Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1861-05-25
NEW YORK PRESS ON THE NEWS
FROM ENGLAHD.
Ifrom The 7. 1Imes.
TIE QUESTION OF PRIYATEERING.

THE QUESTION OF PRlVATEERlNG.
We have at last the text Of Lord John Russers de-
caration in Parliament, in regard to The policy when
the British Government has decided TO adopt concerning
the issue of letters of marque by the socaed Southern
Coufederacy. He announces that the reoelous otfPs
are this respect TO be regarded by the BRUSH uov
eminent as beiigerents :: and, IN the remarks Win
which he accompanies this declaration, quoting prece
dents for this action he fully vindicates our statement
made when the telegraph first announced this debate
aud which has been severely contested by correspon
dents that the prvatees Of the South are 10 be recog
nized and protected by the British Government, when
they bring prizes into British ports. We repeat what
we said them that this is tmfriendy act and II car
red into practical effect will be regarded and treated
nv the Government of the United States. The British
Government strains point of international law,-ds
cards utterly the established principle that none put an
established nation, having a recognized national Ing,
and already received bv formal action into the family OF
nations can issue letters of marque against private pro-
pcrty,-and cites the absurdly napphcabe example oil
the Greek Revolution precedent to justify It's giving
the most effective aid it could possibly render to the
Slye Ogarchy in rebellion against the Government
of the United States Such act Will not pass unpun-
shel II it does not at once force the present Ministry
TO give place TO better men, it will lay the seeds OF hos
tiy which will bear fruit long after the present rebel
hon mas been extinguished. "
But there is another aspect of this question which de-
serves the prompt attention of our Government The
United States has always been opposed to war upon
priyate property and has done more than any other
nation to pat an end this utterly barbarous and unjust
practice At various periods OF our history we have
made treaties by which Prvaeerng was abandoned Aud
our laws have always forbidden our citizens to accept
letters of marque from any begerent Power We are
committed more thoroughly than any other nation to the
utter abolition not only OF Prvaeering, but OF private
wsr in Ill its forms; and if we bad not attempted too
much In this direction the whole world would now have
been united in placing privaeerng and piracy upon the
same basis. II is not pet TOO tate
l. will be remembered that the l0th of April 1856,
the PleLipoteutiares OF Great Britain Acetria France
Prussia Russia Sardinia and Turkey in their Conference
at Paris signed a Declaration, agreeing among them
selves that the following fixed principles should be intro
duced into international relations:
Privateerng il and remains abolished.
, The neutral hlg enemys goods, with the ex
cep.ion Of coutrahaud Of war;
! Neutral goods, with the exception of con'raband OF
wa are not liable to capture .nder eLemys tag.
Blockades, in order to be binding, must be eiec-
ty,-that is to say, maintncd by force sui ;ient
really TO prevent access to the coast of the enemy
Ths was presented by the French minister at Washing
ton to the American Government FOX &c concurrence
O, the 2s.h OF july 1856 Mr. Marcy then Secretary of
State replied substantially that the fourth principle con
corning bockldes already FULLY and universally recog
n;zed az rule Of International law; that the American
Government promptly and cheelfdlly acceled TO the
second and third Which fOr many years they had been
trying 70 introduce into International relations and that
to the first they proposed to add these words
~
zens of belig rent the high seas shall be exempt
from seizure BY the public armed vessels OF the other
beligerent except it be contrabaud."
Thi,, it will Ae geep, simply proposition to add
10 the declaration to which the Conference OF Paris had
given its assent 1t not REJECTION OF tie original
proposition, but simply proposition to amend it,
The declaration 0i the conference at Paris still STANDS
The seven powers there represented have given their as
sent 10 those four pruci laswh5h only GSa: cur as
sent to become fixed principles Of International lag ar
Seward has only TO notify the Governments OF Great
Biain, Austria France, Prussi4 Russia, Sardinia aud
Turkey that the United States concur IN the declaration
OF !nri To- 1886 and he binds all those powers to The
permaueu, 40. .on of privateering Not one OF them
could withdraw from Trotocol in which they then
Joined or recognz the Southern ps":sers, without ba-
sirg their withdrawal upon acknowledged hosiy % the
United Stetes
We hope our Government may find consistent with the
public good TO give this aOiea q. once. 1t viii most e
'ec,ualy check the apparent disposition Of the British
vernmeEt sanction the priyateering projects CT Jeh
Davis and deprive him entirely OF that Weapon OF 81 un-
lust war The abolition Of priyaeerng once introduced
iao the international code, the amendment for which
our Government has couenied will follow inevitably,
and M var upon private property, by sea or land viii
be- forbidden. We trUst Ills mater will speedily engage
the attention OF the Secretary CT State II IL has not al
r adv done so.