The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1856-05-24

hausble mint the British press The object is perfectly
plain to the naked eye 1t is attempt dlsarm the
United States OF their most eectual weapon of defence
against the naval superiority of Great Britain leaving her
at the time in full possession Of the right and the
of employing it with greater effect than heretofore
in sweeping their from the without subject
ing herself to reprisals.
Great Britain sacrifices nothing to the United States by
abandoning the practice of privateering because the
first place her merchant ships are not qualified cope
with those Of the United States in strength speed and
would be much likely become their prey than to
prey them In the second place. II this not the
case the present navy Of Great Britain requires all and
more than ALL her to Iii and every prvateer
fitted out from British port would therefore only be
diversion of force from of annoyance another
| The aggregate force would remain the
The position of the United States is radically different
In a war with Great Britain large portion of their
seamen would be thrown out Of employment in the me
chant service and would not find in the navy They
would consequently resort to privateering and thus be-
come most efficient instruments not only protecting the
commerce of their country but cutting that of the
enemy. There s therefore, nothing like reciprocity the
case and the United States will in fact If they
this plausible arrangement become the mere scapegoa
They will be called on make sacrifice for
pretended concessions of what they have always claimed
as rights
The Congress of Paris having decided what to be
the rights of neutras in future provided they accede
these propositions proceeds to say "The governments
the undersigned penpotentares engage to bring the pres
declaration the knowledge of the States which have
taken part in the Congress of Paris and to invite them
accede to 1T" and furthermore that 1.-THE present decla-
ration shall not be binding except between those powers
who have acceded shall accede to it, In other words
nation shall be permitted to enjoy its neutral rights
it aboshes prvateerng, which my Lord Clarendon
has lately discovered as nothing else than organized
legal pracyone of the greatest scourges of war; and
which humanity requires should be put end to as
system which is longer suitable to the present day. 1t
would that in his ordshps estimation the sacr6ceor
three hundred thousand lives before Sebasopo s
strict accordance with the delicate sensbes the pres
ent day but the capture of British merchantmen by
American privateers is little better than legazed piracy
and outrage civilization and humanity. His lord
ship makes nice distinctions between cutting thoas and
picking pockets and clearly of opinion that the loss of
life is nothing compared with the loss of the siler" We
have often suspected John Bull particularly sensitive
| in the pocket
Be this as it may there can be no doubt this invitation
will be extended to the United States and if declined
be made pretex for excluding them from the benefits of
those concessions which they have always claimed
rights They will then be called upon to decide ques
ton of most momentous import-namely, whether to
abolish prvateerng forfeit all the benefits of the other
articles of the declaration they assent they sacrifice
one of the most mporant-to them the important
of the rights of war; if they refuse Great Britain 1.-THE
other parties being nominal accessions still reserves
to herself all her pretepsons the rights of Search seizure
and paper blockade which the United States have uniform
ly resisted
Thus the alternative will be presented either of obtain
ing what they have always claimed right by the re-
lnqushment of right hitherto universally recognised
remain of outlaw subject to outrages and insults
from which other nations have freed themselves by sac
cling comparatively nothing We say comparatively moth
ing because be evident that Austria Prussia Sa
DINA, Turkey and may add, Russia never had and
have not now the of deriving any advantages from
prvaeerng 1t is clear therefore, that the United States
alone aimed in this feat Of philanthropy and
1t is equally certain whence the proposition emanaed since
appears from the record of the proceedings of the Con-
gress of Paris before the world that when first pre-
sented by Count walews and enforced by Lord Caren
DON the other penpotentares declined to act it hav
ing instructions the subject 1t not therefore,
part of the general scheme Of paccaton and much
mistaken If this promising chicken is not of the latest
Of the brood Matched by excellent friend the British
Premier another living proof of his sincere desire to
cultivate the most friendly relations with "our transaan
tic cousns.'
But we have already dwelt sufficiently the subject for
the present II will be time enough decide when the al
tentative il presented Meanwhile however, think ii
will be well for the people Of the United States to be ma
king up their minds the subject for it is Of most mo-
mentous consequence In respects than 1t in
wolves the question as to the right of the powers Of the
Old World to make laws for the New point which some
day other must be decided Asia Is already vassa Of
Europe, and America The habit of govern
ing is very obstinate habit and It quite possible that
II may suit the especial grace certain knowledge and
motion" Of her Britannia Majesty to establish new
principle Of international law, under which she may claim
in addition to the Republic Of the Islands, good slice Of
the continent Of America by right Of spontaneous occu
patton" which, according to my Lord Clarendon is the
legitimate substitute for fbustering.
REASONS WHY OLD-LINE WINGS CANNOT ACT
WITH THE KNOW NoTHINGs