the fraud involved in the presentation of that
sham contract; which, in turn, shows how
easy it is, as the neutrality law of 1878 stands,
| to defeat tic success CT the preventative meas.
ures Of the governments essayed under it.
How much more difficult the due execution
of that law on the Pacific side is, may be
judged Rot only firm the greater disposition of
the population Of the new States to violate
the rights Of others, but from other facts pc
culiar to them.
A gentleman who left San Francisco by the
last trip Of the Golden Age remarked to u,
not long since, that On that ship there were
500 passengers, at least 600 of whom were
armed, ''to the teeth" in accordance with the
| constitutional American privilege which all
have of carrying arms. OF these 600 at least
| one-half wore the appearance by which very
large class Of returning Californians arc known
at . glance from any other people reaching
our Atlantic ports from any other part of the
Lords footstOol. We may not inappropriately
denominate it the ruffan cut for they seem
to take especial pains and to pride themselves
on il. beyond measure, to costume themselves
so az to look as much as possible like those
who are written down, on the Atlantic side, to
be unmitigatcd and unmistably ruaians, at
the frst glance. Though the great majority
of them are, doubtless, well disposed citizens
yet they all, in their uncut and uncombed hair
and boards, and slouched and uncared- for
clothing, and universal accessories of revolyers
and bowie knives, look SO much /" Of a piece"
that something more than the appearance
which would enable the law officers on this
side to select out of three hundred of a steam
er's passengers so rugged out, the so or 60 bent
on violating tho neutrality law of the land, is
justify an attempt to stop the departure of such
persons on a vessel whose main errand is leeiti-
mate commerce and the transportation Of pas
seEgers on a legitimate route Of travel, as can
DO clearly proved at any moment.
The salado River.-The Navy Department
have late advices from Lieut.. Page the COM
mander CT the United States steamer Water
Witch, new engaged in surveying and explor.
ing now (riyer) channels of commerce in the
territory Of the Argentine Confederation. The
dispatches bear date 7th of last August, VIXEN
Lieut.. p. had just returned to Santa Fe, lin
that cOuntry) from voyage Of exploration Of
thrce hundred and sixty miles, by water, up
the salado, the principal river Of the Confcd-
eration's country. 1t was never before nayi-
gated by white men The Lieutenant and
-. r -