Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1861-06-19
THE RICHMOND WING.
Extracts from Filcs.
AFFAIRS IN The UNITED STATES.
1ax BLOCKADE or THE SOUTHERN Ports.

A correspondence Win tbe CHltQ states GOYefnmel
upon the sui ect OF bockece, has been laid before PA
| lament TIE first communication from Lord LYONS 4
Lord John Russell trBnsmis copy OF from th
Secretsry OF State of the United States communicating
copies OF the Presidents Proclamation declaring block
ade OF the pors o the States oi South Carola Geoi gd
Alabama Florida Louisiana Mississippi and Texas Tni
Proclamation declares the letters OF marque and auhOr
z4uon of the secedCd States TO be insufficient rJ,cc
anybody acting under them from the penbltlts OF th
laws for the prevention OF piracy.
WASHSGroS, May 3 1861.
Ny LoRD,-I have the honor to enclose you a copy O
the note by which | ACKNOWLEDGED the receipt OF Mr.
Sewara's ote OF the 9Th ut, announcing the intention
of this Government set on foot blockade of The
Southern porls was careful 10 word my note az u
show that pied hr. Stewards communication az at
announce OF intention TO set On foot blockade
not as notification Of the actual commencement OF one
believe that OF my colleagues made answers in The
same sense.
have the honor to transmit ycur lcrdshp copies
Of the Presidents proclamation, announcing the
sion of the blockade to tie ports of Virginia and North
Carolina which have been sent to me in blank cover
from the State Department.
have IL my business, since the entrance of the
present Administration into cfice nearly two months
ago to enieavor 10 ascertain precisely then Intentions
with regard the OF foreign ions with the
States which have Withdrawn from tie Union Up TO
the day before the bloc klue Oluced the Govern
had itself to any decision the subject.
lsrlto long commercial operations of British
merchants and British vessels in the seeded states
carried en- without LiudranCe aud without nconveuie ce
But siuce the blockade has been Proclaimed | have
thought myself entltlsd to ask, with persistence, for
d fute information respecting the mode in which it IS
10 be carrie into fleet bad IN particular long con-
yersaliou the tu with Sr Seward u presence ol
tbe Chief Clerk OF the State Department the 90 b
ultimo had prepared Mr Seward Tor the interview by
estg him, through the Under Secretary OF State
he adv.sabeness Of diminishing the diSagrceabe iu.-
which the announcement of the blockade would
make abroad by giving possible, definite
sursLcts that il would be carried with liberal con.
slderRtou for the interests OF ioreiSn natioEs
so far ~ assuraI in general terms 20, nothing
could be ore satisfactory than Mr Sewsrds language
Old not however, succeed in Obtaining Al he
definite declaration Of the rules which would be OBJ
served as | lad hoped
The principal point TO which drew hr. Stewards at
eution tie extreme NHSueness Of the information
ahch was given to US. | referred him 10 the noti6cA-
tons blooldes made by Great Britain during the ae
with Russia apd pointed oui TO him the care and
precision vich sA.ch every particular stated i'll
them. ask whether it was intended TO issue similar
ices for each Southern port as soon as the actual
blockade of IL should Commeuce.
TIE reply which received was, that the practice of
the United Safes was not to issue such notices but 10
notify the blockade Individually 10 each vese! approach
ing the Dlocssded port, aud TO inscdbe memorandum
o. tue notice having been given the ships papers
40 vessel liable 10 seizure which had not bee Ind
yidullly warned. This plan bad, | was assured been
found TO b. in pr5c!ce the most convenient aud The
f,irest for M parties The fac, Of there being block
sdng ships present to give the warning the best no.
tce erd beet proof that the actually and effect
u1ly ulockl0ed.
The principal OF lection TO the plan appeared to to
be- that il might IL 'xpose foreign vessels 10
the lose and Inconvenience Of making useless voyage
which more general and public announcement Of the
blockade would have prevented.
observed 10 MI. Seward that the limits Of the block
ade hich it intended 10 establish not clearly
stated II Lot easy to understand exactly TO wha
extent OF the expr sscn tine por's within the
States m, nuoned applicable. Hr Seward said that
n was intended to blockade the whole coast from Cbosa
paake Bay TO the mouth Of tue Rio Grsude observed
70 him that the e1teEt OF the coast between these To
points w.s supposed, about 5000 mics. Surely the
United ates had not naval force sufficient TO os'sb
sh an elective bloc kade OF such length of coast Mr.
Seward however, maintained that the whole would be
blockaded, and blockaI,d effectively.
NAV perhaps be allowed 70 refer your lordship to
clear declaration OF the ptncple Of the United States
on such matters Whch is contained in noie from Nil
Buchanan dated 29.h December 1916, and ira snit!ed
70 the Foeieu-oice in Sir Richard PakeEhAms dispatch
OF the same date.
M Seward assured me that all foreign vessels a..
ready in port when the blockade should be set loot
would be ul,o#td 10 cone GU. viii their caTgoes.
asked whether they would be allowed to come out VII
caIgces shipped after the blockade was actually estab-
s.ci Mr. Seward cid not speak positively on this
point; what be- said seemed TO imply that the time a.
wch the cargo shipped would not be Inquired into
said that | supposed that it was clearly understood
that foreign ships coming out Cf b!cckaded ports III
which there 10 Uuteo Safes customs su hoiiies
would not be interfere with By the bockldrg squad
ron Oh the plea Of their being without clearances or
other papers required by the reyerue lava
Mr. Seward fad that it Was the bona hde intention oil
Government to allow foreign vessels already in port when
the blockade was established 10 depart without moesta-
ton.
lie did not say that any particular term would be
Ill I'd after the expiration OF which foreign vessels would
no longer be- allowed to quit blocklded poris.
He did not repeat TO the assurance he gave some
tine ago 10 one Of colea gucs that vrsses arriving
~ithou; knOslcdge OF the blockade wonld be allowed
to 20 tito q hlo,kided port and come out ogln
Nor did he say anything OF the intention, which he eX-
pre-. sd another OF my coeogus, OF proposing to The
Legislature that the Init Slaes should aGhsre to tue
Drclas.iou Of the Congress OF Paris on Maritime Law.
On nv pressing NJ SEWARD to give me, either in wri-
tiug or AT 81 events by formal verbal announcement
some finite information for the gndauce OF British mer-
chant vessels he promised 10 send me copy OF The IN
sirctons ucd the officers OF the occkadog tqnad-
ron and said he confident should had them per
'ec,ly asactory. He good enough to add that If
IN any individual the ues oil the blockade should
bear hardly British vessels he should be ready to con-
siier the equity of the matter, aud TO receive iavoraby
the interests of British subjects.
Mr. SkwARD has not Yet sent me the copy Of the in
struciions. reminded him. however, yesterday OF his
promise and hope that he will enable me to tran NIT
copy 10 yorr Lordshp by the British packet which will
leave New York on the s b instant.
Ihave, &c. (Signed) LYONS.
P.S.-Since closed this dispatch, have zen in an
unofficial newspaper of this mornings date notice
cerning the blockad4 of the ports OF Virginia. copy Of
which have Just time 10 enclose. am unable to pro-
cure a second copy.
LORD LYONS TO LORD J. RUssELL-(RgCEIvED MAY 2l.)
Extrsct WASHINGTON, May
In my dispatch of the ID inst had the honor to
port to your ordstip that Mr. Seward bad promised on
the 20 b ult send copy OF the instructions issued
10 the officers Of the squadron to be employed in block
aiding the Southern ports.
10. k measures this morning, to remind Mr.. Seward
privately of his promise. In return received the fol-
lowing communication from the State Department.
The Secretary Of the navy has furnished With a
copv of lis Instructions about the blockade but
have not been able to ud precedent for communica-
ting them to the Ministers of Foregn Governments you
must not expect COPY at present. You may hOwever,
be thus Informally assured that the blockade will be con.
ducied as siody according 10 the recognized rules oil
public law and with much hoeralty towards neutra,
as euy blockade ever 10y n bellgerent."
Upon this caused Mr. Bnchanan's note 10 Mr. Paker-
ham Of the 20h of December 1916 be pointed out to
M Seward es supplying precedent for the confidential
communication OF instructions concerning blockade.
The following was written to me in answer
81 have showed Mr.. Seward the precedent to which
you refer bu. lac does not think it would justify him in
furnishing copy of the Instructions; for, if given &c
one they must be given ali which might lead their
irconyenieAt publicity. The blockade however, will be
in strict conformity to the principles mentioned by Mr.
Buchanan The proclamation is mere notice OF an in
tenton to carry il into effect and the eIistencs of the
blockade viii be made known in proper form by the
block aiding vessels"