New-York daily tribune., 1858-07-31

,,,, .oolS s.n l;...s BY ts sod..ie- C Pt;Tssssf
i,s, thsJ might Iae Al important n-eats oi aanoy-
snoe IL the c,se Of war vita the United osstee, or
Sly other maritime nation. In point OF fact how
ever, thi, privilege of privs'eeri1g would not ap'
pear to be Of any real vslue TO them. Their hAr-
hors are too few and too ea,Iy b'ockaded, TO sy
nothing Of tier destitB.ion of ships, sailors add
other maritime resources, to enable them to figure
much in Til, lire Of warfare. at the breaking out
Of lie late war between Mexico and the United
Slater, considerable apprshen'itn "" felt BY our
sbjp. eIs lest they might be annoyed BY private
armed vets.ls sailing under the Mexican hsg. We
believe, however, that lot siog,e Mexican prva-
tesr made its appearance on the sess curing that
whole war. Tie cesson or non.sccession OF
Mexico 10 the rew scteme of maritime warfare
,preed upon at the Congress Of Paris ia mstter Of
no imports1ce. With Spain and tie United States
the case is different, as both are maritime nations,
with eres. facilities for fttiog out pIvs.esrs.
Spain having but comparatively smal commerce
Of her own, probably calculated Ike Mexico, that
While she WA in small Danger Of suffering much
from p,i7ateers, she might by their means inaics
the Gaze does Lot apply ex.cty to tho United States
With our vast and widely extended commerce. the
abolticn of prvateeiing would be great benefit to
our merchants, and in the cus Only Of war with
Great Britain could We expect ihat the balance of
injuries iphict BY means Of private armed vessels
might be on our tide.
1t would ,etm, too, that this vas ease, Ike
that of 60 many other ameliorat'ons introduced
into the prosecution of warfare generally. in which
tie dictates Of humanity aud the security and hap
pirers Of individuals ought to be allowed certain
weight In fact, the American Government did
lot venture to reject the proposition outright or
to ayow Themselves q. the advocates or spoogists
of privateerng. On the other hand, they set up
that the proposition Of the Congress Of Paris did
lot 90 far erough to satisfy their wide views.
They insisted that the proposed abolition OF pri-
watering should be extended to tie protection Of
property at sea against capture even By ma
toDs ships. In other words, they proposed
tie abolition Of al maritime war. War on
the ocean has for its sole object to cur
tail and interrupt trade, and BY that means to
produce willingness for peacs. Almost the only
object Ct tie encounters of national vessels at
sea is 70 open the way for swtepiog from the seas
the trsdiSg vessels of the beaten party. War on
the ocean is, no doubt, thing which il wonld be
better to get lid Of entirely So is war on the land
But, in tie present condition Of things, t) make
the abolition Of either tie cole condition Of any
modification in tie method Of prosecution, is, in
fact 10 refuse to agree to that modification. So
the matter seems to be regarded By the French
minister, and, If appears to u.s. with justice. The
responsibility Of standing in the way of the aboli-
ton of pryateeripg rests at this moment or the
United States. Add to th. the responsibility
which just now seems to rest upon us for the con-
tinuston Of the slave trade, ard certainly occupy
rather delicate position before tie tribunal Of the
civilized world.