The Placer herald., 1860-03-31
The Privateering Question settled Impor-
tant Announcement of Lord Palmerstou,

tant Announcement of Lord Palmerston
The New York Herald of Februarv 20,
holds the following language:
BY our European news, published in this
days paper, we have very important an
nouncement of the British Premier, which
virtually settles the question Of privateering
on the high seas. A deputaton of mer-
chants from Liverpool, Bristol, Manchester,
Leeds, Hull, Belfast, aud Gloucester, waited
on Lord Pa|merston, urging upon him the
adoption of the principle of exemption of
the private property of an enemy from cap.
ture At sea in time of war. This question,
which includes privateering, WAS to have
been brought before the European Congress
for settlement, had it met but as there is
supposed to he no probability of its ever
meeting, the British merchants now apply to
Lord Pamerston to endeaver to have the
principle adopted, by treaty or otherwise.
The Minister, however, being tar better
statesman than his advisers, wisely concludes
that it would be impossible for the Govern
ment to agree to amy such policy, the very
existence Of the country depending on its
possession of the command Of the sea. ut
was necessary, therefore, for that object, to
retain the power of sezing the ships, and es-
pecally the seamen navigating the ships of
foreign Powers, for if they did not seize the
seamen of the enemy on board their mer-
chant vessels, they would have to fight them
on board their ships of war" This announce
ment effec,ualy disposes of the question of
privateerHg, as far as the government of the
United States is concerned, and settles it,
too, for the rest of the world, the two great
maritime Powers agreeing about the princi-
ple Lord paImerstou thinks it would he
nothing short of madness on the part of the
British government to give up its imaginary
command of the seas 10y foregoing is right
to capture the enemys merchant ships and
>eamen. Our ships of war are not sufficient
ly numerous to accomplish that object, but
we can do it bv privateers. as we did in our
two wars with England. Our privateers are
our militia of the seas, and it would be as
absurd to abandon our rights to use them as
our land militia in case of an invasion.
When Mr.. Marcy, as Secretary Of State.
was asked by the Paris Conference, Of 1856,
to consent to the abolition Of privateerng,
he replied that wo would do so if the
European powers would consent to abolish
the practice of capturing the enemy's mer-
chant vessels at sea with their ships of war.
OF course the English government would not
agree to this and how strong Lord Palmer
stou's opinion on this subject is the reader
now sees. Neither can we afford to agree
to abolish prvattering. 1t is as lawful AN!
moral as The British mode of warfare. We
have a small navy, but very large mer
chant service, and by arming this latter we
turn it at once into temporary fleet 1t
was by privateering that we compelled Eng
land to make peace with us in the last war;
and if we were to surrender this kind of navy,
which costs us nothing, we should have to
build an expensive navy proper, which could
cope with those of Grea, Britain and France,
lust rs we would have to raise and maintain
large standing army if we abandoned our
militia system. An attempt has been made
by European governments posse ssing large
navies to stigmatise privateering as piracy,
and we are sorry to say that the sapent
Chamber of Commerce Of this port have
swallowed thi, nonsense, and recently played
into the hands of those governments, which
have every thing to lose and noting to gain
10y the retention of privateering, which is
peculiarly an American institution. For the
same reason they would be glad to see us
abolish negro slavery. But we claim, the
same llght to pursue our own mode of war
fare on the high seas that we do 20 continue
our own system Of labor in cultiva,ing the
arts of peace.
ARrEMus WARD AT OBERLIN.-Oberlin is
great place. The Kolidge opens with n
prare and the New York Tribune is read.
kolecshun is then taken up to buy over
koats with red horn buttons on them for the
INDECENT kulured people of Kanaly. have
kontribit leberay to the lorius work, as
they kawl it heare. At the boardn house
the kullured people sits at the first table.
What they leeve is mad into hash for the
white people. AS dom. like the idee OF
eatin my vittles with neggers, | set at the
round table, and the consequence is I've de
vowered so much hash that my inards are in
highly mkt up kundishun. Fish bones
hav made there appearance all over my body
and pota'or peelns air springlng up al
thru my hare. However, don't mind it
I'm git,in along well in pecunery pint o
view The koIldge has konfered upon IN,
the honery title of X T.. of which am sut
fciently prowd. Unless go to Geewagy
county, shall be in Kleveland next week
Fairwel Where ere Rome lie never for
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