Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1856-05-30
TIE WILMINGTON JOURNAL.
w1LM1NGTON, N. c., MONDAY, MAY se, 1856.
tbs ENLISTMENT QUEsT1oN.-As We said yester-

conrteous in its tone and more ingenious in its COM
position than any similar document emanaing from
the same source. 1t bears an appearance OF frank
ness and of honest desire to avoid offence, and 30
far rather changes the aspect of affairs between the
two Countries, and, perhaps, places things IN sucn
light to dispense, in some measure with 'ho ue
nand for as urgent vndicatory measures as unoef
other circumstances might have been conSluereu ne
cessary for the assertion of national nonor; out
vet we are unable 10 see that the explana-
ton given by Mr.. Champion is sufficient for
his full exculpaton from the charges preferred against
him. In his reply to the nterrogatories of his gov
ernment, he trusts that the American government
will acquit him of any Intentional disregard either
Of the sovereign ghts the policy of this country
He asserts that he never in any way counseled Hertz
or Srobel to adopt any course In violation of the
neutrality laws of the country, but, on the contrary,
cautioned them against doing so, reading to them and
explaining clearly the passages OF the act of Congress
relating enlistment and they professed perfectly to
understand its provisions and to make their observ
ance of them a SINE qua non in all measures which
they or their friends in whose they pretended
to speak, might take to avail themselves of the offers
held out by the British foreign enlistment act.
He denies that he ever advised or authorized them
to violate the Morality laws and stgmatizes all their
statements 10 that effect as false.
The fact is that Mr.. Champion did have dealings
with these men, whom he characte rizes as base and
unreliable, and he must take the consequences. If
they were the base men he says they are he ought
to have had nothing 10 do with them at any rate it
is an ugly game TO seek to shield himself from re-
sponsbility by pleading the low character of tools
with whom his completely has been proved. If they
- H., Il a.
British government, they certainly not to be scout
cd as too low TO expose the illegal acts of their
poyers. Those employers are not the men WIG can
do SO with fair face.-Doily Journal, 24th inst.
PR1vATEER1NG-THE MARITIME LAW OF NATIONS.
The convention entered into between the par
ties 10 the pacfcaton at Paris, the subject
of maritime law, embodies all that the United States
has contended for from the first, and the refusal to
accede to which on the part of Great Britain, gave
rise 10 the war 1912. There is but one matter to
which the United States cannot assent-we allude to
the abolition Of prvaeerng. We have neither
Standing army permanent navy at all able to
cope with those of first class European Powers, and
hence dependence must in the event of war, be
mainly placed in volunteer force land and sea,
for privaleers nothing than volunteers.
he great advance which remains to be made in
the maritime law of the world is tie abolition of pr
vate war upon Modem civilization scouts the
idea of plumber and rapine upon lands as inflicted up
the persons properties of non-combattants. In
theory at least, the public property Of The hostile
power is the only recognised subject of coniscaton
and the pulc soldiers of the Safe the only persons
TO be Treated enem es and even when this rule is
devated from, too often occurs the excuse will be
that GIN 6 he
impossible TO seperae public from private property
as in the instance of fortified city subjected 10 bonn.
baTdment, &c, &c.
Why should the ndiscriminate plumber of non.
combatans be the rule at sea more than on land 3
For instance: Our commanders in Mexico issued
stringent orders to respect the persons and property
Of the inhabitants of the country, to whom procla-
nations were made assuring them of this fact and
that they had nothing to apprehend. But suppose
Mexico had possessed navy, or commercial marine
every merchant vessel of either country al war would
have been lawful prizes, thus exhibiting the anomaly
of protection to private property land and whole
sale seizure and confscation OF the same propertv al
This feature of the usages of war is evidently
wrong, and we trust that the day is not far distant
when this wrong will cease by the common consent
of mankind, ana then privateering will cease from
the very force of circumstances Until this is the
case, however, the nation with vast powers of yolun
teer offence, and comparatively feeble ones of organ
lied offence would, by agreeing to give up privateer
ing, surrender one of its strongest and most eectiv
weapons, under existing usages.
To the consistent stand taken by the United States
the world is indebted for the greater berality of thu
maritime code of the leading nations of Europe.
is for her to press forward this still greater and NOR
truly enlightened reformation that shall put an en
to all war upon private property at sea-
&C. We presume Greedy & Co. will raise one dis
NAL, universal howl over the thrashing that Brook
of South Carolina gave Sumner of Massachusetts
We hardly approve of this style of thing; but wha
other resort have such men as Sumner, Hale an
Greedy left open. They traduce men without mes
and refuse the usual satisfaction of gentlemen
Callous themselves, and rather glorying in thei
shame, they seem to expect that others should folio,
their example, in which expectation they sometime
find themselves disappointed.
Still, respect for the body of which Mr. Sumner