The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1858-06-18

fhipAf MoHsING..~.......--".....~ Is. 1853
THE "BRITISH OuTRAGESp In ENGLAND.
bresh Orders TO the West India
Fleet-Opinions OF the Lon d m
Preas

Press.
The English files by the Arago bring copiou
oomments by the London papers upon the outrage
committed on American vessels in the Gulf Tn
opinions of the British press, always interestin,
where American affairs are concerned, are particu
isrly so GU this subject, where they discuss wa
with little roserve and give their estimation of th
country with still less
From the London Post, June IT,
But the difficulty which the British government
In this case will have to eucount ter arises from tha
feeling of rivalry, rather from that feeling q
jeaionay, with which the people of the United
states are too prone TO regard the power OF thi,
country. Every American statesman. from III,
time Of Jefferson down to that OF Webster, ha,
protested against any exercise of the right of
toy foreign ships of war upon American vessels
Mr.. Webster said in 1872 -" In every regularly
documented American merchant vessel the ere a
who navigate Ii will find their protection in .be
iiss which is over them The great American
orator and statesman was no doubt speak ing Of pro
lection from impressment; but may add if the
hight OF search Is to be permitted for any purpose
Whatever, the declaration OF the honorable gen
tleman, as well aS the long continued policy OF
his country, must 20 for noching and be copsid.
errdTnere empty bravado But the entertainments
of such aG impression 10 this country would be most
incorrect. Gen Cass, AT the time of the Ashburtop
treaty wrote an able pamphlet against the right of
search; aud now, as Secretary of State for Foreign
Affairs, he Is not more likely than he was when
United States Minister at Paris to max concession
Which would be inconsistent with the great doc
tTne of the equality and indepe ndence of nations
upon the seas which America bas always so streuu
ously assorted. We confess that tcc cannot see ear
tody ont Of the difficulty. 0u the coast OF Africa
and along the middle passage no Power appears
to have stroug objection to the exercise Of the
mutual right OF visitation aud search: but if you
change the scene and go to the waters Of the
Mexican Gulf, or to those of the Northern Atlantic
the right-eyen for the meritorious and noble OBJ
Ject of putting down a crime which iu reality eX.
ceeds piracy-may be asserted in "a matter cal
culated to give offence to q highly excitabe and
jealous people. III the government of the United
States, with view to the suppression Of the
slave trade, would maintain a sufficient naval
force i'll the Gulf of Mexico, and off the coast OF
Cuba all just and proper measures to ascertain
tie nationality Of vessels sailing under the Ameri-
eau flag might be enforced without the interven.
tiop OF the cruisers of any foreign Power. BY the
adoption ofsuch q course General Cass wouid not
only preserve his fayorite doctrine in its integrity
bus he would show to the world that the United
States, ia common with civilized Europe. were
determined to put stop TO a trade which they
themselves have declared 10 be "irreconcilab!e to
the principles of humanity and justice" aud
which the great Powers assembled at the Congress
of Vienna in 1915 described as "the scourge which
had 50 long deeolated Africa, degraded Europe aud
afflicted humanity"
From the London Telegraph. June 9
1t is at all times difficult TO determine the rights
of nations at sea. They depend less upon actual
treaties than upon that general and Indefinite code
known as the law of nations, and great wars have
frequently originated in q misconception of the
privileges enjoyed by maritime Powers under the
undecIared jurisdiction of this authority The
rights thus acquired are partly natural, partly
customary; aud much depends upon the method
by which they are enforced A very painful ques-
ton, involving the Interpretation of this univer-
sal International law, has arisen between Great
Britain and the United States Of America; but in
dealing with it we shall he careful not to prtjudge
the points at issue, or accept the allegations on
either aide in their entirety since there is an ob
vious and unfortunate amount of bitterness on the
part of the American merchantmen and British
cruisers, between whom the controversy has taken
place. In the absence of official Information Of a
kidd which has certainly not yet reached any one
in this country, unless il be the discreet Secretary
for Foreign Affairs it would be rash to anticipate
what complexion the dispute may assume and all
that is possible, even desirable, at this stage Is
to express a hope that, for seeing as we must
diplomatic contention of a most unhappy charac.
ter, accompanied by free recrimiuatons from the
press in both countries, spirit of mutual geueros
ity and forbearance will be displayed. W lcaat no
American bcdr upon our hands; zoe can afford to
mike no unworthy unjust conceSSions bit if tce
ttye to escape the and tie other dlt,rndtte {s
matter must not be d0Us1 to become one of Jealous
aud arrogant b0dStiRgS If it be exactly neces
saty that new Conservative AshburtOn should
gIatioa it would be equally uuwise to invoke
policy of affeonts and IneHaces. dangerous to the
peace of the world and conducive to the interests
and to the honor of neither nation.
1t must be remembered that the complication Is
one of serious difficulty Certain British cruisers
are charged, with having want0ily and yixasptly
stopped, challenged fired into, boarded and sAlrc CHI
ed a number of United States merchant vessels in
the Central American waters and the Gulf of slex
leo, the ompiaints from the latter quarter being
4
stated that the commander of the British war
steamer Styx had announced that the orders of
his government were 10 examine the papers and
cargo of all ships proceeding up or down the Gulf
Now, this collision between our public marine and
Lat of the North American republic is one in eve
themselves are embarrassing, and it does not ap
pear that any decision can immediately DE arrived
at without compromising, in al injurious degree,
one of the great Powers concerned. We cannot
ubaaaoa tie right Gf search in reference IN america
,oottt abandoning Il as regards the rest Of the lgGrId
We cannot recall our Cult cruisers without estab
fishing African squadron; We cannot suppress
our police without again licensing practical
ly, if not avowedly, that slave traffic which has
been the of one mighty continent ard the
reprSach of another. But, at the same time. if il
be really essential in order to maintain this prin-
ciple, that American ships should be treated as
are led to believe by the reports in the transatan
tic Journals. we may be assured that we must give
way fight for our prerogative since, if'there
be nation upon earth inclined to suffer the in
of snch system, it is not the hardy,
proud and powerful race which, in the New World,
speaks our language and inherits our indepen-
deLce.
The Supreme Court of the United States has
laid down.in memorable judgment, that the slave
trade il opposed TO the aw of nature and of nations
and America has entered iuto treaties with Great
Britain for the suppression of this infamous bar
ter So far the sea is concerned We have right.
. s1a., IN ntpr nd on6 n6apaf afa sla md
even to punish the captains and crew, but how far
and in what shape is that right to be asserted!
Does it authorize us in visiting principal port of
Cnba, boarding twelve American vessels. inspect
Ing their papers, ransacking their holds and gang
ing their water barrels? Does it qualify our cap
tains 10 fiee into American ships in the Gulf of
Mexico 80 as to endanger life and property, and
TO be guilty Of insulting and domineering behavior
These questions we ask without condcmning any
one in anticipation of the evidence. The state
Inents are before us, and they must be slfted The
British public has no interest whatever in counte
nancng acts of outrage, or even excess of zeal on
the part of its naval officers. In the strict per-
f5rman nee of their duty they will meet with every
support; but there is a very clear difference be-
tween the courtesy of gentleman aud the swag
ger of pirates aud if the conduct of certain Eng
iish commanders has been such as the Ameri
can papers Rllege, they may. although in the
lite,a execution of their ORDERS have deserved the
severest apprehension. We send out our cruisers
to prevent the traffic in slaves, but we do not send
theia ont TO establish nautical reign OF terror In
the Gulf of Mexico. We trust that the most ample
and impartial investigation will be made into the
whole of this affair. which is not one to be explain
cd away by few words of official ambiguity In
reply 10 the question put by Mr., Lindsay last night
on this impor tant subject Mr.. s. Fitzgerald, will
be observed, on the part Of Mr.. Walpole, denied
that the government had received any official infor
nation from Washington, assigning asa reason for
the frequent exercise of right OF search by British
cruisers that IL was the constant practice OF siav
ers to hoist American colors. For this manouvre
It would be rather difficult to hnd aremedv, though
our transatlantic friends coa!d doubtless well dis
pense with so soquestionabie compliment. Mr.. Fitz-
gerald further niimated that orders have been sent
out to the commanders of cruisers, conveying in
structio TO act with greater caution as regards
vessels, under the circumstances which had been
made the tject Of opplaint As usual, however,
he left In the dark as to the precise nature oi
these Instructions and we are no. in position to
judge how far they are calculated to answer their
proiessed object.
should the Cabinet at Washington. conceiving
that the British cruisers in the Qnlf and on the
Cuban coast were strsniDg their privileges, order
tha -. 10 eaf Of