Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1861-05-25

which not well adapt,d TO the work Of chasing lii
tie smuegers that can cal in ard about the
He, no doubt has the power TO revenge himself upo
the South by burning down their coast towns vii
she and red hot shot, is ihore perhaps any !imi
to the amount of destruction which the United State
Navy might il lict il its full power exerted to thl
purpose This however, would have eff c. upon th'
ultimate issue OF the civil war except far that ruth
less deeds by e1crg the sympathes of the worl'
against their pepetrators react upon their authors Their
is appehend that the great ships which hay
been paraded in every with much pride will eve
be put to detestible task The Minnesota and he
formidable sisters have been visited every station b.
the officers of other Daves, and have all been taugh
to admire the weight of their guns their wonderful ap
plianccs for every exgency of and the curious me
chanism by which labor is husbanded and efficiency /.
destruction is obtained with the smallest poSsbl, number
of This war, however, promiss to affJld then nc
antagonist at all worthy OF their proves, and, if they
to be TO the task of bombarding the cities q
the coast, it not very easy to estimate by what maar
the possession Of these monsters be made to have
decisive effect upon the just bursting into fierce
action.
The call for an immediate blockade of the whole South
coast has been violent and univer'al in New
York that We must assume it will be the first attempt
cuergecay made by the Northern States Iii 10 then
evident int, that it should be The existeaee o
Neg (gk dspends upon This being shOrt sharp ana
successful. The New York people are, regards the
coon-srowers masters isting revolt OF ihtf llyes
creditors Srrcsng the escape OF the5 dtbtCIs ader-
deading the departure OF their Customers. We may de-
pend upon it that they will not cry Glcud ior
strong measured aud .cally for strong
sea- AID q complete sealing up of the Southern c1Ist-
The Of the Confederate Sates will be to the North
crn States of che Atlantic wha, the coast OF Africa
70 Great Britain Cotton will be TO thr New laik 4
what Negroes were 20 us. The great o. ct had in
view was prevent lhe human commodity being export
ed Africa lle great o'Ject they will nov have n
M,w will b. 20 prevent cotton from being exported rt IN
America But wha, was il which paraly2 d AL our e.
forts towards cur end? What was IL which He'd
cur cruisers 70 lock inactive, willie sivers sh0O:
ing Gcross cur boasy IL was he sducity csimcd for
that sar .panged banner" 1t was the claim put
forward ny the Uuited States rcs;s; only right
of search In. also righ; OF VISIT in the case OF a
vessel which chose to hoist the American dag. This
inss;arce OF the Americans caused principle favorable
to piracy to become pir OF the haritime Law OF the
world By h7, tar the AEeTicaH marine mast nOiC be
rulfA III, ,aerctaIt ships wkich wiH trdds Jetceet
Rrops aud hs Contederd;ed States haze only to hoist
ra Eaqsh Freaeh flag, and tie great 'ear sedmsrs
Of the Ui'ei States may must IN obedience 10 tie tdD
hcr o,-a GoUe1ast has tn other cases enforced allan
fLtn 10 pass Theif holds may be l OF warhke mate
ria's they may be crammcd with the Armstrong guns
now b.iug bough, Up az Liverpool butt the tri.color
ia ,ing at the mizen the NiHHesOa cannot fire shot
10 bring one Of thOe vessels at without peril OF a
yar sith France TGc Americans have iXad this law,
Which was before their m= loose and floating and ur
faed Gud they viii frd it unexp sciec!y tarned
against themselves 1t will if mistake rot, greatly
modify the advantages which the North nigh;
by exp CT to ob:ll from their possession OF regular
navy
We alluded Yesterday to tho strange results Of that
lef.h4uded wisdom which prompted the United S,ates
10 refuse the proposition Of the great Poges OF Eu
.o3, % abolish p,iyaioeriag IN tine Of Never
N,m sis more swift Mr. Crawford, in the Hop'e Of
Comu5Ls las: night cd that intelligence has been
we'd OF pyaecrs having already elt the ports Of
the Sou heIn States, and preyirg at this moment upon
the commerce Of the North Lord John Russell 10 his
rery 70 q question he legality OF the commission
under when ese vessels are sailing, ssy nothing 10
encourage the merchants Of New York in their doctrine
that the proceedings Of these cruisers priticsl be-
caue ue jverlneIt from when they hold thcir com-
mission, has present no Recognized existence as
the Executive Government OF q nau0n. The prece-
dent cred by tie Foreign Secretary s e think strictly
in po4t and the doctrine laid d0sn IN the instructions
given 10 Sir Straofd Canning good public law. When
the Greeks in revolt they covered the ESean with
cru;s,rs hich made prize uf Turkish ships under au-
thorty vi letters Of maiqle Issued by tie FfoyEioaai
Government Of Greece Tie Blush Gevernmeit Eo'
cogzsd these commissions, and the Turks remonstrat-
cd that go subjects iu rebellion 10 national character
oul5 propgrIy belong Lord John Russell does sop
20 con lr the distinction between subjects in rebellion
against sovcregn TO whom they had for many centu-
RES paid allegiance, and constituted S'ai retiring from
voluntary COLACerscy Tor was not nee ssary Tor hi'
thus 20 stTtLg non the case. Adlhltllus
the saks Of Argument tho, tie circumstances are dtI
rica he shows thai even if the Southern States shou
be considered be n the condition OF rebels II i 10
accordarcs with the law Of nations that We should o
ccrUza Their authority to place cruisers upon the hl
seas TIE decision OF the British Government upon tue
occasion 20 which Lord john Russell Te!s.s was that the
character Of bels,rent is much prrc pie as
fact and certain degree of forge AID consistency ac
q:ired by any mass of population engaged IN war enu
tles that population 10 be treated es begerent. Act
ing upon this precedent and upon the principles recog
r2,d Lord John Russell and his advisers have come 10
the conclusion that "the Southern Conederacy OF Anne
rica must be treated as belgerept."
This i,a very grave decision, and must Lave great in
Huence upon the conf ct now commencing but We can
rot sec any biity Of disputng Its soundne;s UpCr
the other matter of levyng duties at there is mncl
more room for argument. Our own statute-boCk viii
ford some curious prcedenis upon this very sub
,c, but we believe that such tight has ever been
c dcd or even climed by power whose dominion hai
d. facio ceased upon the shore. The maritime law O.
nations herefo would TO be adverse TO tic No
en States aud favorable rather to toe position Of tie
Southern Couicjeracy As the United States insist tha
they are not at war; bu. only putting down rebellion
IL would appear that they have hot the right OF search
visit which has been sometimes c0uccd in time Of war
A. they are no in possession Of the Southern coast they
cannot claim dominion over so much oil the sea al may
be appurcnaut 10 the coast and Us their adyer
sAres are ~ Tess OF population having acquired Ger
tain degree of force and consistency and engaged IN
war" the cruisers of the Confederate Sates will sui
10 arv Nj ,ultes which may arise out Of the treaty o
Paris he recognized hy the Governments and courts o.
Inv Of rorciya nations. All these aud other kindred
questions whah must unavoidaby arise il this civil
nrocee,s must be turned aud aud over many
times both by diplomatic and lawyers. We have Only
attempted to portray the aspect in slch thsy at thu
early period presen. themselves
rng EHGLIsH h1slriON DECIDING THZ WAR.
Prom tie Manchester G1arssnl
Hr President Davis stands il the eye Of ilernationa
law a we interpret it. in the position Nc Pres
dent Lincoln and the capicity o: the former 10,
maintaining the struggle pends In a hTg degree upon
the sanction accorded the system OF prvateerlfg
becomes Of 4reme mporance To consider IN what Ign
this prcu!Gr mode of carrying hOs;iliies will be re
rlrled by European Governments The AmeIic ans have
settled the question for themselves At the time tf hC
Tr aty Of Paris the Government of Washington sensi
BILE of the disadvantage which it placed relative
to the great maritime powers of Europe by its want of
large standing navy, refused to adhere to the principle
agreed upon By the payes 20 the treay, that the ISSUE
of lters of marque should be dallOwed for oil future
time Gen Cass who was the organ of commgaiottiI
AMI defending this resolution neve; anticipated that h
time was near when L.s country would be placed
towards lis only enemy in exactly the position in which
he appreheuded that Great D.tl in might possible
paced towards the Uuied Sts.es. Such, however, i
tn. curious corjuhcture which the revolution la
brought about The Southern Confederation, being to
tally destitute of any regular laval force VIII rewn e
cope with the navy OF the remnant OF the Union, i
compeed TO enlist in its service the comba,iye and pre-
datory instincts of volunteers upon tie ocean and h
legal right to avail itself cf this cans OF retaliation an'
anncy nee has been reser7ed 10 il hJ tho act OF td
Government & inst which i y COW in arms.
ADDITIONAL SHIPS OF WAR FOR NORTH AMERICAN STA
TIOS
The sa.e of aI.rs in the United Stats has compal-'
ministers 70 ehen the squadron under the commau'
Of Sir Alexander Milne and Friday, the Challenger
poxerful screw corvette, mounting % guns; Rnado,