Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-07-05
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| AASIS - kOoA NSoA Va o4BAAAAS1ASS VIZ ASA-cf
ing passage of leading editorial in the LOndO
Herald, of the 1lth of June. 1t must be observe
that the Heraa is the organ of the DKRBY party, th
conservative opposition to Lord PGLxERsToS's Gov
ernment:
There is apparently something very mysteriou
! now going on at Charleston. The ports Of SOut
Carolina were declared blocksded. The Niagarr
was for some time stationed of the barber o
! Charleston and the blockade was effectively main
| tanned Suddenly we hear Of the departure Of th'
| Niagara southward. and Of the virtual raising o
! the blockade. Such state Of things can hardly
fail to produce very misehieYous results and i
seems to be inevitable that before long the question
of paper blockade will become q subject Of seri
4 Gus discussion. The Government and the nation
have displayed every desire to coneilate American
i feeling. They sympathZe deeply with the great
Republic in its trials. But neither sympathy for its
calamties respect for its power nor regard for its
threats must induce q British Ministry to fOrego
one iota of the rights CT British subjects.
1t will be remembered, says the New Orleans
Picdgune, that in the interview between Mr.. SEW
ARD and Lord LYoNs, the British Minister at Wash
ington strong point was made by the latter Of the
impraetieability of blackading by an adequate na-
Yal force coast of three thousand miles in length
Mr.. SEWARD gave Lord LYONS the assurance that
the force would be made adequate. But neither
Lord Lyons nor the ministry at home has yet given
any assurance that either believes this can be DONE
Now the opposition press, like the conservative
leaders in Parliament, are supporting the same pub
lie view, that the blockade must be made effectual
throughout to be entitled to respect At all These
giyngs out of the insuficiency Of the blockade at
Charleston show the discretion which British action
in support of the rights Of British subjects is
likely to take.
The question of lawful blockade, or not, is q diff
fsrent question from that of lawful prize not. It
is question for the prize courts of beligOrent to
determine whether a vessel taken by its own eruis-
ers is a lawful prize under its own rulings of the
rights of war. The blockade is always effective as
to the capture made if it be ineffective in the escape
of vessel, the courts Of course have no case
upon which to act. But blockade or no blockade is
political question between the sovereign autbOri-
ties of the belligerent and those Of the neutral
whose trade is interrupted by armed vessels, which
are not sufficient in iCTce 70 execute such block
ade in full as the rules of maritime warfare may
exact. The stoppage or condemnation Of vessel
as prize might be made, by attending circum-
stances the occasion for raising the political qnes
ton between two governments. The neutral might
find in these the grounds for e-emptory deh n
that the blockade shall be made effective or aban-
doned with the alternative, thSt if it be not made
effective throughout, it shall not be respected in
any part But without beligerent seizure or con-
demnaton in the law courts, the neutral govern
ment can mAka the political issue at once, on the
proof which il may possess, that extensive COM
merce has been totally excluded from long reach
Of coast where the blOekading government has not
the force to execute its decree, ald is obliged be-
Sides by its maritime weakness to leave the access
to prohibited and invested port entirely open.
Such is the case of Charleston, and such is the
case of numerous other places along the Atlantic
coast and the Gulf shores, before which no United
States vessel appearS except rarely and st some Of
which one has never yet made itself visible.
What really makes an effective blockade is. in it
self, question open to q wide range of discretion
for the neutral power which is claiming privilege
or a right, of great interest to its own people.
Naturally States in that position will exact de-
gree of rgidty in the actual Investment Of all ports
of blockaded country, which the blOckading party,
unless possessing an immense preponderance at
sea- will ind it extremely difficult to satisfy. At
the same time, a power completely feeble on the
ocean may readily set up pretensions which it is
clearly not able to maintain and expose ITSELF by
the extraordinary extravaganza of its demands, to
the prompt rebuke and emphatic interference OF all
neutral powers.
England and France are in this position of great
Lrmed neutrals, who have immense foreign COM
neroe and still vaster domestic interests to maintain
By holding Mr. LNcoLNs Government to the most |
trct and narrow exercise Ofthe rights of blockade
md the most absolute investment of every port |
IL. "a b,,k H.,
,rees. The old Urited States on the other hand is
n the condition of a country which has long line
If coasts and ports to seal up from sn impatient
commerce which two mighty empires are eager to
,eep up with them, and which possesses a naval /
oree no only utterly insufficient for the duty, but
which, even is free to concentrate ITSELF is utterly
nferior to the naval power of either.
In such state of affairs, it would be surprising
+ the weaker power, which is thus wantonly aflict
ng the commerce of the world by its arrogant
umptions, were not stopped in its career very sud
lenly.
1t cannot be many weeks, if the LINCOLN Cabinet |
10 not back down entirely from its pretensions, be-
ore England and France, and when either speaks
will be for both, will make the plain issue with
he North, blockade or no blockade. Blockade, in
he sense that will respond perfectly to their ideas
If lawfulness to which they must submit, is be-
vond the whole capacity Of that Government
What viii follow, and when, we cannot venture to
anticipate with any degree Of precision but OF one
hing we may be positively sure, that neither of
.hese Governments win sit idle while such Gov
srnment as Mr.. LScOLNs is damnling out with fee
bic malice the streams which nurture the lfe-blOod
of their subjects, and the sources Of their own
public revenues and the feeders of their own
strength.