Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1858-11-12
From the London Times, Oct. Is
The FrancO-Portuguese Difficulty.

From the London Times Oct. Is.
The Franco-Portuguese Difficulty.
Whatever be the result of the difference which has
arisen between France and Portugal there are in it
many things on which the mind Of wellWisher to the
general peace of Europe and to the great interests Of
humanity at large must rest with little satisfaction
The circumstances appear very simple and, indeed
the facts there is very little dispute. French vessel
the Charles ct Georges is found by the Portuguese
th0rtes OF Mozambique part of the coast inter
dcted to the approach of foreigners, because ap-
proach to it in that particular point is regarded by the
Portuguese Government almost conclusive evidence
of attempt to carry on the slave trade On board
the ship 10 negroes and delegate of the French
Government The delegate and captain stated to the
Portuguese authorities that the were there by their
own free consent having engaged themselves to go as
aboers to the island of Reunion that the negroes had
regular passports from the authorities at Mozambique,
and that the vessel lying off the inerdiced portion
of the coast for the purpose of obtaining surgeon. 70
this it answered by the Portuguese that surgeon
was to be found at Mozambique, and was not to be
found on that part of the coast
The negroes were examined, and declared one and all
that they carried off against their will and not in
virtue of any agreement and the passports spoken Of
turned out to be document furnished by native chief
who probably the person from whom the negroes
were obtainc !. Under these circumstances the vessel
was seized SLAYER and sent to Lisbon for adjudca-
ton. On hearing Of this the French Government have
sent two men-O-War to the Tagus to wake, with the
thunder OF their guns the echoes of the Rock Of Lisbon
and have peremptoriy demanded the surrender of the
Charles ct Georges within foryeg ght hours have given
orders to the fleet at TOul0n to hold itself in readiness to
SAIL and twice verbally refused the offer of the Portu-
guese Government to submit the matter to the arbitra-
tion OF third power The latest accounts hold out the
hope, indeed that friendly arrangement may be eXpec-
ted, but matters are still in an uncertain state. The
ground which the French Government is understood
to rely is, that the prcsCn of French delegate
board the ship necessarily implied such absolute inno-
cence OF any design OF savetradng that the Portuguese
Government bound to be satisfied with it at once
and to inquire no further, and that compared with this
conclusive proof all matters of suspicion rroguIarity
become absolutely insignificant and ought to be thrown
aside as OF no account whatever
To us the merits Of this controversy, assuming
the facts to be correctly stated above appear to present
no difficulty whatever. We know not what proof can
be required of offence of this kind if tie facts which
we have just alleged are not to be held sufficient. The
vessel found in fragrant dciCt, with the grOc8 ac-
tualy board her. and they stated when examined that
they were there, not by their own free will, but under
compulsion of superior force Ii it be sad that the
captain and delegate deceived in the matter and
believed these people to have gone board voluntarily
in pursuance Of agreement to labor in the colony of
Reunion, which they fully understood, we may ak why
the ship taken to unusual and mcldccd station,
why an utterly absurd reason given for her going
there, and why false statements made with regard
to passports from the Portuguese authorities at Mozam
biquc These things showed not only that the French
captain and delegate doing wrong, but that they
knew it, and coupled with the fact that they had hun
dred and ten negroes board mode out complete a
case the nature Of the transaction could possibly adj
NIT.
To all this the French had nothing to oppose except
conclusive presumption invented by themselves that il
is absolutely impossible for delegate Of the French
Government to lend himself to slaverading ransac-
tOn and that therefore, such transaction must be as
sumed to be impossible whatever evidence there be tC
the contrary We not aware that the law OF nations
recognizes Of its principles the absolute mpecca
bty and ncorrupbility Of the agent OF foreign gov
ernnent, considers that government to bo entitled ~
placing a delegate on board ship bearing its flag, tC
give that ship lcencc to violate with mpunity the
obligations of treaties and the police regulations Of
friendly State We, therefore, feel difficulty in con
Guiding that on the merits OF the question the great
Power is entirely in the wrong, and the little is il
the right. This however, is but a very small part 0
the matter Let France to have been clear
ly right she was manifesty wrong. Surely, IL order
to enforce that right she should have uttered nena
ccs and employed measures which she would not have
used to Russia to England or to the United States Q
America If France believed herself to be in the right
in what respect could her dignity suffer- it, instead OF thG
intoerabe pretent0n to be Judge in her cause sh
has shown herself ready to abide by the impartial dcci
sion Of neutral power? If she knew she wrong
doubt the course adopted is explicabe enough; but
it is not the less invasion OF that equality which th
public laws Of modern Europe attributes to all sovereign
States and infracton Of that declaration of the Paris
Congress which binds the great Powers to have recourse
to the intervention of an impartial arbitrator before ap
peallng to arms
Nc doubt it is exceedingly convenient for nations az
well as individuals to decide their causes in the
own favor but the time will often come when the mex
pediency of this onesded method Of adjudication is made
manifest to those who most inclined to have
course to it. The doctrine that justice is only for equals
but that between superior and inferior relations are
be regulated by their relative powers alone finds
ceptance in the code of modern Europe and any powe
that succeeds in introducing it will have shaken to the
foundations those doctrines upon which alone a genera
peace can be permanently maintained. We cannot bu
regard it unfortunate that nfracOns real or sup
posed, of the international law of Europe with regard t
the slave trade should frequently form the occasion
differences to which France is patty. We might have
hoped that nation which claims not unreasOnably
foremost play in directing the march Of civilization
2 would even if she had been subjected to sigh
amount of unmertcd annoyance and Vexation by th
honest efforts Of other countries to put q c0mple
END to the slave trade have considered the excellent
in view as complete excuse for any irrcguarity in TIN
means taken to attain it. and would have always beer
satisfied with proofs that the dispute from endeav
ors made in good faith to put down this abomnab,
trade Unhappily the exact contrary to be th
case and nothing exctes the Indignation Of the depart
t ment over which Count Walewsk pTesidcs So much a
an honest and unsesh attempt avert the most hide
cruelty that the thirst Of gain itself prompt
ed or defended.
a The New Orleans Pcayunc tells sad story of tl
death of stranger in that city from the yellow lcvc
He was one OF the first that came from the far North
seize the golden opportunity for desirable business sr
a0ne made vacant nv death hnt fOund the hnrI0ning