The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-06-16

EW YORK HERALD, WE
of tho sea-" She thus takes upon herself the
character of volunteer policeman, and claims
under it the right to enter every mans house,
and do just what she plesses. At one time the
pretenoe is to catch her own runaway subjects;
at another it is to prevent the catching Of fish
in certain broad localities, which, as "ruler of
the waves,' she calls her own; then, again, she
pretends that somebody's law is violated, and
she carries the victim into somebody's port,
breaking up the voyage and running the owners,
whether it be legal or not. IF 1t Is legal there
is no redress for the sufferer. In fact, she
claims the right, as volunteer policeman, to
enforce every nations law upon its own citizens
or subjects at sea.
This is the true point at issue. This is what
the United States has always denied to Great
Britain and always will deny, to the point Of
war If necessary. The government of England
may instruct her cruisers to enforce her own
laws upon her own subjects on the ocean, but
that che shall hold any executive power over
our citizens and their ships, for enforcing
upon them q respect for our laws, is out
of the possibility Of concession by US. Be.
sides the impossibility of an English officer
being 80 versed in the laws of every nation as
to judge whether crime is being committed or
not, there is the ineongruity Of entrusting so
great powers to rival in trade, who may abuse
them for sinister purposes. Then, too, we are
sufficiently able to cause our laws to be respect
ed, and do not require any assistance frsm
England.
As for the pretence Of putting down the slave
trade, it is all humbug. The truth is that Eng
land only seizes upon that to cover the exercise
of right she has never possessed, aud to which
she wishes to secure, if possible, a partial ad-
mission. If her real object were to stop the
slave trade, abe could do that by simply en-
forcing upon Spain the observance of her trea-
ties, and the causing Of the Spanish laws to be
respected in Spanish territories. There was
piracy as long as England, France and
Spain permitted their brakes, their Lolo-
nois and their Bascos to sell and enjoy
the fruits of their piracies; but when the mar
kets for their plumber were broken up, piracies
were no more. When Spain shall break up the
market in Cuba for bosdl negroes the African
slave trade will cease to exist.
We commend to Mr.. Fitzgerald, and to every
member of Lord Derby's Cabinet, q frank &C
acknowledgement of the true cause of the diff
Guilty between the two nations-that 1t is be-
cause England insists upon an odiou,, unjust,
impudent and overbearing pretension, which
never will be admitted by the United States
Away with all side pretences, like taking Bi.
tish seamen out of American ships, catching
Yankee fishermen In British waters, or covering
the Spanish slave trade with the American flag
Let them make the manly recognition that there
are other nations equal to Great Britain; and
whether there are or no, the rights Of the weak
as well as the strong shall be respected upon
the sea. Lord Derby may be assured that in
this question the United States is defending the
whole world against England, and that she is
aware of the Importance of her position and the
justice of her claims, and will never give up
either. Instructions to the British officers "to
observe the utmost caution" Is not enough. 1t
IL, in fact, an evasion, and an insult to the
United States. IL that is all that Lord Derby
has to concede on this great point, coupled
With an expression of regret which means
nothing, the sooner Mr.. Buchanan brings the
subject to an open issue the better for us.
No time can be 30 propitious for settling this
great question as now. Our commerce must be
put upon safe footing; our ships which upon
the ocean are part Of our territory, and
carry all our national rights with them, must
be safe from invasion; and our fag which
represents our national honor, must be respect
ed. We hope Mr.. Buchanan will press this
matter home, and II any volunteer policeman
on the sea undertakes to enforce the law with
out due authority and warrant, we hope he
will have him brought in and punished; for
every one who falsely assumes the character
Of public officer, and invades the rights of
another, does 30 at bis own peril
THE JUDGMENT IN THE DWIGHT PERJURY
CAsE.-we publish elsewhere the Judgment of
Judge Russell In the case of Henry Dwight, &C
cused Of perjury by Brown, Brothers 4 Co., in
relation 10 the Chicago, Alton and St. Louis
Railroad. II will be seen that the Judge decides
that there Is probable cause 10 believe that
Dwight did commit the offence Of perjury and
therefore orders him TO be held to bail to answer
the charge at the next Court Of General Sessions.
The next proceeding will be the production of
this evidence before the Grand Jury Should
they find q true bill, Mr.. Dwight will have 10
stand his trial at the Sessions