The Carolina Spartan. [volume] (Spartanburg, S.C.) 1852-1896, 1857-08-27
From the National IntelIigencer, August /.
PriVateering.

10 SHOW tnat war against commerce Is the
least oppressive. most humane, and most
etiectual in bringing about peace, of any
other means 10 be employed by maritime
Powers. II Is a,fact, not TO be lost sight Of
in discussing the propriety Of privateering.
that from the descent of the Spanish Anna.
da and the days OF Van Trvmp, the soyer.
eiguty oftte seas has been claimed, and i,
may bo said successfully. too, by some one
| great naval Power. Unlike the relative
strength of nations on land, who are some
| times so hea'ly balanced 10y numbers and
wealth or geographical advantages, as 10 be
able To hold each ollGer in checl, for aoes. no
such counierpoise has long continued ON The
ocean, as history well atiests. From the
breaking GU, of the war Of the French
Revolution ill the close Of that war by the
battle of Waterloo, the maritime Powers of
| Continental Europe were little more than
ship builders for the royal navy Of Great
Britain; for it is au undenable fact that,
while France, Spain, aud Holland all built
| better ships. faster sailers, &c, than Eng
| land, yet comparatively few men of.war, if
even fairly launched at sea in war with
England, returned 10 their original owners.
But 1t has been Said that the trident Of
Neptune WAS stricken from the Lion bv the
| Eagle OF America, thrown 10 The battles
breeze b. the gallant Hull on tie 18Th of
duyaSt, 1912. And SO it was, and so i,
ever will be under like circumstances; but.
hey ond national pride, shame and glo,y
villa, effect have such victories on the con
tinuance Of war. Certainly not to shorten
Il, for while the vanquished at Il Q b gin.
ming OF war will th,st for opportunities
10 retrieve his losses, SO will the conqueror
pant for new victories; and thus tue war
spirit becomes in!laned and excited 10 a
pitch too high to be reached by pruden, or
calm reasoning. and war is thus continued
Tor the sake OF war and hope OF glory, un
u the means OF carrying it on shall fail or
until some friendly Power, perhaps quasi
rival, shall think the begeren,s have re.
duced themselves 10 her own level, and
shall then offer mediation: and soon peace
Is restored, but perhaps withou, SO much as a
discussion OF the questions OIL which the
war WAS commenced. Both nations have
lost 10y battle and by sea equally in
ships; the battle aud the sea have proved
the winding sheets Of thousands cut off in
The prime Of life, and f,,hcrless children,
widowed mothers and aged parents, depen
dent, upon sons for support in the down
hill of life, arc thus suddenly thrown upon
The worlds cold charity. Or, wi,n, is worse in
rue United States, upon The lorlorn hope of
a pItiance by way of pension grudinqly me
ted after gears Of hum2iaiiRy suppiicahon
and kaoekingas Medoors of Congress. Such,
am reluctant 10 admit, was about The result
of our last war with England, when the
beliigerents came out of the war relatively.
rs regards national strength, about as they
| commenced il; but the hoaors and moral
effects were on our side, and fair balance
sheet would show us largely the gamers in
pounds, shillings ans. pence; but for this
latter item we stand Indebted 10 our pri.
oaie armed maVy
Captain George CosgslaIl. in his admi
rabse history of American privateers. says
an aggregate OF two thousand sail of Brit
ish shipping were captured by our little
navy, 'oitlt he aid Of priuatoers and letters
or t0mrque, exclusive OF captures made on the
great Nolthern Lakes. OF these Two thou.
sand captures upon The high seas, thirteen
bundled and thirty were taken by private
ura'ed peSselS. Mr. Coggshall further sia.es
tlat 81 have found il difficult 10 aseertaiii
The exact number OF our own vessels taken
and destroyed by the English, but fIam The
best Information | can obtain, ] should
Judge they would notamonut 10 more than
nee hunired SaH," leaving Us clear gain
ofWtteen h1osdred BRUSH shops, which, as
being taken irom tue enemy aud appropri
atcd totour own waUts, could fall Uut liltle
>hort IN value ot the cost OF The war 10 US
L = ~. L.. I p
enemy Ills but just TO add AT least 81 pei
ceatum for protection afforded To our own
commerce aud coast t,ade by The fuil EN-
Ep!.yment our pr|paferS gave the British
navy, remembering, too, thar these private
AIMED vesscis---onH $50 vi Item cost the
GovermuieId nothing, save only the palch.
nient on which their coInuIiss o IS wef,
rrlrtcd la the capture OF the Gueuiere
by t!ic Constitution ihers were forty-sis
Eng HSh'neu Killed and six,t -nnIc wounded
III Il single battle, the effect OF which wa,
Ia eSciie the war spirit; whilst the capture
OF fifteen Luadred British merchantmen
worth probably near "a huudte,l million o
dolm,. striking terror To the Blush Gov
eminent, her capitalists, a;,.l her subjects 0
every cin,s, wa, doubtless accomplished
wiih.iar iess loss Of hie audi human suffer
ing. ss
litlss ns!s deny that the. capture Of III,
GueTf%selby The Cou,Iiiuiion and our ua
val sucee sin general in the war vi 1912
l3-'l4lssd very iihportsni influence oil
the wasssp,iil OF England. ltcouIi not l.,
oIherw fse. bccau>eil broke the charm q
invincillpy on The sen, dong clpiIned TO
the Ljsg aud the CrowiG il Lu,nbied III,
}rltofi's yair boasiings. aud taught her
new IeSspyi ~ naval tactics, to wit: that 1,
meet "a af,,pkep foe on the ocean WAS not-al
ways fodpNYet hy victory TO the Bfilisl
arniN. .'tns ,sass Ssseraly lhe reverse; bat
do mean tofsay lhdt, in a war between th,
United State, anl Great Bniain, the havo,
which fee hunlrea-and we could sen,