New-York daily tribune., 1861-08-30
sUUTTrNG TER PORTS.

Nobody, of course, knows, except those who
have an official title 10 the knowledge, the pre-
clse object of the expedition that started, two or
three days ago. from Fortress Monroe. That it
took with it q large naval and considerable
land force, and twenty vessels Of different sizes
laden with stone renders it pretty certain that the
purpose is TO put such obs,ructlpns IN the way
OF navigation as 70 efectually shut up some ot
tho Southern ports, and these of so much i'm
portancs that a land force ia necessary to insure
the success of the attempt. But knowing any
so much, the public will look forward with great
anxiety and interest for news Of this fleet, 10
it's success will be our first naval trlumPh-u,
less We except the taking Of prize BY tie
black man Tillman, whose deeds We must
respect, whatever we may think Of his right,--
and itg consequences, if q success, OF the lG,t
Importance. 1t is hardly possible, in the Gr't
place, that there shall be Any formidable threat
Of q descent upon the Southern coast at any
particular point, or, stall better, vague threats Of
unexpected attacks at various places, without IN
spreading u panic in the main army and hurry
ing home many of the troops from the Atlantic
States for bome-defenss. And, secondly, ne.
encouragement will DO given At the North,
and renewed confidence ELECTED at 80 signal a.
evidence of activity in the Naval Department.
Tie Importance Of depnVIng the in.urrection.
let, Of every facility Of commerce by complete
embargo of all Southern ports can hardly be
Overestimated Its Importance increases with the
increased possibility OF the recognition 6f
Southern Coufederaey BY forsigz powers, as oui
relations would becous !nore aud more compli
Gated With quesl'Sn. relating 10 open ports and
fres trade. But, though we need not borroy
double by entering upon the confederation q
pos,ble future complications, is is always dear
able that we should take such eSreild heed o
our foOtstsps, as Power, that NO may not o.
compelled, whatever may srise in the future, ~
take back or palliSte anything we have done in
the past. II heretofore. "a is certainly true, tic
material difficulties in the way Of getting To-
gether and recreGtiug our scattered AID mutila-
ted navy hayo been such that tho embargo va.
necessarily incomplete, our moral position shold
do, there should bo one, at least--the United
States--that does not contemplate tho possibility
OF recognizing Southern Coniederacy; nor should
it be left, ss a matter Of impl cation, that such an
act has ever been done even by mstate Now,
blockade has 4 certain, positive, technical mean.
ing under the law Of nations. 1t ia q term in
use and recognized Only % between two inle-
rendent Powers, and cannot be legltima.ely used
by . nation as regards n par. OF It's own do
main. The fact Of a declaration Of blockade, as
applied to our own Southern cOhst may, there
fore, be used Agnnst us, - quasi recognition
on our part OF an independent Southern Confed.
eracy; and it ras 10 correct this error, undoubt-
edly, that Congress, at it's last session, passed
an act for the closing oi Southern porta by law.
IL wos necessary to do this 20 make our own
record clean, and 10 clear tho ground Of oil er-
t-aneous questions in any future difficulty that
may arise between US and foreign Powers.
While therefore, as iOon az We acquire the ns-
val force to shut up, as We are about to do, 10
o certain degree, BY this expedition from Fortress
Monroe, tho Southern ports, II 10, 1T seems 10
us, an imperative duty that we should act ia ac-
cordauce with municipal law, and exercise our
right to shut such ports by proclama-
ton. The effect Of tho act by force will be On
hsnced by the moral influence of this recogni-
lion Of true understanding Of our legal rights
and duties. II will encourage our oSn people,
while it viii command the respect L foreign ns-
lions, il, when we use our poge. 20 cut off the
maritime intercourse of the insurgents with the
-est of tho world, we ignore the word Blockade,
which may lead to troublesome explanation, and
'sserl our power over their ports as part OF
,ur domain. A proclamation by The President,
u accordance with the act Of Congress to close
he ports, win set us right upon the record.