The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1858-05-25
RIGHT OF SEARCH,

Whilst Gen. Cass was Minister to France,
Quimtuple Treaty was acceded to by England,
France, Austria, Russia and Prussia, which III
yoved mutual right Of search. General Cass
wrote powerful protest against this treaty, and
the United States rejected it, involving the sur
render of principle were bound to maintain;
but in lieu thereof, agreed to maintain force on
the African coast sufficient to prevent the American
flag from being abused. The principle of the Uni
ted States IS, that the flag covers the ship wher-
ever she goes. 1t was precisely this British as
sumption OF the right Of search and visitation, and
the refusal Of the United States to acknowledge,
or in any way submit to it, which led to the last
war with Great Britain. We had at that
time scarcely dozen ships Of war; but the national
spirit took counsel Of prudence III the vindlca-
ton Of its honor, and the result was the most as
tonislng series Of naval victories that the world
has ever seen. There was scarcely contest on
the seas, singly or in squadrOns, IN which tie
Americans did not annihiate their enemies Wher
ever they met them The principle then fought
for, they are ready to maintain again, and if forty
years have added to the power, population and
maritime capacity of Great Britain, in none of
these particulars have the United States been
standing still If we have now Il small navy, we
have boundlcss materials for building inexhausti-
bic naval stores, and 100000 merchant seamen
who can be transferred to the decks Of our shi s OF
war; and to those myrads of privatecrs which
would swarm every sea.
We do not, however anticipate The gov
crnmcnt Of Lord Derby will probably apologize
and countermand the orders issued by Palmerston.
But that will be poor satisfaction, and will not en-
sure us against future repetition Of the CffeEce
The order Of the day-Stopplng and Searching
American vessels and Apologize afterwal dis
becoming too monotonous. Let try Stopping
and Searching English vessels and Apologies al
forwards. If our government should order its
vessels in the Gulf to fire into and sink the Styx
wherever they meet her, the American people
would highly approve It's conduct, and Great Bri-
tain might charge us with that Euch in the gene
raj settlement ~ negotiation hereafter.
1t is worthy OF observation, that whilst British
cruisers picking up peaceful merchant vessels
on our coast, under the prctcnce OF suppress
ing the African slave trade they shamelessly
cunnive at the bold AMI systematic African slave
traffic now carried on by the Emperor Of the
French. One Of these French slaveTs, the steamer
Stella a vessel of only three hundred and eighty
three tons, lately left the African coast, having
board Il cargo of mine hundred ard ffty ltricons,
and it is said the crew boastcd of having carried
off their cargo under the very guns of an English
cruiser. Why was she not searched and visited
OF this vast multitude, crowded into a hot
little steamer, not capable of comfortably
modating hundred men, onc-third persisted before
the vessel arrived at her destination. Yet this
vessel, and others of like character, are permitted
to pass their way unmoested, whilst American
vessels, loaded with sugar machinery, and the pro-
ducts of lawful and peaceful industry, are daily
outraged and abused, under the Irctence of pre-
venting the traffic in African slaves.-PicAntond
DiSDatch.