Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-08-16
WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP.

acceptance OF the nomination Ior UoNeInor Oh
New York, recently rendered to him by an
Abolition State Convention, evidently ''riles''
the Republican press Of the State amazingly.
While protesting to rejoice that it bids fair
to discover the connection Of the New York
sbolitonsts with the Republicans party, the
Conner and Enquirer means and groans over
1t at great rate, thus showing, though much
against its will, that it is awfulIy 'griped' in
deed. Its pretence that Smith will take from
whoever may be the Republican party nomi-
nee q mere handfull-6ve or six thousand-ot
votes, is so bald that all comprehend its utter
untruth. Ere the organization Of the Repub-
lican party, bolitionism-straight-ou
on any occasion Of particular interest to 1t poll
at least 90, 0O0 strong. Since then it has be-
come much stronger, through the influence of
the policy Of the Republican PARTY, which has
been to ''out- abolition" abolitionism itself, in
order to gain its favor. 1t has succeeded in
keepingthe abolition vote acting with il and
apparently for it, only by going, up to this
time, for nearly all abolitionim demands. FITS
demands just now, however, involve, if acceded
to, the entire abandonment of any pretence Of
not being as ultra OF She slavery and liquor
questions as Gerrit Smith himself; and to ac-
cede to them win be to make 4 sure that the
/ Republican candidate will lose as many con-
sentative votes as may possibly be retained (of
abolition votes by "going the whols hog
In pandering up to this time to the most
ultra spirit Of aboltionism, the New York Re-
publican party leaders have made thorough
paced abolitionists of thousands of their fol-
lowers whom they entertained no design Of
transferring to those they aimed to use; just as
the course Of Senator Douglas cannot fail to
land thousands of his followers in the ranks of
the Republican party, whose principles he is
sustaining so valiantly, while protesting to war
on that organization. Gerrit Smiths &C.
ceptance will be the signal for their withdrawal
from the dominion of Mr. Weed, to follow his
fortunes. Thus, if We do not greatly mistake
the state of New York politics, the Smith vote
will reach nearly fifty thousand-too large a
force for Republican partyism to lose with
reasonable hope remaining of carrying the
State in the fall
The withdrawal Of that wing of the Republi-
can party from their organization must also
serve greatly to strengthen the purposes of the
leaders OF the Crittenden wing, whose profess
sions with reference to slavery questions are
even more moderate than those of Mr. Weed
and the main body (Sewardites) under his com
mand In contest as between the interests
OF Mr.. Seward and those of Mr. Crittenden. or
any other " fossil Wing" as they term them,
the Gerritt Smith wing of what was 90 recently
the Republican party of the Empire State
would surely have sided with the latter. With
out their aid it is questionable whether Mr..
W eed can much longer continue to be the die
tator of his party there. On the whole, its
affairs are in q strange state of uncertainty,
not to be satisfactorily cleared up until after
the votes for Governor shall have been abso-
lu tely counted out of the ballot box.
MARITIME LAWN this steaming weather
it is far too hot for one to study out for ones
readers all the facts and arguments involved
in the interminable right of search question,
as now being discussed on both sides of the
more especially as regarding the real
questions formerly at issue as being substan-
tally settled by England's virtual withdrawal
Of the pretensions with reference to the right
Of search, which her present generation of
statesmen inherited from their fathers and
srandfathers, if not great grand sires. Yet
we desire to afford the Stars readers m intel
igible insight into the existing state of the con-
troversy, and to that end quote the following
Ineligible article from late number of the
London Star. Its views seem to us to be sub
endorsed by the London Times As
no other two journals Of the realm so fairly
English popular sentiment, and AZ
English popular sentiment is surely reflected
in the action of that Government on all i'm
portant questions of State, it will not be long
hence, we take it, before the Ministry or Par
lament effectually avow adherence to such
views of the controversy as are embraced in this
article, which is as follows:
MARITIME LAW Important changes involy.
the root Of all freedom, are taking place, quietly
without opposition, and without much fuss Ii
Is only little more than two wears since the rem
resentatives OF all the great Powers of Chrsten.
dom, except Spain and Mexico, sOlemnly con-
cocted the means Of fixing the rules of interna-
national right, as respects maritime law in time
Of war On those means they agreed ; and the
declaration Of tue plen potentiariss at Paris ON
The IL tn Of April 1856, has taken its place in the
the most notable international acts 1t
s quite true that the United States the second in
rank 0, the ma,ltime nations Of the world, has
refused to accede to that declaration, and upon
grounds which seem to us irrefragable.
The principle that the neutral flag covers an
enemy's goods, and that the goods Of neutral's |
are not seizeable on board enemy's ships, and
the other pIincip pie that blockades TO be obliga.
tory, must be effective, not only entirely ac-
but are pure unalloyed concessions to
that spirit Of justice between Independent nations
whose recent growth promises, happily to render
the scouIge of war less frequent as well as less
severe. The abolition Of privateering I'm time of
war must also be hailed large step in this pro-
Sress towards Christian humanity but it is obvi-
Gus that the U nitrd states Government could not
without committing suicidal act, give its assent
to that abolition. unless IL were accompanied by
the essential declaration that the private property
Of the subjects Of enemy, on the ocean, was
exempt from seizure. IL the private subjects of
bellgerent State are to be inteIdcted from hos
Utilities against the enemy, II follows, In reason
and In logic, that their properties should DE held
sacred With that necessary addition the United
states Minister, the late Nj Marcy, declared his
readiness to accede to the declaration Of Paris on
the subject, but that IL would be impossible for
his Government, whose policy 1t is to allow il,
peaceful mercantile marine to increase and ex-
pand: and keep It's war-like navy at the lowest
possible limit to accept the declaration without
II, thereby cutting OF the only available arm II
possesses for maritime war; while tie great naval