The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-06-22


cers The clamor eprsals which immediately ensues
is the popular because experience hes shown that
the difficulty is always settled without resort to actual
hostites that conscientious advocates OF peace feel
themselves justified ia making all the profit which inevi
Aby accres the oscntatious champions of warlikc
policy The federal government is never now to echo
the osensibe Indignation of the community but MIR.
Buchanan u.s. fortunately able man. firmly seated Ia
the presidential chair and he exempt from the tempa
ton which induced his predecessor the OF an cleo
ton to bid for renewal Of his Office by the dismissal Of
Mr.. Champion.
1t is a retieening feature but ut the same time
nnoying peculiarly, in these periodical quarres that
American politicians with astuteneS equal to their
pugnacity generally succeed in hitting undcabe blot
Instead Of resenting attacks which are certainly neither
friendly generous obliged, at tho risk OF mis-
construction and Misrepresentation 10 repair the unin-
territorial rregularty which has called forth superiu-
ously menacing cmonstrance and patriotic Presidents
naturally claim tribute to their powerthc concessions
which really imposed upon by the strict letter Of
the law 1t is extremely troublesome To he connected
with litgious neighbor but there is security against
his attacks except in the exercise of the utmost caution
The best to clustering complaint OF tcspass
tender OF the damages incurred by thoughtless deva
ton from the footpath for il the innocent wrongdoer puts
himself his Defence the magistrate will be compelled to
vincate the rights Of property by sentence correspond
ing TO the probably carrying costs Ii all
international transactions criticised with equal sever
ty State would be dsentang from threat
enng correspondence but the question for the English
government consider not whether Gen. CASTS Ian
guage il concatory but whether American nayigators
have any legal ground of complaint 1t will probably
appear that the cruisers In the Gulf of Mexico have, in
one instances, visited ships under the flag of the
Union without sufficient Justification The nonstrous
allegations Of the individual complaants cannot be held
diprove all the statements which they have made al
though it is certain that no English officer boarded
suspected vessel in state of inoxicaon, that Eng
fish boat took the opportunity To commit theft,
and that the description Of officers
made out old blanket is due TO the ingenuity of the
angry merchantmen. 1t Is highly probable that the
int in
carried almost entirely under tho American flag but
their and their moral character their
countrymen alone, and If any of the alleged facts
possibly proved the English cruisers will probably be
found to have exceeded the law.
The slave trade treaties, by creating mixed relation
between and peace have introduced unexpected
difficulty in the maritime law Belligerent shipsof war
undoubtedly entitled to visit neutral merchant
sells for the purpose of verifying their right Of exemption
from capture and right OF seizure has been specially
conceded by Spain and by other powers in the
slavcrs it follows that vessels of those countries
also liable visitation 1t Is agreed all hands that
such liability existed to her nationality II is only
when the stars and stripes supposed to be audueny
hosted that the cruiser pretend To visit vessel which
is suspected to be Spanish Portuguese well to be
engaged in the slave trade Ii it true that several
American vessels have been stopped this ground of
suspicion it cannot be denied that series of offensive
mistakes may require explanation and possibly redress
General Cass to be justified in saying that the
is analogous to the arrest Of suspected criminal by
policeman who personally responsible in of
If instances OF false imprisonment occurred in rapid
cesson further question would probably arise to the
good faith discretion Of the officers and 1t Is barely
possible that the commanders of the English cruisers
may in their indignation against the American slavers
misunderstood the extent Of their powers but Meth
Lord Mamesbury Admiral Stewart will venture to
Justify support any attempt claim for England the
invidous right of exercising general maritime police
The best for the presence of the squadron off the
ports of Cuba is to be found in the suggestion OF the
American that the blockade should be trans
ferred from Africa the West Indies yet it might have
been foreseen that the vicinity of the unpopular flag
would serve as excuse for irritation in the
Union Russian fleet in the North would not put
an end to all suspicion by explaining that it engaged
under treaty in suppressng the contaband trade Of
the Norwegian fishermen. The police exercised by the
cruisers In the Gulf is partial and habualy legal but
stN IL carried In American waters and it is police
II cannot be Withdrawn ut once III immediate defer
to menacing complaints the present state OF affairs
ought compel early termination OF the most
lous system which gatuitous proyocation to
foreigners 1t is peculiarly unfortunate that the anti
slavery crusade should ALLEVIATE from England the por
ton of the American community which would other
wise be drawn nearer to W by interest and by
inclination During the enlistment dispute the only
temperate or friendly language used towards Eng
land proceeded from the southern senators, and the
journals of the slave States proclaimed with amusing
tavngance the superiority of the old country to the
hated Yankee territories In the North Anglophobn Is
adopted by conflicting orators and factions principally
because Is supposed to involve sentiment of unani
nous suspicion and dislike II the cotton growers were
by the suspension OF the slave trade agitation lett TO the
natural operation Of their sympathes with the cotton
buyers, quarrcls with England would become doubtful
party questions, instead Of furnishing fund OF
popularity to conflicting demagogues. 1t will be highly
desirable to conne the impending controversy to the
facts of the alleged aggression Any general discussion
of the policy of America in regard to the slave trade will
only give Improbable offence 1t is certain that the
tng treaty has not been vigorously executed and still
more certain that American President will offend the
most influential portion Of his constituents by emulating
the zeal of the English cruisers the coasts Of Aficr
of Cuba but prudent governments, like of in
private life look for efforts of extraordinary zeal from
1 those who comply against their will.