Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1861-06-05
The PollrI of England.

very discontcntlng effect ON th,
powers at Washington.
Tho first official notice of the hos,
tilitics about to commence in this
country, is by Lord John Russell
the Foreign Secretary IN the llous,
Of Commons. What he said was
doubtless carefully considered, and
is important,
A British fleet have been sent out
for the protection of British ship
ping, They are instructed so ia
act, MS to take all "possiblc" means
to avoid taking part in this "la-
.nontabic quarrel" The protection
Of British shipping is against the
impcrious influence of the hostile
measures of the North, directed
against the commerce of the conted-
crate States, in which Great Brit.
ain is so profoundly Interested. Ii
is against the effects of the mena-
ces of the North against which
Great Britain arms herself in these
waters, and expresses to keep the
peace as long ms she can. Tho pre-
caution, and the expression, both
imply the apprehension, if not tho
belief, that she may for her own
sake be compelled to take part in
this "lamentablc contest" There
is no way II motive whatever for
her to take sides against us. The
presence of her fleets in American
waters, is therefore q warning to
Lincoln that his cruisers shall not
touch British ship, beyond the
strictcst letter by which the law of
natiovs authorizes the suspension
of commerce between beligcrcnts
and II neutral enemy.
But this is not all the force of the
British declaration by Lord John
Russell. He has made several dis
tinct statements, which will very
much disturb tho serenity of the
Secretary of State.
The question of the lawfulncss Of
collecting dues on ship board, be-
fore breaking bulk of the cargo, is
reserved for the opinion of law Of
ticers, on statement of the facts,
when such interruption should oc-
cur. They believed it impracticablc,
One of Lincoln's cocrcivc notions,
is thus very distinctly disposed of
before he commences it.
The next proposition of Lord
John Russell is that blockade to
be recognized must be efficient, by
which we understand that the Brit
ish Government will apply to the
Lincoln blockade the laws of reg
ular war.
The third is, that the privatcers
of the Southern Confcderacy must
be recognized as lawful, because the
Confederate States are to be recog-
nizcd as lawful belIigcrcnts.
Both these positions involve nee
essarily the same important prin-
ciplc-that tho war between the
United States and the Confederate
States is Il state of public war be-
tween lawful bclligcrcnts. Great
Britain disposcs at once of the Lin
coin assumption, that this is an in
testinc war against rebels, the as
scrtion Of the supreme power with
in the State for the suppression of
insurrcction against lawful author
ity.
The Government leader in the
Hous, of Commons has publicly an
nounccd that the Confederate States
are so far independent in fact, as to
be entitled to the treatment of bel
ligercnt: engaged in public war, and
! to tho benefits of all the laws of
nations applicable to that condition.
By that declaration Great Brit
ain, too, reserves to herself all the
rights and privileges which neutral
nations have, in times of war, to-
wards lawful belligcrents. Among
these there cannot fail to be soon
found the right to put an end to Il
state of things which involves i'm
mense British interests in tho peril
of total ruin and disturbs the indus
trial pursuits of the whole world,
from motives purely roycngefr' ard
without any rational prospect Of &C
complishing the purposes Of its au-
thors.
Tho first stop Of Circuit RgitNin is
/ therefore a-loug and q firm one in