, 1861-08-21
BREAKlNG TIE Rk0CKADE.

Some Of the English and French Jour.
nails deny that the Government Of the
United States has the legal right to block.
ade thei1 oW1 pcrts-that Is, That foreign
powers aue not bound to recognize such
blockade. They argue that one nation
msy blockade tire ports Of smother, and
that sach act r2ay be recognized as in &C.
cordance with International rights; but
hat it can not lawfully close its ports
against foreign commerce By a blockade
orby obstrucEng the mouths OF the harbors
BY sinking ships IN the channels. It isre-
ported that the Cabinets Of England and
france are disposed to take this view of
the matter. But they are too late to make
1t avail them anything. Congress at its
recent session conferred on the President
authority to abolish all the ports of entry
IN the Tevol1ed States which he is about
e-ao b} public proclamation. The block
eoe then becomes an exercise of police
power to see that the act of Congress- 80
proclaimed BY the President is carried into
erect Every nation has the right to close
& open 10 the commerce Of the world such
pofts on its own coasts as it nav choose IN
ae@gna!e. England and France and a11
european nations claim this right for
'hemeea7es, and ccrtain1y the United States
enEsled to the same privilege. Even in
theeases Of these half-ciyilized nat;one
China and Japan, this principle Of in.
'e1na1lonal law has been acknowledged
and observed, and no trade is carried an
Win either, except at the ports designated
~ aer respective governments.
onoula the commercial necessities of
otea@ Britain and France impel them to
.eeognsze the independence Of the rebels
N efder to escape the effect of the nroc1a
1asslon, and to enable them to claim the
f1gat Of trading at the ports Of entry which
"eze oeclared abolished, they would be
No nearer their object than before. Re-.
cause after they had recognized the ipde-
penuence OF the rebels, those ports could
enen De legally blockaded by the United
eEates IS belliggereut power, at war Wit,
uhe southern Confede1acy.
lie southern ports cannot be spened
except BY making war with this country
John Bright warned his Government q faw
Gays ago, that to break the blockade rneant
war with the United States, which he
thought would csst Great Britain more
than she would gain BY the interference in
our domestic affairs.
II John Bulls propensity for cotton ;s
30 s9ong that he will not wait to pet it in
the regular way, lis experience nav be
luxe tie mans who seeing fight going On.
counted himself in" but soon recover.
ing himself, and beat retreat saving
'piease count me out" In few months
aae GoFernment will hare half a million If
seluefs in the field, and five hundred Wat
Vessels af1oat, and could quickly put in
commission a thousand priyateers. some
hundreds Of which would be steamers
With these we could sweep the seas Of the
enofe commerce Of our enemies, while
our vast land forces would make speedv
transfer Of the British possessions in North
America to the Government of the Union
The people of the loyal States have not
"akeo up yet. Let there be European in
le1e1ence IN cur domestic matters, and
The world would witness an exhibition Of |
power aad wrath not seen since the ,7avz
'f the French rerolutisn, when the poten.
[ate8 1nfermeddleu with the Eayn;1r afF,;n,
of the French people.