The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-07-01
WHAT THE QUESTION Is.

at is time that the public should understand
this matter, and know what the issue is, and the
Era is the very paper that should state it clearly
and Observation-Disclosures tO.) Sentinel.
We are sorry that the Sentinel does not con-
cur in our views in regard to the right of
search.
The issue is Tor rather acas) this: Great
Britain asserted that her armed cruisers had
right, in time of peace, to stop, detain, visit,
and examine, any suspicious vessel on the high
seas, bearing the American flag, what consti-
tutes suspicious character being for the cruz
sers alone to determine.
The American Government denied the exist
ence of such right, and held that the officer
of q British vessel who, on the high seas, in
time of peace, stopped, detained, and boarded
any vessel, bearing the American flag, for any
purpose whatsoever, did it at his peril if the
vessel were pirate, and the flag were fraudulent
iy assumed, he was free from accountability to
US, but if she were an American vessel, he had
committed trespsss, violated our jurisdiction,
and his Government was bound to make repa
ration.
nations sanctioned it. The Principle, asserted
by our Government, is true, vital to the equal
ity of independent nations, necessary to the
freedom of commerce.
Our own reasons for sustaining this Princi-
pie the Sentinel may see by referring to the
editorial columns of the Era of June 3D.
Daniel Webster's conclusive argument in sup.
port of it was printed in the Era Of June 18th.
And now, we have the pleasure of informing
the Sentinel that, if the Washington Union is
to be relied upon, the English Government has
signifed to our Government its full assent to
the Principle, so that the vexation issue which
has so frequently produced bad blood on both
sides of the Atlantic, has ceased to exist.
As it has ceased to be an issue between
England and America, it can no longer be an
issue between the Sentinel and Era.
BY the way, the very simple statement of the
Principle by Mr.. Seward in the Senate, May
9th, may not be unworthy of the Sentineps
attention:
"For himself, he needed no law books or
iadicial decisions to instruct his mind in regard
to the rights of nations upon the great public
highways. A nation was to be governed by
similar rules that would be applied to an indi.
vidual. If, because there are thieves and rob.
bers in society, private citizen can be stopped
and searched in the street by every person who
may choose to exercise the right of police,
then it is true that one nation has q right to
constitute itself police upon the high seas
for the purpose Of sscertaining the honesty, in
tegrity, and good conduct of other nations, but
there is no such right anywhere. 1t is claim
founded in force AID not in right. The United
States have never recognised this right, and
never will and it has been practically absn-
doned by Great Britain ever since the close of
the last war. The true principle is this: AS
there may be pirates at sea, as we'll as culprits
on land, any person who may choose to chal
lenge another as being an rjust and danger
GUS person, may either arrest or detain him
but he does it at his peril. If the person proves
to be culprit, he is abandoned to the hands
of justice but if he turns out to be innocent,
then the person arresting him is an aggressor,
and is bound to give satisfaction. This prin-
ciple is applicable to nations a. we'll as indi.
viduals and on this principle we ought to de-
mand satisfaction from the Government of
Great Britain"