The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-06-25


sessch-Whst do They Amount TOT
Our dispatches from Washington yesterday
seemed to indicate that the question recently
reeuscitated with England has been settled
upon the largest snd most liberal basis; that u.s.
the immunity of ships at sea in time of peace
To day another correspondent informs US that
such is not the case, and that Lord Malmes
bury's dispatches to Lerd Napier merely make
the ameade honorable for the recent oUtrages
and promise that on his part he will respect
the position of the American government On
this great international question.
This is by no means settlement of the great
principle of the right of search. II is nothing
more than repetition of the stereotyped apollo
gies which have been sent to US from England
periodically ever since 1912. Every British
Minister of Foreign Affairs for the last sixteen
that has now been done by Lord Malmesbury,
and yet every succeeding minister has found
British officers acAhg under the printed in
structions to the navy, repeating the same ex-
ercise of ins0lent power over our unarmed mer
chant ships at sea.
No minister has been bound by the acts and
communications of his predecessor, and the
great principle in question between the two
governments remains just where it was before.
The British government insists that its navy
shall act as high police of the seattle
United States claim inviolability for their yes
sells, and hold to the great code of international
law, in which all nations are interested.
IN <Hox 10 &C h O. haap Kiln Jod
by few glittering generalities, and that he has
been deceived into believing that the assurance
of Lord Malmesbury's private opinion, ex-
pressed to Lord Napier, amounts to a
rule of action for the future guidance
of both governments. But the past his
tory of this very. question gives us no
such assurance; the language Of British minis
tiers and exnlnisters in Parliament does not
lead us to such a conclusion; the tone of British
journalists does not indicate such final step on
the part of the British government. In all the
conversations on the floor of Parliament, and
in all the articles of the British journals, the
idea is held forth that the accounts of the Anne
rican captains of the visits by British officers
are grossly exaggerated; that the tone and de-
clarations of Congress are merely intended for
| buncombe that an indiscreton Of q naval Off
Ger only has been committed, which polite
apology and an offer to pay any damages will
salve over and that Mr.. Buchanan and Gen.
Cas- merely desire to put on a bold front and
buster little, and will be satisfied with short
palaver.
While this is the tone of Lords, Commons and
the fourth estate on the outrage question, all the
cid assertions about the necessity Of stopping
the slave trade; of a constant prostitution of
the American flag to cover that and other ille-
gal acts ; of the need of police of the sea to
put down pirates, and the assertions that the
United States government must be brought up
to the Christian standard Of John Bull in al the
fanatical propagandism of Exeter Hall, are con-
stantly reiterated. In this we agree with the
asserted opinion of several of the members Of
the Cabinet, that there is no settlement Of the
great question at issue with England-in
| fact, that the maintenance Of the rights Of
our flag is again committed to the
devious ways of the circumlocution Office,
and the final attainment Of an admission by
England of the immutable law Of nations on
this subject is again sunk in the diplomatic
slough of despond.
We sincerely trust that this is not so, aud
that Mr.. Buchanan will urge this question to a
final settlement now. If it is not settled at this
propitious moment, the periodical recurrence of
these searches will eventually carry us into a
war when war will be much more disastrous to
all. The United States will never be satisfied
with the gilded private assurances of British
minister. We must have formal recognition
of the international law Of the inviolability Of
ships upon the ocean during a time Of peace,
extended by both governments, and laid down
as the rule for all future time. If the Britsh
! government wish to insist upon the cessation of
the African slave trade, let it go to the Spanish
government with its ultimotum, If lite treaties are
not complied with and the slave markets Of
Cuba are not closed and not seek its object
indirectly by pursuing an insolent and irritating
course towards the United States Persistence
in this can only involve the two nations ulti-
mately in war.