The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1856-08-28

The Peace Conference al Paris. proposed,
among other things that priyaieering should
he abolished The French ambassador con,-
municatei the protocol cmbolying this propo-
sition to the Secretary of State Secretary
Mac, replied at length refusing assen, TO the
principle s,ught TO DC Incorporated into inter
national law We extract FROM his reply to
the French Minister the following oals regret
ing our space viii not PERM, the publication
Of the entire document
The uni,el States consider powerful ua,ics
and large uanilng armies ~ permanent estah
lishmen,s, to be detrimental Ia national prns
perity and dangerous 10 civil liberty, The
expense Of keeping them up il hurdensome 10
the people They are, in the opinion oi this
government, in some degree n menace to peace
among nations \ large iorcr ever p'ady to
he devoted to the purposes OF war. Is tcmpta
ton TO rush into Il The policy ol the United
States has ever been. and never more than now
adverse to such establishments ami they ,an
never b. brought 10 aequiesce in any change in
international law which may rrndcr II ncctsssa.
rs tor them 90 maintain u powerful 8aey or
large regular army in time of peace If forced
10 vndcate their rights by arms, they anr con.
tent, in the present aspect oi international rc.
laiions to rely in military operations On land.
mainly upon tolupinr troops and ior The pro
lection oi their commerce IA no iDconslderabe
degree upon their mercantile marine. II this
country were deprived Of these resources il
would he obliged 10 change its policy and as.
sume military attitude before the world In
resisting an attempt 10 change the existing mar
thine law that may proiu,c such r,vnl, il
looks beyond It's own interest, and embraces
in i,s view the interests Of all such nations a.
are not likely 10 bc dominant naval Powers
1hoAr situation In this respect is similar to that
Of the United States and TO Them the protec-
ton OF commerce and the maintenance of inter
national relations Of peace appeal as strongly
as TO this country 10 withstand the proposed
change in the settled law oi nations. TO such
nations the surrender Of the right 10 resort TO
priya,oers would b. attended with consequences
most adverse to their commercial prosperity
without any compensating advantages. Most
certainly no better reasons can be given Tor
such surrender than for foregoing the righ,
10 receive the seryc,~ or volunteers and the pro.
position io abandon the lormer is entitled in the
Judgment Of the President. to no more favor than
a similar proposition in relation 10 the latter
This opinion Of the importance oi priya,,srs 10
the community OF nations, excepting only those
Of great naval strength, is no, only yindicat@l
by history. but sustained by high authority.
The following passage IA the treatise on mari
time prizes, TO which | have before referred,
deserves particular attention
Priva,~-r. are esrer,sl, useful tbos- whoa
navy Is interior To that oi their enemss Begsrsai.
cruise upon the with their n.tonsi nsslea tat
should hos" States whose naval lpress Of los p0sei
and .sten, he len to Their own re-eufss they eod nni
bold Out IN maritime war, whilst BY the equipment "i
prNateors they msJ succeed ~ iph,ing upon tho
my injury equivalent to that whoh the, themselves
sustain Hence government have irsqaseuy been
thowp by every possbs apriisaee 10 Gr"' ftivs,esr
ing atnaments u has even occurred that foyeTsishs
no, merely satisfied with is,ang letters Of msrps, have
also tsbru, ss ~ were, IN Interest ~ the afmameni.
Thus dbt iouis the Fourteenth Ges1snty lend out his
shps apd some,im"s rr'"r'e or him-s share N 'bs
rrs~s
Il certainly ought not excite the least sur
prise that strong naval powers should be vii
ling to iorcgo the practice. comparatively use.
less 10 them, Of employing priva,ecrs upon con
dition that weaker poNer- agree 10 part with
their most effective mean of defending Their
maritime rights II Is. in the opinion Of this
government, 10 be seriously apprehcnded that
II the use Of priyatocrs bc abandoned the do
minion over the ans will he surrendered 10
those powers which adopt ihr policy hpd have
the means Of keeping mp large navies The
one which has d,cnici naval superiority
would he potentially The mistress 81 tbe ocean,
and by the abolition oi prissteerIng that dom
nation would lie moro firmly soe'rrd Such n
Power engaged IN q Wal with nation interior
in naval strength would haze uolhng Ia do for
the security and protection of a. commerce hat
to look after the ship7 81 III regular navy Of
iis enemy Thee might te hsHi in clv'ck hy
onc.h half ~ lcss of i's naval force and the 9th
or might sweep tho oon'nerce of ,'s cucmy from
the ocar. Nor would the i8taroas eihsis of
a yast naval superiority to weaker states be
much diminished it that auIsfiori;y va shared
among three or four great Powcti II 4 m
questicnahly thc intrrrg; of nch weaker S'ates
10 Gisc0unb nance and rf,yt IDeazuf. winch
fosters the growth % regular uIynl establish
lmrnts
IN discussing fhc eff'ct nfthr rfdpoaei ncas
urs the abolition 81 ptiva'eeripy rhrcuce
10 the cNisiine condition al nations iq aimost
unavoiabs An instance viii =, ubcs pre-
seni it-rli in regard 20 W. nations wLcrr the
commctcr Of zach i sl,gaf sqaal ami ahoa'
equally widespread o,eT thr World 4. com.
mfrcia, power they approach id an equality,
but ~ naval Power then IS great disparity
it-.t~-sn them The regular navy ~ ona vasi.
" eteyds tha; 81 ihe o,b.F IN case ~ a war
between ihcn only an incnnsiderabe part 81
the navy 4 the On, wonj ie required 10 pre-.
ven, that ai the other from bciDg ass4i fg H.
s,nrc or aggression. " hIie the remairpler wnnlJ
i,r ,leyVe, in ihg unefDbArazsts empl1ymcni
a DESTROYING the commerce 81 ,i,e we.,eet IN
hawai- strength. The fatal eonsel EfBe.1 n hi.
great insnnaity - naval fofce letsNe4i two
.sch t.lHgcrcnis vpnd - N part reus'iisd by
the u.e II pr .Aif'r. 10 that ease. vbiL ftl0f
imight asgall Tho cor0mfrtc n 'hc Other In ev".
" - lbsy orlh h obliged 20 dis'rihu'" and
; employ thor respective Hsyirs .o he Hofk 81
. protection This d4is's 1T 0nl, Hhsua,sa
} xhat woud h. tbs CAss With sOgs m.iiiea-
, ,iOs. IN every ssr Wtefc tbefe ma H. cfFIs'sl
era'i@ disparity 10 the na,a! strength ~ u'e tsl
; iyerny
, iIrrtnry throws rnurh l,rh, gp'n tbs qoea
ton. Franc al an Fariy T~rip! wa viihnat
a navy, and ~ hes aaFs With ',rrA' Hr,taIn ,lsi
? -paio. bosh then naval Fowcrs .hs r1GF;fd
wiih signal gossI sisc, TO psiysissfing fo' ~
y TT protection bot ,aeo.~,iul sgyreseiot
-be ob,aia&si raany priy.iee's fom Holland,
sni ny this force gained j., idei a1gantsgV N
, ~ oeran over h"r epNmy Wbili 10 that
! c0Ssl.onu Franc couJ hardy have i-en et.
Jsets'i u of,g,uair concur n o proposition
10 aholrh pTivs'esring Tte rnhdiikn Oi ma
/ hy 81 ,s- saaslbss state. Il iise zfski 81 to~
j IN rtls,ioa 70 naval Po~cr~. ~ aurh 1rl 70
that u Franre Ia To midi - 10 uinet.rnfl
p rsntafy Al .aler T>riOi. daring tbs rssgn
cf IOa.s ibe FoUriaFntb sserai fTI1i;i0ns