Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-06-08

weak, uncertain and disjointed, was now strong,
stable and consolidated.
And as we had lowered to the height of this
great argument Of popular government, Eng
gland had retreatcd a step from her undivided
supremacy over the highways of the earth
Then it was that Mr.. Webster, in an elaborate
and forcible argument, incontroyertibIe as any
others he had addressed to the English Govern
ment, communicated to MIR. Everett the views
OF our own Government upon the right of visit
and search. Search, indeed, Great Britain no
longer claimed it was openly disavowed in the
House of Commons; but of the right of visit, she
thought herself still strong enough to remain
tenacious. 1t was difficult to swallow two bit
ter pills at once. 1t remains now to give the
coHp-le-grace, that the insolence of British
officials may be confined to their own atmos-
phere and within their own wooden walls.
British statesmen endeavored to point out a
difference between visit and search Mr.. Web
ster recognized none, and he asked What
writers on public law what adjudicators in
courts of admiralty? what public treaties rec
ognize it," There is virtually none. Abuse
exists in the one form as in the other The
whole principle no matter in what shape it
comes, is repulsive, oppressive and tyrannical
1t appeals to US in no sense. As in all military
governments it disregards that sanctity of pr-
vate property, which, in this land, makes every
mans house sacred from intrusion or violence
1t tramples upon individual right. 1t is in
sulting to individual honor. The late outrages
in the gulf confirm us ip the belief that visit
and search, whatever they signify in the lexi-
CON the Sama tbipDS in ,raof;oo t. a.
matter of regret that the captain of the " Mo-
bile" had not the force to give his British in
truder full swing into mother ocean, and so
revived his senses. This was case where the
insolence Of the boarding officer was beyond
all forbearanee.
Now, 1t is not for US to acknowledge our de-
tendency, if any such dependency exists, upon
English vessels, for the prevention of traffic
which we have forbidden by law. 1t is but a
poor commentary upon our Government to
grant that we are incapable of executing our
own laws. If our force is not sufficient to over
haul and control these traders the remedy lies
in sufficient increase of the Navy and not
in mutual right of visit. The word mutual
signifies nothing; there is no mutually actually
involved. Tits farsical to talk of our arresting
vessels bearing the British flag, for such an
opportunity would not probably offer itself
once in century. Whilst, on the other hand.
every American merchantmen in the Gulf
would be continuously subject to the annoy
ance Of Buzzard or a Styx.
There is something SO palpably unwarrant.
able and insulting in these late transac tons as
to call justly for Indignation. The greatest
blockhead in the English Navy might have
known at sight that coasters laden down with
sugar and molasses were not slavers 1t il
consequently conclusive to the minds of many
that the orders from home were stringent.
communication in the New York Herald
shows that they first emanated from Lord Pal
merston; the well known enemy of this coun-
try. Those instructions have been renewed by
the Derby administration. Now, the conduct
OF these officers will be either disavowed in to-
to or not at all. We will receive no inter
mediate disavOwal. If disavowed. the question
is settled; the right of visit is relinuuisbed If
not, 1t will devOlve upon the Government of
the United States to renew Mr. Webster's cor
respondence and preserve the flag, forever,
from insult Then let the British Government
insist, argue and demonstrate, until its elo-
quence shall die with its vocabulary of words
Let 1t know, In reply, that our officers are in
structed to prevent, by force, "visit as well
as search" and then it may resort to its own
good or bad judgment. If you wish war. let
1t come 1t would brighten up the rusty but
tons of our small, but gallant Navy. The
country at large entertains every confidence in
Mr.. Buchanan, every assurance that he will
bear the country out honOrably from this con
test; and that to the credit of having restored
peace and harmony in our midst, he will add
the glory Of preserving the nation honor intact
from the foreign assai!ant
JIM LANES CHARACTER.-If this notorious
abolition agitatOr and Kansas shrieker had