Smyrna times. [volume] (Smyrna, Del.) 1854-1987, 1858-06-17

abandoned all claim to search American yes
sells tor British seamen. The United State
remained content with this practical victory.
In IS42, treaty stlpulatlons were conclude
between the two nations whereby each prom
; lsed TO maintain certain squadron on the coas
OF Africa for the purpose of suppressng tn
slave-trade. 1t was attempted by the British
dlpiomatlst who concluded that treaty to inter
polate therein clause binding the contracting
parties to submit to have their vessels searched
0y the cruisers of either; TO this the American
government refused to consent. But as tina
government agreed to the ma in principle of The
treaty. namely, the suppression of the slave
trade by the employment of armed sQuadrons or
the coast of Africa, the British plenipotentiar,
could we'll afford to yield the point Without
the right of visitation, the treaty became null.
lIty, and the omission of a clause sanctionino
that right in so many words could not be held
oy any reasonable person TO imply renunca
ton on the part of either contracting party Of
the only feasible method by which the purpose
OF the treaty could be obtained. In fact, from
inc hrst, the English vessels on the coast oil
Africa have Systematically searched all suspect.
ed vessels, whether sailing under the United
states flag or any other; and lattcrlv, since
higher eXlgencles have compelled the United
States to withdraw the bulk of their force from
mat station, the work of search has been almost
altogether rellnqushed to the British.
! The treaty proved a failure. 1t did not meet
the ends sought Under the circumstances
new laws OF Brazil excluding slavers from thu I
country, and Cuba remaining the only market
Tor the raw African--the British Government
lately resolved to alter their tactics, and to as
sail the traffic, not on the coast of Africa. but
on the shore of Cuba-not al the point of pro-
ductIon, but at the market where alone the pro-
duct is available. This resolution-whch was
formed few days only before Lord Primers.
IONS overthrow--was strangely fortified by
recent dispatch from General Cass TO Lord Ma
per- IN which the Secretary sneered bitterly at
the British exploits on the African coast, and
inquired why, fthe English had the suppression
OF the save-trade so much at heart, they did
not assail it in Cuba We now perceive thai
they have assaled it in Cuba-assailed il. in
fact, by establishing positive blockade of the
Island-whether with or without the consent of
the Spanish authorities we can not tell, and
matters not.
10 carry out this blockade, they have search
ed every vessel, Americans as well as others,
on TIE coast, TO see whether they were slavers
Ihey nave done so on the plea that if the
mere holsllng OF the American flag is To pro-
tect a vessel from search, then the treaty is
adopt that precautOn. They claim the right
OF ascerainiDg by actual observation whether
or no The American flag is rightly hosted, and
whether 1t covers SlaVers or la wfu mercha ndrze.
inns they do not call Il right of search. but a
right OF vlstatlon--though it would puzzle a
photographer TO find out any substantial differ
encc between the terms.
1t Is evident that the English plea is sound.
II armed sqnadrons are to suppress the slave
trade by the seizure Of slavers, thew must have
the right of stopping and examining all vessels
which seem likely TO contain slaves Without
such right, the operations of the suuadrons
would be rldlculously futile. They would be
IN the position OF a Waterman set 10 guard prom
erty but scrupulously forbidden to look at anv
intruder upon the premises. And the wrathful
Vaporlng OF the United States Senate--when
we have on the Statute Book an Act in which
we bargain conformity with England to pot
down the slave-trade, by the employment of
armed squadrons--at the commission of acts
without which that bargain would become |
mere nullity, certainly rebounds but slightly to
the credit OF that august body's common sense
On the other hand, it is quite plain that the
right OF search or visitation claimed by Great
Britain, Is palpable invasion of the SOVEREIGN.
~ OF tho United States. The principle that
the flag covers the ship and cargo is too obyious
and too generally admitted to need comment at
the present day. No nation can submit 10 al.
low It's vessels to be searched by the cruisers of
another nation without abdicatinp some norton
OF It's sovereignty; and the nation which
clalms any such right of visitation, arropates 70
itself authority and dominion over every nation
with regard to whose ships that right is exer
clSed. Were the United States to submit to
the practice now asserted by Great Britain.
they would tacitly admit the legal supremacy
and general police authority of the latter on
the high seas.
1t is evident that this can not be done. II
is clear that we must put an end TO this rigbt
OF search or visitation. But it is unnecessary
and absolutely silly to get into a rage about
the matter; tor 1t is clear as MONDAY that we
brought these outrages on ourselves by making
the. treaty of 1912. That treaty never could
have been carried into effect without the WISH
tatlon of American ships; and as we made and
ratified 1t, 1t is nonsense now to clamo: at a
consequence which must have been forseen at
the time it was executed.
We anticipate no trouble with Great Britain.
The people of England will not go to war with
US. Nor would we with them. England, after
the customary diplomatic struggle will give
way and either new arrangements will be made
for the police of the ocean, or that police will
: = rH.E S"'D vi A'eSiI' 1he iooIIsh uedty
Of 1912 will be abrogated. For the rest, the
idea of hostilities is preposterous and only wor.
thy the petty politicians who trade in national
1t is not little significant that the
waters where the late dispute arose were also
The scene of the gallant devotion of the British
sailors and doctors who, few weeks ago, saved
the survivors of our SuSquehGnnGh from the
most terrible of deaths !. and that The first
American officer who has been dispatched to
the scene of action is he who presented the
ReSotuts TO the Queen of England; and assured
her of the personal attachment and respect
which his countrymen bear her. Such men
are very unlikely to strike the first blow in an
ADglo-Amercan war;
o. Mrs. Grumpy, 10 looking over the adj
vertisements the other day, saw one headed
" Radical Cures" Well, said she "I'In glad