The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-03-01

Pftsburg. II Is as long as the moral Law. We can
not find room for it to day.
Our Relations with England-rhe Whole
Case Of EAlissments anu Central America.
We gave yesterday the elaborate correspon-
dence between the authorities Of Great Britain
and the United States on the subject Of the en-
listment difficulties, and to-day lay before eur
readers the able argument of Mr.. Gushing
upon the legal questions involved therein. A
few days sgo we published, IN eaeaso, the diplo-
matte papers touching the Central American
differences, the debates in the British Parlia-
ment, and the discussions of the London press,
and the very complete discussions in the United
States Senate on the same subject.
From these papers we dedu.e-
/. Toat the British government undertook,
through it's Minister and Consuls, system OF
enlistments in this country, KNOWING it to be
violation of our laws and an infraction of our
sovereignty.
2 That such enlistments, if permitted by
our government, made us in fact party to
the Russian war, and wholly released the bel
ligerept States from their obligations to treat
us as neutrals.
g. That the British government, Ministers
and Consuls were guilty of shameless dupli-
city, be cause, as early as the 2lst Of April,
1854, Mr.. Champion, in obedience to instruc-
tons from his government, informed Mr..
Marcy that the United States would be re-
spected as neutral in the war, and we were
asked strictly to enforce our laws against all
attractions touching our obligations as neu-
trail State.
4. That our government, after full know
edge bad reached the State Department of
the violation Of our laws and sovereignty, in
The matter of enlistments, which is shown to
have been as early as the 9th of August, 1855,
and the Attorney General, by emitting to dis
miss the offending officials of her Msjesty's
government, became, in fact, party to those
violations, and is responsible for the con-
sequences.
5. That the Clayton-Bnlwer treaty was o
work of special pleading, in which it was not
possible for the United States to gain any
thing; and has involved, 10 its results, a seri-
Gus complication of our relations with Great
Britain.
g. That the avowal of Lord Clarendon
that he had offered to submit the differences
arising upon the construction of the treaty
to the decision Of friendly Power, was dis
graceful effort to prejudice the governments
Of Europe against the United States, as it nov
appears that Mr.. Champion laid before Mr..
Marcy that proposition, in an indefinite form,
for the first time, on Wednesday evening last.
We are thus presented with the material
points of the great controversy which has
arisen between us and the British government
If there ever was case when forbearance
ceased to be virtue it is to be found in the
conduct of the President aud Mr. Marcy in this
matter of enlistments. IF ever good cause
was endangered by bad management by time
serving delays, by hesitating, iudecisive az
ton, it iscertainly seen in the manner in which
those who have violated our laws have been
treated by the American government. As
with individuals, 30 1t is with States, an
omission to punish is taken as license for
renewed offences against the laws. The
statutes must be enforced as the only SAFE
guard Of the citizen and the only means of
protecting the honor Of the commonwealth.
In the present instance as early as March of
last year, the State Department avows tina.
had knowledge that the government Of her
Majesty had established in all the principal
cities of the Union stations for the enlistment
Of men for the Russian war. On the 9th f
August following Mr.. Pierce submitted the
legal questions involved in such acts to 4
Attorney General, calling his special attent,,
to the case of Mr.. Champion and the offending
Consula Mr.. Marcy impeaches the statement
Of Lord Clarendon, who asserts his ignorance
about the period alluded to, of the alleged
conduct of bis agents in this country, proving
conclusively that his lordship has been guilty
Of either extreme forgetfulness, ignorance or
duplicity. How, then, can the President and
MIR. Marcy deny that, at least six months ago,
they were fully cognizant of the violations Of
our laws the shameless infraction of our sove-
reignty, and Of the particular parties or instru-
ments in such violations? There can be no
reason at all, then, to doubt in the first place,
the existence OF the acts complained of; that
that they were done by the order of the British
government with full knowledge of their
Illegally, by the agents Of the British Cabinet.
and that they were brought to the notice of
Mr.. Pierce and Mr. Marcy With all their de-
tails, Municipalities and criminalities, during
he summer Of 1856.
What, ihen was the duty of the Washington
Cabinet in such state Of things? To dismiss
the offending officials at once. BY refusing
to do so, and by permitting those persons to
hold further relations with the State Depart
ment, we either adopted their crimes as our
Own Ok BECAME actual parties to the violation