The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1856-06-25

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: PR1vATEEn1NG.--A distinct proposition made
in the recent conventions adopted at the peace
S conference by the contracting powers, was the
, abolition of privateerng. It has been suggest
: ed, and with some show of reason, taking into
consideration the existing complication of af-
! fairs that this proposition was especially aimed
at the United States Unlike the rest Of the
d nations of the world, we have neither large
: standing armies nor powerful navies, sustained
at enormous expense, and outlays of money
wrung from the sweatand toll of the people, in
the shape of oppressive taxes. When war
does come, if come it must, we rely upon
citizen soldiery, our volunteers, led by officers
who have learnt the art and science of war in
our national military school at West Point, or
in service in our gallant little army, to defend
the country from invasion, and protect our homes
and fresides Our navy is also small, merely
: large enough, and we need it no larger, to pro-
tect our extended commerce; and should we be
brought into hostile collision with other nations
our resources are, to convert our merchantmen
into ships of war, and to depend as auxillaries
upon armed and commissioned vessels belong
ing to individuals. Such being our policy, il is
not expected that the United States will accede
to any proposition that may be made by the
peace conference, having in view the rellnqulsh-
ment of an established righto employ our COM
mercial marine as part of our warlke re-
sources.
Much has been said and written Of the mo-
rale ofemploying private armed ships to molest
an enemy and cripple and lnjure his COM
merce. Our cotemporary Of the Charleston
Mercury, in a few words, disposes of the ques-
| ton logically, and to our mind, most satlstac-
torily:
eff the proposition had been, that peaceful
commerce on the sea should be put on the same
footing as peaceful industry on the land, and
that no ships should be liable to capture and
contiscaton but such as were engaged IN con-
Quoting the operations of war, we could under
stand it's Justice, and would second its policy.
1t would indeed, be a most humane modi6ca-
ton of the laws of war.
''But as long as national ships are allowed to
act as depredators upon trade, and to make
prize money out of the capture of unresisting
merchant vessels, on what national ground can
any nation urge the abolition Of prvateering?
/ The prlvateers are armed vessels commission
ed to make war on the commerce of the enemy.
l They do what every national vessel has the
| right, and is considered bound to do. They
capture merchant vessels, and take possession
Of them-no more. Ifthis is robbery Or un-
fair dealing, why do the governments practice
it without scruple? And if a government can
honestly commission one class of its sub jects to
commit these depredatons,E by what rule OF
reason is it forbidden to commission another
class? The assumption that prlvateering, as
distinct from naval operations, is an aggrava-
ton of the cruelties of war; is utterly unfounded
1t is simply part, and the least revolving part,
Of maritime strife
| CRIME IN GREAT BR1rA1N.-Itis complained
that crime is generally on the increase in Great
Britain. On recent occasion in the house Of
parliament, Mr.. Scott moved for select COM
mittee, to inquire how far, and in what difec-
ton, recent legislation, and the substitution\of
y other punlshments for transportation, had iriv
f1uenced the existing amount of crime. Some-
thing, he contended, should be done. He said
the 'ticket-of-leave system had failed to in
duce the convict to return to habits of honest
industry" According to the latest returns,
one in every one hundred and forty four of the
population Of England was confined in prison,
either convicted, Or under charge for some seri-
Gus offence The peace of 1918, which led to
the disbanding of large number Of soldiers,
caused large increase in crime; and it might
reasonably be apprehended that the same re-
suit would rise from the cessation of the Rus
sian war. This afforded strong argumentin
favor of full and searching inquiry. Mr. Scott
| expressed his regret that transportation to Aus
tralia had nearly ceased The course must have
been adopted by the government under mista-
ken views as to the opinions of the eolonsts.
Some other gentlemen seconded his views, and
admitted the extraordinary increase of crime.
The motion was then adopted, -EC o.
! A RELIC OF OLDEN TMFs-A church arcli. :
lecture, recently published in London, contains
the first methodist meeting house in America
was log Aut; but subsequently, through the
interest of captain Webb, piece of ground
was procured upon Golden HILL a rising ground
near the borders of New York, now named
John street, Materials were purchased and
contracts entered into, in the names of those
persons who joined with captain Webb in the
undertaking. The building was 60 feet long
by AZ feet wide. It was opened on the 3otI
Of October, 1868, by Mr. Embry, who, being
+ by trade carpenter, had himself constructed
the pul pit from which he preached, 1t had
an area in front of about 60 feet square, Sc
parated from the street by wooden fence
! There were three square headed windows sur
mounted by circular one near the root, be-
low which was an arched door, and subsev
quently side entrances by steps to the gale
ries, In order to reach the galleries when
first erected, it was necessary to mount by a
ladder and then sit upon the platforms, and for
a long time benches only without backs were
provided below. Such was the construction of
the first methodist church in the great western
world,
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A MECHANICAL CURIOSITY a great
deal of wonder, says the editor of the New
Haven Patriot, we the other day saw, at the
store Of Mr Cannon, a couple of bottles, each
of which would not hold over a quart, and in
one Of which was a saw mill in operation, and
in the other a -four mill also in operation
Both mills were moved by crank in the neck
of each bottle. The bottles and machinery are
in the possession of Mr.. A. H. Parkingham.
wbo ic NOW In tIa arpn1ov of Mr. Cannon M