Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1858-06-10
Correspondence OF the Charleston Mercury.
WASHINGTON, June l..


The war feeling here predopinates, and o vast
deal of ferocity is INDUCED in against the odious
pretensions of Great Britain regarding the right
She has been exercising Of boarding and searching
our vessels in the Gulf. Resolution after resolu.
ton, of the most belligerent character, has been
offered in the Senate; some Of them proposing
action on the part of the Government tantamount
to a declaration of war, while others propose the
capture Of the British cruisers, and bringing them
into our ports; and in case Of their Government
disayowing their conduct, that they be condemned,
SC. 1t may be observed that the most ardent Of
these warlike takers are the Black Republicans,
who are evidently fishing for popularity, by ma
king an immense display Of patriotism, but who
would be the first, should we drift into a war, to
raise O howl against the Administration, and re.
fuse to appropriate one cent for carrying 8 it on
War is certainly very serious thing, and a nation
| should, therefore, as o matter Of common sense,
only enter upon it in vindication of q right which
has been assailed, and for which proper reparation
is refused. The English Government has but o
very short time since received our demand for re-
p~aration in consequence Of the insult to our flag
and las not certainly had time to comply with 1t.
1t would, therefore appear absurd in Congresst to
declare war for an act which England may not only
disayow, but for which she may severely punish
the perpetrators. While, therefore, the country
ought to be ready to resent q national insult with
all its power, / cannot see the necessity of its
plugging into O war upon the faith Of the one ST.
asd and exaggerated statements given by Ameri.
can captains and newspapers. Let us hear both
sides of the dispute, and then If We have been
wronged, and redress shall be refused, enter sner-
eetically and seriously upon the work Of main
tanning our rights, and of settling q point 80 fruit
full Of danger to our peace. g
$1,000 Al>A A. fr.~1so1 Ia ~nk
claim, practically or theoretically, the fright Of
search )" that they have protested to abandon for
years. But they insist upon the right to "visit"
suspected vessels, and that claim they have never
relinquished. They argue that there is o wide
practical difference between the "sesrch" Of q
vessel and O "visit"-the first involving the over.
hauling at discretion Of the cargo Of q suspected
vessel ; the second being confined strictly to an
examination of her papers for the purpose Of as.
certaining whether she is entitled to the flag she
carries at her masthead, or whether she may not
be a pirate in disguise. Now, admitting this diff
ference between the right Of search and risa, and
supposing the unequivocal abandonment Of the
first, and an honest and strict application of the
last, where OF in what respect can we be injured!
The worst that could happen would be the deten-
ton Of O vessel for O few minutes, or ut most o few
hours. But it is said that this detention is an in
suit to our Gag an interference Will our citlzens
in the peaceful pursuit Of commerce. Yet Eng
land comedies to US the same right respecting her
merchantmen, and would interpose no objection
to its exercise. She says that the injury done by
the short detention of o vessel bound on q lawful
enterprise, is a small evil, In comparison with that
which would inevitably result from q maintenance
of the American doctrine, which would enable
pirates Of every people to infest the highways OF
nations, and yet enjoy complete immunity from
punishment, because they sailed under the stars
and stripes. Does it not strike you that they have
some force In their argument
But, exclusive of all this, how are We Of the
South to be benefited by war; Are not our bur
dens already sufficiently heavy, that we must now
be dragged into difficulty for the maintenance Of
an argument, the principal results Of which would
be o large expenditure of life and treasure, and
the attempted restoration of a high protective tar
if upon Us, without our reaping one material ad.
vantage to our section As Mr.. Hammond remark
ed, in his great speech on the Kansas question,
the South has never had occasion to 90 to war on
her W account. It has always been to aid the
North. And so I suppose, it will ever be, as long
as the Union lasts, for the South has nothing to
quarrel about with any nation on the earth, her
peculiar mission being agriculture and peace.