New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-05-19

"Be suie you're right, then 90 shead, is a salu.
tary maxim. We may easily drift into an upjustfa-
bic war by failing to heed it.
The Courier and Enquirer h US forcibly states the
current doctrine with regard to the visitation aud
verifcaton of our merchant vessels by British
cruisers:
But whatever be the res! attitude Of tine British
Gove,nn ent at the present time in regard TO this SUBJ
iect of interfering with vessels bearing the American
flag the attitude Of our own Government is not sus-
cepttl lie Of the slightest doubt No such Interference
be allowed. The United States stands firm by the
principles enupciaed by i in the discussions upon the
Quntuple Treaty Of 1871 AID embodied in the Web
rAshburon Treaty of 1912. 1t asserts that its flag,
unless papaby simulated protecs the ship that bears
it, and denies toto the right of visit or search No
American ship s bound to lie to or wait the approach
of any other Ship except the vessels of its WI
nationality; and if force be employed to make her
thus lietO. trespass is committed for when the Gov
emmett in whose service the Offending vessel acts
must answer. The equality of ships on the ocean lie
precisely analogous the equality of men the shore
No man has right to bid another man stop and submit
to examination; that can be done only by an officer
of the land, and home officer, not a foreign one
If civil officer on land have process against
one individual, and through mistake arrest another
this arrest is wholly tOrtous and just 80 If British
cruiser having right TO intercept African slayers
throueh mistake stop an American merchant vessel
il commits wrong for which redress should be eN
acted. 1t may saiely be said that there is nothir e
upon which the United States IS more firmly resolved
thsn upon tie maintenance Of the perfect freedom and
INN unity Of its merchant vessels the high seas
Upon this subject the people OF the tnted States are
as ore nan. The decks Of our merchant men are as
sacred and iBviolabe any foot OF soil at home
We have fought to maintain that pIinc-
PIE and would fight thousand more before We
would renquish it. American vessels pr scouting
lawful commerce on the high sees under the flag of
their country not responsible for the sbuse
law full of that flag by others; Tor csn they right
fully, account of any such legged abuses, be inter-
upied molested detained while en- the and
if thus mole,ted AID detained while pursuing honest.
voyages in the usual wsv ard violating no law them
selves, they suffer wrong which demands rspara-
tin.
We propose TO present, very briefly, the opposite
view of this grave question:
Piracy is mol partial or local, but universal peril
The commerce of all nations is subject to IT, But
for National armed vessels, il would be constant
formidable, appalling Danger to all who go down to
the sea in shipswhO DO business on the great Wa
tiers. Ships Of war TIE police of the ocean, act
ing under the orders, indeed, of their own Govern
ment, but doing work Incumbent on and benef-
cent to every nation that sails ship or floats
cargo. While engaged 10 this work, they are en-
titled 10 the gratitude aud cordial cooperation of all
boz est .caareIs and TO the good VII of every nom
pirsticsl Government
Wen: National vessel is sent TO portion of
he high seas with instructions to pu. end to the
piracy there prevalent. How is she to dis
charge this ursc,t, this necessary duty How
is she TO restore 10 the peaceful trading craft
of all natioIs the freedom aud security in the
sbse1ce of which Commerce must wither aud die :,
Suppose she suspicious craft aid makes sail
| for II, when that craft runs up the flag OF some
| friendly nation our own, for instance what is
Tie National cruiser 10 DO Is the display Of that
nag OF Itself sufiici, n. to arrest inquiry and defy
scrutiny lfitis The high seas are the pirates close,
hA he'd, his kitchen garden. He may capture plum
der, ray.sh, burn and Kill with impunity, being
careful only to keep an assortment of National en-
| 'ghs Oh haid, 80 as to be ready to raise one-say
that of Holland, Belgium or Prus (which is
morally certain not to be the flag of his present
pur'utr. Does il become a D,tiou once sc upright
snd still 80 commercial as ouIs to assert doctrine
which iLusshl, ds the pirate and exposes the honest
merchant ship to teaIfu. perl,l
OF course. tie light Of search or sisit..io, ia
liable to gross abuses. II mas probably been abused
we presume not Intentionally so-in the rsceu.