Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-12-11

49, + -. -
zen PASSAGE f0f Europe The Captain Of ths ssssn-
gr was bOt 70 know whether or not they we're IN
Diplomatic position for the Southern COME deracy
recngn'god ~ this government AID BY other ma
tons Of Europe as belligerent in the war which
they suatsin with the Federal Government He re-
csived them e. he did the other passengers on
board, who had embarked for the same port Of
destination. They were all, forth With, equally
under the protection Of the Eaglish hsV over The
vessel. URder this Btate Of facts the CAPTAIN Of
the English vesse did not violate any ObCatiOn of
u neutrality which may be defined in the folio wing
maxim: that the nen tral cannot grant t. beli.
gerent what he denies to the other.
Although the right of search allowed in time Of
war, has Its limits and restrictions, we will grant
that the corvette San JacInto, cruiser OF the
> Federal Government IN thsse waters had the pow
2r to detAin and search the steamer Trent. yet
with all the conditions and circumspection thai
this delicate right requires at tie point At which
this Was done, which must be neutral waters. We
make this last remark intentionally. forming our
opinions follows: The San JacintO ssH the
Trent five miles north OF Coco Key; from that time
until she reached the Trent one and h If hour
must elapsed; supp Jsng that the vessel WAS going
at the rate OF ten knots an hour, the place where
the two vessels met must have been IN the Eeridi-
an of Pardon Key and GUinchOs, in the narrow
est part of the old B IhamL channel
But We repeGt although we may conce5e to the
cruiser San JacintO the right Of search, and sup
posing it exercised with all the prudence and mod
Grafton which should be Observed in such cases
& thing which we may reasonably doubt-Uhen we
look 10 what has happened recently to French
vesse Ell of which we have been advised; was fright
for instance to employ the threat Of usng force to
demand those tRo geatlemsn, Messrs Slidell and
MRsonG To prove that it was not, We fail back
upon an authority that the Americans cannot ques-
ton
"The vessel y says Mr.. James Kent, (page IIs,
Tsl LIST Commentaries on the Laws Of the United
States lit is considsred in the light Of the law
part of the territory of the 70 which the
vessel bel0ngs In page l22 ne says also 'the in
volatility Of the neutral character extends protce-
ton not only TO the property Of ths neutral, but
that Of belgerent Powers. that in the jurisdc-
ton OF the NEUTRAL therefore il is illegal to convert
the neutral territory into theatre of brEtiliteI
or to attack the Gnemy while upon il" The
eOCks he adds, ARE full Of practical cases OF the
recognition Of this principle Of neutrality In the
year 1898, the British ship Grange was taken by
French trigSte IN the Delaware bay, and this ssne
American government demanded and obtained the
prompt restitution Of the vessel The chip Anna
= was taken by An English cruiser At lhe mouth OF
the AiEIDsippi, in the jurisdction Of the United
States, and Great Britain EAs csmpssd 20 restore
her. We never would get through were we to re
fer 70 all the cRses that haTs 10 our notice
7 AOt only justfyng but converting to say 49, into
the axiom of international right the inViOlability
of the principle Of neutrality that we have AsS
serted.
Well now, If the steamer Trent was TO be cousid.
cred in neutral waters as EngliSh territory rot
only the persons Inside Of It, but the property of
either OF the beligeFents ought 70 be scrupuousy
respected by the other. according to the doctrine
taught in the same book, which Is considered the
highest authority BY juriSts and statesmen Of the
Federal Union.
With what right could the commander Of the San
J&eInto demand the surrender Of two Of the paasen
!, gers oC board Of this vessel? He certainly would
not have had that right, though Aessrs SldeI
and Mason were active members Of the Confederate
| army. Even had they been prisolers and ped
aud were on board OF this vessel, from the mCment
they got on board they were under ihe protection
Of the neutral flag and they had acquired the right
Of beng respected under the penalty of the viOa-
ton Of the principle of neutrality. With how much
more reesOn IN the present case IN which the Ques
ton relates only 70 two gentlemen, whose place OF
departure and mission were not necessarily known
by the captain Of the vessel in which they went ike
any other passenghrsY
But not only was their Surrender demanded but
force threatened TO obtain IL If they refused. by
J Tresp2ssiDg on board sn English steamer with an
armed troop end Obliging them TO submit il order
TO save their fellow travellers from serious incon
Venien0e. If the captain Of the Trent bad had the
energy Of Which the seamen Of Eogiand and other
nations have given such Eignal prODf the world
would hare seen With smsssment = neutral vessel
taken or Aunk for having sus'sled the principle CT
neutrality thus manifes;ly YIOlsted. And who
would have been the author OF such an Uutrsgei
The commander Of a man of-WaP belonging TO a
nation than whom none are more se6lOus in the
observance Of that principle, and not long sinoe
raising ts cries TO heaven, demanding satisfaction
from Us AID requiring naturalization, qualifying
a. an oLtrage tnst winch was no aoI than ths
right Of defence Of against the piraticsl
expedition proceeding fron theirs. She GlRO WOnld
despiEs the British people if her government would
not hasten, ~ We expect il will do. to disspprOve
sOlemnly of the conduct of the San acintO reslor-
Ing TO the territory Of England the $50 persons in
question and giving to the British atg sae ssIis-
faction due 70 IE
The taking upon ourselves the isfense OF this
case Is without reason; il she violation Of the
principle OF neutrality With oae friendly power
that Of all the neutrals was violated and Ee have
an interest with the others its recognition and
iEs roPsrstion. AeEsrs, SlIdell and Mason might
very veil have tEken passage IL one of the STEAMERS
of our line, and this Of T.oleace might have
occurred to our Gag, so it is our dEty to Cur an
interest 20 claim and enforce the right Of neutrality
and TO reprOVe and punish GUy act which tends 70
restrain = conceded right 1t makes no difference
! which power Is the victims Of such violation.
! We mast conclude this article By sho wing that
an attempt Was also 1sds against this principle IL
the case which occurred at Psnams and 70 which
We allude in the hrst paragraph We cOEeede. as
stated be ore to Ne Sumner, The right Of taking the
I prisoners on board the American steamer OriIib4
the ex-senator, Gr. G Twin, aud his two companions
If they be considered enemies to Eis Government;
but being as il Is, recognized principle of inter
national right that no belligerent can Introduce
either prisOnersor booty into lterritory and
suthOrities required the dslYerance of tSe parties
in question, he in duty bound TO accede their
requisitIOn. We believe, therefoTs, that because
he did not do so, the Federal Government will dis
approve the act, and return the prisoners their
liberty, respecting The right, no matter what the
circumstances OF the people who suffer is violation.
/
At meeting Of the directors Of the Southern
Shoe Manufacturing Company, en- the q inst, dis
tributsd S2 GOo as follows $3.50 to the Free Mar
kst, $3.50 to the Boys Orphan Asylum Of the Third
District of New Orleans, $500 to the army Of Ms
souri,, $500 to the army of Kentucky, s40O to the
Soldiers' Hospital st Nashville, and $500 to tie
| Louisiana Hospital at Richmond
The Enemy on Our soasG.
Fron the BalsiEh Register Dss &
We learn from reliable source that Yankee |
regiment had landed and taken possession Of Ports
mouth in this State, and that there ten Yankee
steamers in IPamlicO Sound. With the exception |
of Tilman Farrow, Esq., the inhabitants about
Ocracoke-vreckers and fishermeu-have given in \