Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1856-05-16
THE SOUND DUES AND BRITISH INTER
EERENCE

the spirit of public law and the provisions Oh pos'
enactmsuts,-not satisfied apparently with these ma
tnral and legitimate causes of antagonism the British
Ministry have still farther exasperated the temper
our psople and complicated the relations of the two
countries, by an unfrisudy and insolent interference
in the controversy between the United States ant
ths Kingdom Of Denmark. Great Britain was in nj
asnse and in no degree interested in the result OF tn
dspute for if che chose to submit to the arotrar!
o,d urwarrantable exactions of Denmark, che nigh
L.~o dana an without word Of criticism on the con
duct of the American Government. Ii she oouiu jus
t;fv the imposition, she should have borne with In
decapt dignity Of perfect composure. If the United
s,stes are wrong in resisting the demands Of Den
mark Great Britain does not repair the injury b,
s,skiug also to escape from the burden Neither ha
she any right TO cesure the conduct OF the American
government. But SO it was, even before the confer
snces at Copenhagen, that the British Ministry mac
insdiously sudeavored to thwart our negotiations
with Denmark for the abolition OF the Sound Dues
The result of these Conferences was that DenmarE
proposed TO capitalize the Sound Dues-that 49, te
abandon them in confederation Of certain aggre
vot sum, to which each nation should contribute II
e1sc,ons 1t was understood that the governments
of Europe assented to this arrangement The I'm
ted States, for reasons set forth with consumma't
ability, in Secretary Marcy's remarkable dispatch
refused TO participate in the Conferences, but, never
theless in spirit of extreme generosity, consented
to share an equitable proportion Of the amount which
Denmark proposed to accept instead of the Dues
Thus far, things progressed quietly towards happy
consummation and We had already congratulated
ourselves on our success in again rescuing the com
merce Of the world from barbarous and illegal ex
action, when we are suddenly surprised by the intel
ligence that Great Britain protests against the plar
and has defeated the settlement.
The British Government rejects the proposal fol
the capitalization Of the Sound Dues and suggests
lieu of this arrangement, that they be collected il
the Baltic ports instead of at EIsinore. The ostensi
BILE object of this plan, 10 to relieve ships OF the ne
cessty of heaving to in the Straits, and exposing
themselves delay and the casualties OF weather. Fh
real motive, beyond question, is to defeat the diplo
macy of the American Government, and to perpetu
ate the imposition of the Sound Dues. And wb,
should England desire that resutl
Denmark has not been exempt from that retribu
atty of unthrift and poverty upon whomsoever chooses
subsist by plunder or by charity. Relying on the
bounty of other nations rather than upon its owr
energy for the means Of support, and realizing i'm
mense income without effort, the Danish government,
very naturally neglected its resources fell into habits
of extravaganza and proAigacy, and ultimately found
itself embarrassed by burdensone debt. OF course
the Dsash government sought relief IN loan and o
course the British government oecsu,e ito creditor
The conseo uence is that the British government in
sists on the perpeuaton of the Sound Dues as the
guarantee of ita debt. Now the American people
happen to think that Denmark's pecuniary obliga.
tons to England, is affair which concerns nobody
but those nations and that they the people OF the
United States are not bound in law or equity to get
tie other folks debts. Great Britain might "a wei
send feet to New York, and levy contribution in
Wall street, under pretext Of enforcing Its claim
against Denmark, rs attempt to collect the debt by
the somewhat indirect process of exacting tri.
butte at Elsinore.
But Great Britans conduct in this matter Of the
Sound Dues, is controlled by other and morv impor-
taat considerations. The effect Of these Dues has
been TO keep the United States out Of competition
with England in the commerce OF the Baltic. With
the advantage Of two thousand miles distance
against us, American enterprise has been moreover
excluded from participation in the commerce OF the
Baltic, by the imposition OK partial and oppressive
burdens. For instance, the raw material, the staple
of American trade is taxed at Elsinore three Hn"s NJ
much as the finished fabrics. which England eSclu-
svely exports. By the abolition Of the Sound Dues
the indomtable enterprise Of American commerce
would be admitted to something like sn equality oi
and would speedily vndicate ts rights
against British monopoly. And with the loss Of its
commercial ascendancy in the Baltic sea, Engand's
political power in that quarter would inevitably slip
away. Hence the obstinacy with which the British
Ministry adhere to and support IN ancient and nde
fensible abuse.
The Sound Dues rest upon no basis Of reason or
abstractrgh 1t is feudal reminiscence an arbi-
trary exacion, and the creature of convention. The
American government is right to assert and uphold
the principle of the freedom of the seas Denmark s
claim to collect tribute from commerce at Elsinore,
is more decent but not less genuine and intoler-
able depreciation, than the ancient exactions OF
the Barbary Powers, at the Straits of Gi-
braltar The governments Of Europe resting upon
abuses themselves and afraid Of innov vation, chose
to submit to the legslized plumber of the Al2erne
pirates. The United States with much less ability to
enforce its rights but with far prouder spirit pre-
ferred the hazards of war to an ignomuous endu-
rance of wrong and extortion. They resisted with
vigor and success and won for American enterprise
and eallantry glory which has not been enhanced
by any subsequent achievements in the Medlterra-
nean In resisting the arbitrary and absurd demands
Of Denmark-still following but in less savage
way, it. old pastime of pracy-the American govern
mcnt stands upon immutable and invIncoe principle
and will not be driven from its position by any ap'
of British interference. In addition to the
moral strength of conscious rectude and the appro-
val of the world, we have the positive and active CO.
operation of Prussia and the North German Powers,
all of which are even more indignant and restive un
der the exactions of Denmark than we ourselves-
More than any other nations have they suffered from
the paralysing effect Of the oppressive burden.
Nevertheless, manufacturing industry in the States
OF North Germany ia exhibiting marvellous devel-
opnens. Since the conclusion of the war, Russia,
too, has manifested determination to devote its III.
tanc energies to the arts which minister to the wants
of commerce. Abolish the restriction Of ,hs Sound
Dues, and remove every arbitrary burden ON the
commerce OF the Baltic Sea; then may We behold
with what ease American enterprise can outsrip all
competition. England is right to protest and resist
for the monopoly of its manufactures would be over
thrown. But America, and especially the States of
the South, should zeslousy support measure which
invite, their commerce into fresh fields, and opens
new markets for their redundant productions. Every
additional emporium Of the cotton trade in Europe,
Northern and British capital; and every new devel-
opment of manufacturing enterprise, enhances the
value and strengthens the stability of Southern n':I-
tutions. o., ,, r.-r ...,..
THOSE VIRGINS.
MIR. Sam. Mcdowell Moore said in his speech
before the Know Nothing Convention at Staunton,