The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-05-23


teen and twenty per cent on the dollar This
is the weakest point of all the weak points OF
the Southern rebellion.
Privateertng Abolished Throughout the
Worid-JefersOn Davis and His Con-
federates Check mated.
Our readers have read in yesterdays He.
RAID the highly important intelligence from
Washington that "more than q month ago our
government gave notice to the Powers of
Europe who took part in the Congress of Paris
in 1856 that they were willing to accept the
code they adopted at that period, which declared
privateering to be piracy" This notice pro-
badly had not reached the European govern
ments when the mails which brought the report
Of Lord John Russell's speech had left In that
speech he says the British government had come
to the conclusion that the Southern confeds.
racy must be treated by England as a bellige-
rant, and not as pirate-a conclusion which
was based on the supposition that the United
States government still adhered to the policy
Of privateering, and, therefore, could not fairly
object to any Power or community recognized
by England as belligerent exercising the same
right. But when he receives the notice
Of our government, sent out by Me-.
Adams, and when he reads at the
same time the instructions given to Mr..
Dayton, which we have already published,
to the effect that under no circumstances what
ever will this government ever consent to
the breaking up Of the Union, the crafty Minis
ter will change his opinion, pronounce prva-
teeriDg abolished in America as we'll as in
Europe, and treat the privateers of the Con-
federate States as pirates. Epgland is bound
by its own record, and the treaty adopted by
her in 1856, in common with the other Euro
pean Powers, after the Crimean war, becomes
public law all over the civilized world upon
its adoption and recognition by the United
States. What was that treaty? The following
are its terms, and the very language in which
it is drawn
l Prvateeripg is and remains abolished.
The neutral flag covers enemys goods, with the ex-
ception Of contraband OF war
g. Neutral goods, with the exception of contraband of
war; are not liable to capture under the enemy's flag
a. Blockades in order to BIO binding must be effective
that IS 70 say, maintained BY force sufficient really to
The governments Of the undersigned Penipotentaries
10 bring the present declaration to the knowledge
OF the States which have not taken part In the Congress
Of Paris, and to invite them to accede to it.
Convinced that the max ms which they proclaim
cannot but be received with gratitude by the whole
world the undersigned Plenipotenares doubt that
the efforts Of their TO obtain the general
adoption thereof will be crowned with full success.
The present declaration is not and shall not DO binding
except between those Powers who have acceded shall
accede to 1t.
Done at Paris, the 18th of April, 1856.
Here follow the signatures of the Penipotentares OF
Great Britain, France, Austria, Prussia Russ!a Sardinia
and Turkey
This treaty has been since adopted by al
most every other Power in the world. At the
of the Russian war England
and France applied, through their Ministers, to
BUR government, to prevent privateering expe.
litions being fitted out in this country against
heir commerce, or prizes being admitted into
ports for condemnation. Mr.. Marcy,
in reply, referred to our neutrality Laws as for
bidding American citizens equipping priva-
teers, receiving commissions, or enlisting men
in the United States for the purpose Of taking
part in any foreign war; but the Unixd States
government, being a neutral, could not refuse
to Russian privateers the right of bringing in
prizes for neutrality-suspicious. being
hen recognized as the public law of Europe as
we'll as of America. Now how does England
reat us? According to the latest advices from
England privateers were being fitted out in
British ports by the authority of the Confede
rate States against American commerce. This
is far from the reciprocity we had right to
expect, particularly as England, by the treaty
of Paris, had agreed to abolish privateering
But then it will be said that, to enttle American
commerce to exemption from privateering, the
government Of the United States must first
abandon it. But our government has now ac-
ceded to the treaty of Paris, and thus priva.
teering throughout the world becomes piracy,
and England and France will be compelled to
move of policy the Cabinet of Jefferson Davis
have been checkmated, and the weapon upon
which they chiefly relied falls from their grasp.
Two objections will probably be raised, one
Of which regards policy and the other law. 1t
will be said that in surrendering the right Of
privateeriDg the United States, having small
navy, places its commerce at the mercy of
European Powers in the event of a war with
them. But the momentous events of the pre-
cent time dictate the necessity of large navy
in the future which will both protect our own
commerce and make war efectually upon that
of the enemy. An effective navy and standing
army become hencefcrth a necessity of the
United States. Privateering is only suited to
q weak nation, and not to a first class Power
like the United States. II Is the relic of
a barharous aOp and n has now raoa;v,5 "a
death blow. There is one other principle which
we have no doubt will also be adopted, and
that is that private property at sea will be as
exempt from the attacks Of public vessels az of
privateers. Mr.. Buchanan contended for this
principle when he was Minister to England.
during the Presidency Of Pierce. and the offer
was made on the part of the United States to
abandon privateering on that condi.ion-a pro-
position which was not then accepted by Eng