Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1861-06-12


with all the sbues which prone 70 accompany the
exercise Cf unlimited power, where responsibility is re
mote; these ind ed serious DISTINCTIONS, little
likely to ba submitted 10 in the present se OF the world
without formidable .Drt to prevent them Such pre-
tensions uectssaIiy lead 10 be estab meut OF police
upon the great bghway Of nations to the transfer Of u
risdistiOn is vessels from tho country 10 which
L belongs N other p0wers, who may exercise u Or Their
own purpOe' Far Dcer would It be to encourage The
trcest system Of commercial intercourse, BOA ~ peace
and war than 10 encoU,ter Ike calamit.= which would
BE- sure al this day 10 attend the attempt revive the
claim 10 0bstrHct the trade Of the world This govern
meut is satisfied that design i medliated, and under
the circumstances the United States fee! justified in con-
de1iug the freedom OF ncur6 vessels from interruption
when carrying beigcrent property an established priu-
ciDe OF inercommunicaton hch ought TO be respe It'd
such by all commercial nations.
But there IA another aspect under which tbs SUI jet
presents itself aud which cor hims this GOveumen IN
the resolution il las formed and IT. tn expectation that
h,r powers will cordially corcur in its views. By G
declaration OF the Paris conference in it5 sitting Of Apri
l6 1885, il announced on teEat OF all the States
ho might become parties to that &C. hat "the neutral
1g eremys goods, with the exception Of contra
band of var"
This mutual agreement protects the property of each
OF those States, when engaged in hostiles, from cap
ture on board neutral vessel by enemy party 10
the same act. IL is ary that neutral should
have ced ts adherence to this declaration IN
order to cniile its vessels TO the iumuriy promised
beigvrtnts coparuos 10 that memorable act, and pro
ecs Il cir property from capture whenever it IS found
on beard vessel belonging 10 nation not et gagtd IN
hostiliies. Were it otherwise very grave question
would arise for the consideration OF the GoVernmn Oi
the United States.
The carrying trade is e branch of employment to all
neutral commercial powers. Il is peculiarly 80 to this
couutty from the enterprise OF It's citizens, aud from Tie
facility with which they devote themselves to the pur.
suits Of navigation While oonceding the authority OF
beigerent nations to relax the gid principles ct var,
Ia far ~ regards their own rights and eXemp. ohtr
powers from penalties which might be eniofc but for
such cGnccssOn whether this is done for conslder--
t0u or without it. those ueurs nations which arc pre-
vented om being parties 10 such au arrangement have
a right insist that il sb4H TO necessarily Work TO their
irlry. This dictate o! justice would > paraolY IL
!aud in the case of the United safes sLoull ttis pre-
!ectiic clu-c ct the Paris cor ference no. enable their
vessels when ueua 10 shield from captue tue prop
,lty of beigercnts carried freight Such an in
munity Withheld from ths country would, in tac, op-
crate a premium granted TO other nations aud
would be almost destructive OF that important branch
Of our ualoaal Industry the carrying trade. Il
ought uot TO be expected that T. is country would
quietly 6oduesce in such iuYIdiOus distinction, AMI
tue expectation, II INDUCED, would ha sure 10 b.
disappointed. The United States, indeed, d' clued
70 become party to the Paris conference, tLOugI that
circumstance does affect tie position they occupy
Taoy dd 50 for the most satisfactory reasons because
the propositions not dvisibe, and because they
were q4red TO sure nIer mode OF maritime warfare
peculaty ADAPTED their condition aud pursuits, and
essential 70 their defense upon the ocean. IL Wa5 rot
that the propositions went too far but because they cd
not 20 lar enough that this felt it to be it, duty
20 withhold IL concurrence from the ac;s OF tie cOnie
euce Il conced-s however, that while claiming to par-
ticipate neural power IL this exemption, Is bound
when beCCrut IoStr 70 respect the same priLc pc,
recognizing s general gaOn. AZ lar a. reasonlbF
practicable the evils Of should be corfned TO tie
par,ics engaged 10 it, and NEURAL nations have rgttio
maud that ,heir interests should be affected u'
when brought 1io contact with hostile op raioIs ery
ADAPTED 20 promote the submission OF al enemy. ihi-
inst barrier against the passions OF nations las iouLd
e practic. favor In the progress Of their dis,enoI,
and be lesul, L.s been The Introduction 0thcf cause
# tror5c which 1t wise TO examine calmly, with
view 10 avert the serious queuces, which may b
snticraed il no such Effort is mace. The system OF
no h4des and the docne and practice touching contra
rsut Of war have been r lie sources OF these DIN ~
es not ouy in queLce OF the vague aud coniIadc
tory in Which the su eos are considered, as vel
~ iqGic decisions ss IN received treai,es, by elrneu-
try writer's upoa public law, bu. also m consequence OF
their pec.rly offensive character and OF the irritation
they are sure 10 produce
Almost lte have been the questions 10 which these
subjects more especially those relating to cOntr-band q
war have given ip aud human ingenuity has been er-
,su,ted IN efforts 10 reconcile the Unlimited seizure o.
neutral property aud m appropriation to the purposes OF
me csptors with established principles loose they too
hel srsnts impose reasonable restrictions upon their
exercise in the cxpectaon vain it i too often found,
Of preventing he;r abuse But the contest has been All
unequal aud losing one betw,ea the power ct couhsc--
ton and appropriation and the prohibition OF the inter.
haolul code sppeaiug for its sauctious only to the
cousceuccs Of nations
(BLocKADE)
The blockade Of an cucmys coast in order to prevent
all Intercourse with neurI power, even for the mos,
pcscr!u purpose l. claim which g7ics 10 additional
10. 10 rfi.V ind 10 f,If.t t!tf
hc IL rests and the evils which have accompanied us
rcrc,c call Tor efficient remedy. The Investment oi
plicc by sea and hrd, eih view 10 its reduction,
preventing II from cccviug supplies q men and matr-
al uece--ary for IT, defense cgm'e mode oi Pre-
.cuirg ho,t les which cannot be OH 'cted 10, so long
s var is rccogu z.d as an srhit,r of national dr.
putcs But the blockade Of coast, or OF CONNER
cisl ro-itons alo it, vi hout any regard 10 uoror
mill nr operations and with the zeal design oi carving
ON a war agoi,.,t trade aud, from its very nature,
against the trade OF pesceable ami ireLdiy powers,
Instead Of against ar7"td men, J. pro
cerdng which it j. difficult TO reconcile WITH reason
or with The opinions OF modern times. 10 "alch
every creek and river and harbor upon An ocean lroher
in order to ard cOucae every vessc VIII ITS cargo
atfcmptinE to enter 90 without aoy direct 'hect
nou the true OF i.c:s Of war; mode OF conducting
ho,'ilitiss which would fad few advocaies II now first
prcsCnted for con. derHtIOn. UuiOru atev, however
the right to do this has been long recognized 10y the
Ia Z OF IatiOis accompanied indeed With precautionary
coud tons intended prevent abuse, but Whch eGper
ence has shown to be- amentaby imperative lt IL very
desirable therefore, hat this constant Of irritation
in lin, OF war should be guarded against aud hs power
10 interrupt all intercourse with extensive regions be
limited and pr, ci-ty d, fled, before BY necessary re-
action it, exeIc,e !s met by an armed resistance.
There can be 10 reasonable doubt but the original
Theory of blockades III conformity with the views
herein suggested that is they were considered as mill
try means 20 reduce invested places snd upon this nar
row foundation thu immense supersr lecture when now
ovesbadows the commercial Intercourse OF the world
has been erected from me TO time by bthgefent pow"
es for their own purposes One OF the most eminent J-
rseonsuls of this country, both in character and posi-
ton Judge Marshall when Secretary of state in bis IN
sttuc;ops dated September 3O 1900, 10 Mr. King then
our minister at oud0n lends bis high authority 10 this
view of the sui iect. "On principle, he sad, m might
well be STONED whether this rule can be apl ed TO
place not co petey invested by nd as well as by sea-
+ we examine the reasoning which is founded the
rob to intercept and coliscate supplies designed for
o, aded town. it will be difficult TO resist the convc'
on that its extension to towns invested by only Is
an able eucroGchment the rights OF neu,rals"
The elementary writer's abound with expressions ndi-
Getting close connection between blockades and sieges
Vatt defines the right OF party bloekading OF besieg
inc uace TO treat as enemy any one VINO attempts
10 enter such place or carry anything to the beseged
And Lord Stowen, when speaking OF bOckadng force
az bpsegug force borrowed language which had been
thus previously used and which left doubt Of ts OIL
gin
But Lord Stowell has borne yet direct testimony
TO the correctness of these suggestions. In case de-
cidfd by him. lie sad blockade is "a sort OF clrcum-
vsl,tion by which 4 correspondence and communics.
ton s as far human force effect it, eeetuay cut
of" &c.
Il would be difficult for language to express with MOI
precon the true character OF bcckades and the object
to which they are properly applicable the redctio" Of
INFESTED places.