The Washington union., 1857-05-12

tol are Of course only introduced by way Of illus
;o Of the idea They do not admit Of demonstra-
ut reflection will bring the fact clearly home to
perception and conyction.
p sbould Il still be thought that the reasons which
ogt TO prevent general predatory warfare by invading
o1 on land should also like exemption OF pri
ate property at sea- and conine maritime hostlhtes
- cty naval combats il follows necessarily that the
maritime State which shall not maintain navy equal 70
it competitor possible combination OF competitors
will be constantly at the risk of war, and in case of war
~ ,hle 10 expulsion from the ocean Are the people Of
,b United States ready for that alternatyeto keep in
oDn,ssion navy like the nayies OF Great Britain and
lance or Weld their equality the seas and pow
- nable of extra territorial war; If not, then they
are not ready for change in any Of the proposed or sg
sd forms OF the existing established rights of belliger
t rnoV,ers as against each other on the ocean.
These letters sir which / have had the honor to ad
ss 10 you and others which have written on the
bec are not in the interests of war but in the inter
s Of peace believe that in the reserve force which
r country possesses in the voluntary spirit OF its citizens
+, able to maintain defensive not only with any
tber nation but with the world in believe that
IN The volunteer marine that would develop itself in such
an emergency 1t could carry aggressive war; and
maintain its rights and dignity against all the powers that
send ships TO believe that the strength which our
country has in these is of the great elements
Of neae and that another element to the good end
& ne commercial intercourse the material interests that
connect transatlantic nations with i believe that
bos resources resigned and those interests released from
the penaltes of war would increase the probabilities of
war and certainly as far the shedding of blood is
oerned its seventies.
Nor are these essays written, sir, in captious spirit
towards any of the States that concerned in the
.sdeclaraion' If England and France are frequently
mentioned in them it is because in its practical appliea
son the proposed change would chiefly affect the relative
postion of our country with those powers endeavor
10 look at things they and do not lose sight of
te t that the concurrent history of the United States
and Great Britain exempes what all history records of
connecting empires of the fact that as long can
remember of such things there has not been time that
dnute of some kind has not existed liable to bring them
70 hosties and in repeated instances only did not be-
cans, Of the powerful material interests that
cerned and kept animosities in check do not believe
that the enpers of changed, nor that we are
going to reverse the current of history and show
ample of rivalry and emulation and in respects
tagons producing only amiability and love Therefore,
am not able to believe that because the British Premier
and the London press have changed from condemnatory
and depreciatng tone toward the American people and
present respected penpotentary of her Britannia Majesty
in exchange for an act not polite of his only
the word of our late Attorney General 'presumptuous
PREDECESSOR whose presumption rewarded how
ever by his government with title of nobility has
made handsome speech indicative Of good temper and
good will for all these not able to believe that the
millennium ha8 come, and the voice of disquiet and
tenton never more to be heard
1t is certainly both the interest and the duty OF the
United States and those powers with which they
petors in and navigation to cultivate mutual
regard and friendship and to pursue their respective
paths to wealth and emnence in peace But the security
that they will do is not in any change in the laws Of
nature, that ambition and emulation have ceased
among States to beget anmosities and disputes
but it in the consciousness of the huge damage that
would be done to all land that mainly committed the
Ocean-in so tremendous conflict 1t is just as clearly
therefore, their interest and duty to retain that security
for continuance in peace that safeguard against their
turning each other beasts of prey, all ambitious
nations and ambitious soveregns wont to turn
each other till the magic word Commerce became the great
peacekeeper. They have right to abandon it
than individual has voluntarily to get rid of those
outward restraints that appointed to aid sustain and
enforce the instincts of virtue.
This letter sir was written to this point, and intended
here to be closed when the reached us of the
opening perhaps not with very favorable symptoms, of
the old sources of dispute and sometimes angry
contention between Great Britain and the United States
1t would from the report that our late Attorney
Generals also the newspapers too early IN
fluctuations at the supposed magnanmous determination
in regard to affairs of this continent 1f the European
States The power whose pride it is that by of
its domnions spanning the earth its drumrol does not
to beat continues its pretensons in regard to the
great gateways between te two Whether those
peenaions well iloundcd is not necessary to this
argument which is only to show that little pleasant
weather does not denote perpetual calm The peace
ought to be kcpa and have doubt it will be- but, in
order to be sure of keeping il ourselves or that it will be
kept toward us should retain also the that
most economical, most effective, and most accordant
NTH IDEAS and institutions to bear and repel the
brunt Of war
have the honor again sir to subscribe myself your
friend and iellow-citzen,
WIN. CAREY JONES.
WASHINGTON May 4, 1857.