The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1857-01-27
WESTERN DE MOCRAT.
sQQCHARLOTTE.Gos
AMERICA as ONE OF THE GREAT
POWERS.

| in an article on the Presidents Message,
signed by S. DeSacy, makes use of the fol-
lowing language:
The political relations between North
America and Europe are daily developing
themselves. Commerce is the sole cause :;
but what is the extent of the field which it
occupies at this moment, and what subject
does it not affect? The message mentions
two subjects which indicate how America
penetrates, day by day, deeper into the
heart of European Questions. The first is
the question of the payment of the Sound
Dues. Undoubtedly, at the instigation of
American ship owners, the government of
the United States, taking here, contrary to
custom, the initiative, made known to Den
mark that it did not understand that the
merchant flag of the United States was OBJ
liged to recognize these rights.
The cabinets of Europe have been COM
PEELED, to greater or less extent, to follow
the course of -.merica on this point In
consequence of the policy of the cabinet of
Washington, conferences have been held,
negotiations have followed, and we are COM
PEELED to submit ourselves to the will of
America. The Sound Dues, feudal insti-
tuition, for which no pr6portionate equiva-
lent is returned, but respectable from its
antiquity, will be abolished. So far as
Europeans are concerned, it will be at the
price of a considerable indemnity, but there
is reason to believe that the Americans will
escape without any indemnity.
The other subject, which has a more gen.
eral import, is the abolition of the right of
privateering in time of war, as we'll as
more exact definition of what constitutes a
blockade. The Congress of Paris, 10y re-
solution, which will rebound in history to
the honor of our age, as we well remember,
rallied unanimously upon the principles of
maritime right, for which France under the
old regime and the first Empire, had SO
urgently insisted. There will be no more
letters of marque, and the neutral flag will
| he respected. The United States, taking
the lead again in this path of progress and
security of private property, have demand
ed that not only shall b'ockades be defined
with the utmost exactness, thus doing away
with all paper blockades, but that vessels
of war shall no longer exercise the right
| of making reprisals upon commerce. This
complete assimilation between war on land
and naval warfare so far as private property
is concerned, has received the assent of Rus
sia, and, as we are informed by the message
of President Pierce, that of the Emperor of
the French, although the official solution of
this new proposition is yet to take place
Under the present circumstances, on the
question of the Sound Dues, the American
Union, as we see, begins to exercise re-
markable influence on the definite decisions
of the European cabinets. In fact it enters
thus at orce into concert with the powers
in manner most f1attering to its selfesteem
and its reputation, for, as its fatterers will
not fail to tell it, its actions seems to imply
right of control or even a jurisdiction in
cases of appeal.
The moment has come when we must
ask ourselves if it does not concern the
whole world that America should enter into
the European system in an open and official
manner. 1t is n great Christian power,
whose relations have become inseparably
connee' ed with those of Europe, and which
virtually fulfills the condition of possessing
great military resources on sea and on land
1t undoubtedly has distinct interests, but
all great powers have them and the state
which has no special, well defined interests,
with the resources to make them respected,
will be, for that very reason, but satellite !
to the others. But the American Union
has also great and common interests with
ali of U.S. On the day on which she took
her official place in the Congress of Euro |
pean powers, the peace of the world would !
have acquired one precious guarantee more,
and could be secured against many acci-
dents. For the Americans themselves this !
would be an incompatible advantage. II, |
up to this period, they have not entered in
to those political associations which obtain
from time to time in the governments of !
great civilized states, it has been from caus-
es which have ceased to exist. Formerly |
the United States were weak, distant and |
without exterior influence; at present they |
arestrong, their exterior influence is becoming
more apparent, and by the improved facili- |
ties of communication, they are now only
few days distant from us. For themselves,
that isolation which might at first glance
seem charming position, is really filled
with disadvantages which, at any given mo-
ment, may turn into dangers.