The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1856-10-23

PRIvATEERING-Secretary Marcy, in one of the
ablest State papers that ever came from his pen, has
replied to the Court De Sartiges, the French Minister
at Washington, who presented, on behalf of the En-
peror of France, a proposition that the United States
should assent to the declaration concerning mara
time laws" adopted by the Plenipotentiaries of Great
Britain, Austria, France, Russia, Prussia, Sardinia
and Turkey, at Paris, on the 10Th of April. 1856.
The President, he writes, declines to accede to the
four points in the said declaration tO-wit
l Privateering is and remains abolished.
2 The neutral flag covers ememy's goods with the
exception of contraband of war.
3 Neutral goods, with the exception Of contraband
of war, are not liable to capture under enemy's flag.
4 BlOckades, in order to be binding must be effect
i've, that IS to say, sustained by a force sufficient
really to prevent access to the enemy's coast.
These four points are indivisible, because he cannot,
or any condition, accept the first point--the abolition
of privateering. Secretary Marcy, however, proposes
the two following amendments:
l Either to add to the first proposition in the sde-
claration . of the Congress of Paris
"And that the private property of the subjects or
citizen of a belligerent on the high seas shall be ex-
empted from seizure by public armed vessels of the
other beligerents, except it be contraband;" or,
2 To adopt the second, third and fourth PROPOSE
tons, without the first.
The argument contained in the Secretary's reply is
historical, argumentative and forcible. 1t holds that
no nation has a right to prescribe to another what
shall constitute her military or naval force, and that
we can neither agree not to employ volunteers on
land, nor p~rivateers on the high seas.
W. uIkIO1 NulCn 1ES ID uuS ScuSC u SGlI-ICSDpCD
says Mr.. Marcy, evil allow any other, belligerent or
neutral, to determine the character of the force,
which it may deem proper to use in prosecution hos
tiGties; nor will it act wisely if it voluntarily surren-
ders the right resort to any means sanctioned by in
ternational law, which, under any circumstances,
and may be advantageously used for defence or ag-
gressiOn.
"The United States consider powerful navies and
large standing armies, as permanent Establishments,
to be detrimental to national prosperity and danger
Gus to civil liberty. The expense of keeping them up
is burdensome to the people. They are, in the opinion
of this government, in some degree q menace to peace
among nations. A large force, ever ready to be de-
voted to the purposes of war, is a temptation to rush
into it. The policy of the United States has ever been,
and never more than now, adverse to such establish
ments; and they can never be brought to acquiesce in
any change in international law which may render
it necessary for them to maintain q powerful navy or
large regular army in time of peace. If forced to
vindicate their rights by arms, they are content, in
the present aspect of international relations, to rely,
in military operations on land, mainly upon volunteer
troops, and for the protection of their commerce in no
inconsiderable degree upon their mercantile marine.
If this country were deprived of these resources, it
would be obliged to change its policy and assume q
military attitude before the world. In resisting an
attempt to change the existing marine law that may
produce such a result, it looks beyond its own interest,
and embraces in its view the interest Of all such ma
tons as are not likely to be dominant naval powers.
Their situation in this respects is similar to that of
the United States, and to them the protection of COM
merce and the maintenance of international relations
OF peace appear as strongly as TO TINS country to with
stand the proposed change in the settled law of ma
tions. To such nations the surrender of the right
to resort to privateers would be attended with con-
sequences most adverse to their commercial prosperi-
ty, without any compensating advantage. Most GER
tainly no better reasons can be given for such a sur
render that for foregoing the right to receive the
service of volunteers; and the proposition to abandon
the former is entitled in the judgment ofthe President,
to no more favor than similar proposition in relation
to the latter. This opinion of the Importance OF
pr~ivateers to the community of nations, excepting
only those of great naval strength, is not only vindi-
Gated by history but sustained by high authority.
NATURE DELIGHTS IN OPPosITEs.-The day after
o storm is always calm and lovely. A little woman
wishes q giant for a husband, while the &c fat girl
sets her heart on a draper little fellow, of the size
and flavor of a penny's worth of alspice. Young, the
author of Night Thoughts was one of the cheer
g full of men. while one of the saddest dogs in London
was Grimaldi, the CLOWN Home Sweet Home is
a beautiful little song, and yet it was written by a
man who was never happy unless in the midst Of
music, hustle and excitement.
Honolulu Engine Co. No.. 1.-ATTEN
$fST TON You are hereby notified to be at the En-
Ez[5S@gn House on Saturday afternoon. at half-pas
S four precisely, for the purpose of drill.