The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1861-12-23
o mutual slaughter and pillasc, was terminated

mutual slaughter and pillage, was terminated
by treaty OF peace, in which, by tacit agree
ment, no allusiou was made TO tho original
cause Of the war With these examples, can
we reasonably hope by force of arms to compel
the twenty millions of Americans who are now
united under the Federal Government u sccept
our exclusive Interpretation Of the law Of ma
tions Bcsiies the mere settomens Of the
question Of the Trent does not dispose Of our
difficulties aud dugers. We require a con-
plete revision Of the international maritime
code with a view TO its smplidcation, and to
biirg il into harmony with the altered cir
cln.sta, ces ct tho age and TO do this, it must
in justicc be admitted, the Americans have
not been the obstacle. Moro than five
wears ago the Government Of Washington pro-
posed TO she European powers to exempt pri-
vatc proper At sea from capture by armed
vessel, ot every kinda proposal which, in his
Message to Congress, Ptesident Pierce stated
hAd been t,Vorahly received by Russia and
fru CO, but which Was rejected by our Govern
tnt, nc ing in opposition to the unlnim bus
opinion Ci tho commercial bo lies Of this couu-
'ry. Subsequently,, Mr.. Buchin,n's Govcrn-
men enlarged thlg offer by Proposing t. nbol-
ish blockade, 81 far as purcly m ,rc tutilc ports
were concerned hut again this met with no
Favor from our Glyotnmcut. e The dn'aila of
this plan are hut imp sricctly known, as NJ oli-
ctal documents have hOcn giyrn to tho Rrit all
publie. But after p"rssing the .tNtcmen' m dc
ty our Foreign Minister, Ia the lIo Is, Of Com.
mons, ON tho 18Th Of February last, tho piu.
tll impression Is l-lt ON NV mind. that hai th
otter OF tho Tn ted States Govornmon', inst,d
of b'ing ops Sod, been p.omptlN AMI fankly
accepted hy Englin', our commerce win
the southern potts Of that cosut y N .ht have
at thls moment been uninterrupted, aui Ian
cashro would baSo hat ly fol. ANY inclt-
yeuicuce from the civil war in America.
| vas a. eut tom patlitmeut whoa thrsA
Al moi al e.
all seiiOus discussion on thl suffice seems {,
have t-cn disc Iurl-td by tho GoY,rnmou'; bu,
| think shi II bB ailc to shov on n future ou-
ca. ion that no other country is interested 10
halt tn extent Of EuItui IN carr, ing cut
thsso pr, positions uf the United atcs Govern
mcnt. would 90 - stop fmthrr, and cN'm?t
lum visitation, search, ami Obstruction ot
every kind, all neutral motrhnu vessels On tho
ocean o. OF n sea iu time Of wU, ~ vol ~ in
time OF poacp. The comm 'rco ,t tho world hNa
become too vast, and its mos vomcnts too rapid
to permit Of murch ant vessels OF all ul.iuna
being, oyervWhero, Liable to search and detvn-
tion, merely because two povcrs IN some Vrar-
ter Of the plobo choose To bc a, war. This
state OF thugs might have becn oniurablc
some centuries sgN when war W IS regarded ~
tho normal state ut society, aud when thn uru.
trality oi a great power was UlmO.. uuk4oN n. hut
Il is utterly intolcrabc il an age of II am ut,-
CATION and FREQ trade. Bu, let IL uo, bc fpr.
g,tt hy the British public, in th' p-cs'nt mo.
mcnt ct irritation, that Eull Inl ht a'wIys
been, and still is, tie great obstacle 10 a lioe Al
and hunaro mU,ihCuiuL Of the ma lt.m. Law
oi nations in tho interest Of u.rIls, ant that
her Js-eu, ulnnr is wan ins tn sWcrp the mug'y
maNimS ot Puncn1otf tul tho resI into that
ohli' ion which ht, happily cr..ullcl the hitlr,d
ahsuIdi'ics oi protection. will not ult,.uut,
within tho space oi lettor, 10 touch upon thn
Uth1r usacs involved in iuis icplorlplo civil
..ffHF. mi t.N. .H..I
a.'l a.' a r,Watk. An opinion hcun- tu Us
.L',rl.t. oc hN soma putios, here ard on tho
t"IIr.Lt that II Is iu the power ol t'is g0ysrh-
m,ut1 u FrflaEd ard Franz, to control, IL no'
"'t an ,ll tu tho conflict. | entertain the
s'r1'ge,t conviction, on the contrary, that any
.. 90 iG''T ion on the plrt or a Euopean
,owHr Vh'l"rb by breaking the blockade, or =
.J,mnt,rp ockIovlcd ,meut Of the inlcpond.
rCc % the South, or in any o.h.r way, can
'p',uo other cnoct but 10 atrGv.t, and pro.
ihct the quarrel, History tells u, how great
" tho horrors uf tho French rev lu ion
nrur.. from tho Intervention OF the for islor.
Were a similar element thrown in TO 'niuii'o
the Americon contest, every restrainin., motive
for iorhearance, every thought Of cnmpromi'c or
Cancellation would be cast to tho wlnds--'ho
North would avail itself OF the horrible weapon
always roady at hand, and by calling in the n 1
OF the negro, would carry tho fire and sword of
seville war into the South, and make II desc
lation and Wilderness. SO far from expecting
that the raw material Of our great industry
would reach u- sooner in consequences Of such an
Intervention, | believe tho more probable result
would ho tho de,iruc' ion Of the cotton ri ant
itself throughout tho Southern States OF the
Union. RICHARD ConpEN.
Tho sentiments Of tho letter Voro received
with repeated tokens of appreciation, AM Mr.
Cobden's health was drunk with " three times
three hearty cheers.