Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1861-05-27

their governments animated than by ss king to intro
dnce INTO international relations fixed principles in thi
resp c.
The above mentioned Plcnipoten,iaries being duly a,
thorz'd, resolved to concert among hemsclvcs as L
the meals OF attaining II o ci; and having come I,
an ayr ement have hdop,ed the following solemn Dec
! larAtion:
J. rrivAteering Il, ard rcm,ins abolished;
= Tie neutral tltg covers ouemy's goods with liz
oxcsp ijn of contrabsnd Of war;
. Neutral goods, with the exception of contr4band
war, GIe not lia' l. to capture uader enemy Q;
Blockades in order TO be binding must he ei, ctiye
that to say, maintained by fore, sufficient really &
prevent access to to tie coast OF the enemy.
EXTRACT FROM PROTOCOL No. "A LISTING or APRIL l6
1886.
On the proposition of Count Wa,ewski, and recogniz
ing that is ter the general interest to maintain the in
d'isbity OF the four principles mentioned in the Decla
raion sgntd this dav, the PeLpoentiaes agree that
the Powers which shall have accedcd to IT, cannot here
after enter into any angemerts in regard to the a.
pLcai)n o the rights OF neutrals in time OF war which
does not at the time rest on the four prinoipl
which are the object of the SAID Declaration.
Upon an observation made by the Penp poeutisries OF
Russia the Oougrss admits that the present resou.
ton cannot have any retroactive effect it uvai-
date antecedent Conv ntions.
DEPARTMENT OF STATE
WASHINGTON July IS, 1886 (
Tie Co,Dt dc .SUtiqes, dc, dc, dc.
The undersigned, Secretary Of State of the United
States, has lid before the President The Declaration
concerning maritime law" aiop.sd By the PleGipoten
are5 OF treat Britain, Austria France Pru-S, Rlssa
Sard uiI aud Turkey at Pars on the III of Aprl SAT-
which The Count de SAr,iges Envoy Extraordinary and
Minister PcnpotentaTy OF France has presented in be-
haf OF the Emperor OF the Frel ca 10 the G0yCTnmC
Of the United States, for tie purpose of obtaining its
adhesion 10 the principles therein contained.
Nearly two years since, the President submitted, no.
only to the Powers represented in tie late Congress
PAis bu. TO all other maritime nations, the second and
third propositions contained in that "Decaraio ion" aud
asked their assent TO them permanent principles OF u
ternatoua law. The propositions thus submitted by the
President were:
al That free sliTs make free goois-tbat is to say
that the r cts goods longing 20 sui cs otz,I
of Power State at are free from capture and
coniscluon when found board Of neutral vessel4,
win Il exception Of articles oOuirabsnd OF war."
- That Tie property o noUIa.s Oh board enemy's
vessel is OF SUBJECT 10 couhscItioa, unless the sane be
conirabGud OF war"
1t will be perceived ha; these propositions are sub
stlntialy the the second and third in the De-
claratioi' Of the Congress at Paris.
The fourth principle contained in the "Decaratiou"
name, .-"B'ockadJs in order to bo bindir T. must BE-
c cvr that il TO gay, mIiutlinsd by force sufficient
really 20 prevent to the coast OF the enemy
hardly be regarded falling within that class with
when il the al je,t ci Congress to interfere for tbs
rule ha- fer org time been REGARDED uncertain,
or the caue OF any "dpcrabe disputes. II there have
been any souies in regard TO block dts the tuty
was about the f4ct- bat not the law. Those nations
which have reortd 10 What aTpr0pr ately den0mi
mated "pipsr blOckaGcs" have rarely II ever uudera-
Ken 10 Justify ttCir conduct upon principle bnt haye
generally admtied the ilcgllry Of the practc. and III
dcmnfrd the Injured parties
In regard to the righ, TO employ psiyaecr5, which
is declared to be abolished by the isst pilcpl: put
forth in the "D c'arat"n there ~as, possible less un-
certainty The right TO resort to rrivatters Is as clear
as ihc right 30 public armed ship, and as !ncoa e3-
tabe ~ any Ob,r night appesiaiung To bslgeIcnis.
The policy OF that law has been occasionally qpes;oucd.
not however by the best auhoFitcs; but the law itself
has been universally admitted, and mos; nations have
not Ec.itlcd TO avail thea selves o IT it i- Vel SUI
aiucd BY praccr and public opinion ~ any Other to be
found it the maritime code.
Thee IS scarcely sny rule o international Law which
Particular nations their treaties have not occasionally
,us, ended or modified in regard 10 ~ application To
thcrns, l,es Two treaties ouly be found in which
the conuactng paItcs have agreed to abstain from the
erpioymcut OF pfyatctrs IN OF war h"tEcCn hcm
tn FIRST was a treaty between the King Of Sweden ard
the States General OF tie United PioYiices in 1919.
shortly allr it concluded the parties were involved
In war aud the 80 pulluon concerning pfv"e'fs was en-
ircly di-regirdrd by both The second was the Treaty
ot ls between the uIted States and the hing OF PrGs-
.a When this trely renewed in 1872 the cl .tSc
-platiug not to resort to p.i'atecrug was omitted
For The last half century there has been 20 arrange
mcut by treaty or Otherwise % abolish the Tgh. un-
I'll the recent proceedings Of the plenipotentares at
Paris. =.
The intcres. Of commerce Is deeply concerned in the
establishment Of the two principles which the United
States led submitted to all maritime Powers, audi Is
much 10 b, regretted that the Powers represented IN
the Congress OF Paris fully approving them, should a'c
.pd,ngprod their ed ft!on By unurg h IN 10 another
inadmssibe principle aud making the failure OF all TIE
Il. g ssfpt aF anu fFHa l. A
three Of the four principle contained in the "Decara
,on," there would not probably be serious objection
from any quarter but TO the other vigorous RESISTANCE
must have been anticipated.
In work Of much repue, published in France almost
simultaneously with the proceedings Of the Congress at
Paris il is declared that "The issuing OF letters OF
marq1e therefore is constantly customary beIlgeFent
act Priyateets are bona iile yesses manned by
volunteers TO whom by way of reward, tie Sovereign
rssgs such prz they make 10 the same nanncr as
he sometimes assigns to the land forces portion Of the
sar contributions levied on the conquered enemy -
(Phloge ct Dagrdy, des fri'e' Aarit"oes
The undersigned IS directed by the President to say,
ha; to tie pnncipe of ;mpiDG private property upon
the ocean, az well upon the land, applied without re-
tricion he y,lds nos: ready aud wiling ascent The
undersigned better express the Presidents views
upon tie subject than by quoting tie language Of bis
annual message to Congress, Of December /, lSji;
"The proposition to enter into engagements to Orego
resort TO yiyateer-, in case this country should be
forced into war with great naval Power Is not entitled
to more favorable consideration than would be profo
on 10 ac-ee hot accept the services of voun:e rs
for oacrltion5 on land When tie honor or rights oi
our eoun'ry require It 70 assume Lose attitude, 1t
confidently re,s upon tie patriotism ct IT. citzns, not
ordinarily de oted the military profession, 10 augment
e army and navy so as to make hom fully adequate
the emergency which cells tlem in action Tie pro.
uos 70 surrender the right TO employ ptiyateers is pro-
sedy founded upon the principle that private property
of uncnandng nou-comba.0ns though enemies, should
b, oxtmst from the ravagcs of war but the proposed
surr, nter goes hut little way in carrying out that prnc
nla which equally requires that such private property
should not be seized or molesed by national hip'olwar
SLond the leading powers OF Europe concur in proposing
AZ rrle ofntcrnsicnalaw, to mpt private property
uDon the ocean, from the seizgrr Of pulc armed crus
era ne well by privatecr5 the United States will read
ly mce, them upon the broad ground"
No ma ion which hiss due Of self-rospcct will
allow any ether bclgerent neutral TO determine the
character &C the force which il msy deem proper TO
in rrosecntirg hosiies viii wiscly ifit volun
rv surrend the ight TO to any means sane
toned by international law, which under any circum-
stances may be adyanagecusy used for defence ag
gresscn.
The United States consider powerful navies and arg,
standing aTmes permanent establishments 10 he de-
rimental TO national prosperity and dangerous 20 civil
liberty TIE expense Of k cpng them UPS burdcnsome
TO the people, they are, in the opinion of this govorG
ment in some degree menace TO peace among uato1a
large force ready TO be devoted TO the purposes
of war il n temptation TO rush into il. The policy OF
the United Safes has been and never more than
noW adverse 10 such blishmcnts; aud they
be brought aequiescc in any change in International
law which nav render it necessary for them to maintain
nowerfl navy or large regular army in time of peace
II forced TO vindcltc their rights by arms, they
tent in the present aspect of International relations to