Randolph County journal. [volume] (Winchester, Randolph County, Ind.) 1855-1862, 1861-06-13
What i PrivateeTing7-LettcEs Of
MaTque
From ne Nc~ YORK Herald !

From ne Ne~ York Herald
\ uriyateer. as the name imports, = =
private armed shir,hfted cut IL. owner :
cxpelse. 5ut commissioned bv beihgcr
eut Governments capture the sAi? ana
goods OF the enemyat SEA, or The SHIPS OF
neutrals when conveying ~ the enemy
goods eoniraband Of war \ QrivateeE
differs from a pirate in this, tlst one has
commission and the other has none.
A prigateer is entitled 20 the SAME rights
OF war rs the public vessels OF the bell
gereut 4 pirate ship has no ghts, and
uer crew liable 10 be captured aud put 70
death by al nations A. robbers aud mur-
derers On the high seas. The policy OF
neutrals recognizing prIyateers as lrgiti-
mate beligcrent ships IS founded on the
interests of humanity aud the common
desire to prevent piracy. ii privateers
we're not recognized by neutral nations
they would become pirates, and instead
OF making prisoners Ut tue crew OF prize
vessels, they would massacre them, ap-
propriate the cargOes and sink the ships.
But, being recognized, thes are under the
surveillance OF the government commits
slouIug them a. we'll As the overnments
ol neutral nations ,aad theyare responsible
for their acts TO both. The governments.
moreover, which issues letters OF lnaruue
Is liable to neutral nations tor the us
deeds OF its privateers. To government
with 4 small navy, or 10 navy, aud with
slender resources, privateers are a great
advantage, because they not only cost
the government noting, be ng owned and
equipped by private individuals, but on
the contrary they are souree Of reye
nue. tor thcy are obliged to pay Z per
centaee on the value OF their captures, in
consideration OF their license.
rhe name of this license is ''letters of
maraue." and Is derived from the French
being equivalent 10 the word march or
mark, in the sense OF boundary or frontier.
1t had lis origin in the Middle Ages when
princes issued 10 their subjects licenses to
cross the march or irontlerot ncighbor.
lug Power in order TO make reprsals tor
injury. Ii was extended TO the high seas
IN the fourteenth century But the prac.
tlce was not general TIL tho end Of the
sixteenth century. The first Instance in
which the aid OF priyateers WIS deemed
important IN war was in the struggle be-
tween Spain aud her retolted provinces
OF the Netherlands. The Prince ct Or
anse. the leader OF the revolt. issued let
tcls OF narque against Spain l51O, and his
prlvateers became terrible. Ever since
that time the use OF Frivateers has been
lcgalized in Europe unless where part es
agrees by treaty TO abolish it against each
other. The French were the first, on
large scale, TO send GU; these scOurges
OF the sta. The British initiated their ex-
ample, and their illustrious naval com
Inauder, Drake, was a prNateer. Vt the
close OF tie French war with England, by
the peace oi AuIiens, tire latter nation had
10000 French sailors IN prison. In our
Revolutionary war with England the Am
er!cau prlyatecrs PLAYED very important
part The exploits OF Paul Jones by land
and sea making raids upon the British
!. I SIS, ana sometimes capturing En- liSh
ships OF war, are more like romance than
reality. The letters Of n.arquc issued by
the Continental Congress were held 10 bc
valid two wears before the new govern
ment recognized by any foreign Power:
and during the first wear the American
privateers captured FIVE hundred and thirty
British vessels ami their cargoes,
valued a: five millions of dollars. Dur.
ing the Revolutionary war this country
had fifteen hundred prieateers On the
ocean. having fifteen thousand guns. In
the war iel2.l5 the number oi British
ships captured by American privatec.s was
immense. Ii Is clearly, therefore, the in
terest Of England to have privateering
abolished all over the world and it is pro-
l..tfo ,bot tEa ,,~,,,,ne. tfan 80 .ttr ,ros..rr
ment will be aceeded 70. The right TO
issue letters of marque aud reprisal is
given to Congress by the Constitution
bat theeAercise Of the right MAY be sus-
pended. especially under the eAtraordi.
nary circumstances in which the country
is placed.