The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1861-05-29
England and the War.

England seems 10 snow some lndlcatlOns OF
being willing to sell herself for bale of Cot
too. By England, we do not mean the people
Of that Kingdom. but the arrogant ministry by
whom it is often their misfortune to be con-
trolled The British people and all their presses,
not in the immediate interest of the Government,
very generally accord their unqualified appro
baton of the decisive movements of our Gov
eminent against the Southern rebels; and
therefore it has been seen, with considerable
surprise, to say the least that Lord John Rus
sell, in late discussion in Parliament, mani
tested disposition, or what has been by many
viewed as a disposition, to extennate the con-
duet of the sacessionists, and give it a sort Of
indirect sanction, --egen their glaring conduct
of fitting out letters of marque.
In the parliamentary discussion in question,
Lord Russell, on being asked how the Govern
ment was going to regard the vessels and crews
of jeff Davis pirate cruisers, said they would
probably be recognized as beNigycnts. About
the intended meaning Of this expression there
seems to be difference Of opinion, some claim
ing that it does not imply any justification OF
the Southern rebellion, or any intention to in
terfere with our mode of dealing with it
Others thinking it does foreshadow an intention
to embarrass our Government in all their ope-
rations against the new Confedcracy, and
weaken it's action materially against the newly
fitted out privateers, whose crews we propose to
treat as nothing more nor less than pirates
Those taking the last-named view of the case
would seem, as it now appears to stand,
to be in the right. The expression Itself -
recognized as belFgeents implies that the crews
of the privateers are to be considered entitled
to the usage Of ordinary warfare, and, there
fore, when captured, to be simply regarded as
prisoners Of war. Our people, we fancy, will
not greatly relish this mode Of British nonin-
reference with our mode of dealing with the
traitors and pirates. 1t has been supposed that
prvateering was abolished by the European
Congress held at Paris in 1856. 1t certainly
was, 80 far as relates to all the Nations of Eu-
rope, and the only shadow of excuse which the
British Cabinet can have had for not viewing
the United States as standing in the same cate
CORY, would he the disingenuous charge that
our Government technically did not become
party to the agreement of that Congress. But
it is known that our Minister did enter fully
into the agreement to abolish piracy and would
have gone farther than the rest in making that
agreement efectual and for that purpose no
introduced an amendment, which was pending
when President Buchanan came into Office;
on our part was dropped, and our Government
was left, in fact, but not quite in strict diplo-
matte form, party to the agreement.
But even that shadow of excuse has been
swept away by the recent action of Lincoln's
Administration. The agreement of the Con-
gress on maratmo rights, Of which we have
spoken, comprised the following points:
l. Privateering is, and remains, abolished.
2. The neutral flag covers enemies goods,
with the exception of contraband of war.
g. Neutral goods. with the exception Of con-
traband of war, are not Liable to capture under
an enemy s flag.
4. Blockades, in order to be binding, must be
offective-that is to say, maintained by force
sufficient really to prevent to the coast of
the enemy. The present declaration is not and
shall not be binding, except between those Pow.
crs who have acceded or shall accedc to it.
And now it appears that our Government,
soon after Mr.. Lincoln came into office, formal
y notified the different Powers of Europe, that
it fully aeeeded to the agreement of tho Con-
gress OF 1855, which, of course, made the
United States in form, as well as in substance,
a party to that arrangement. This makes pri-
watering piracy, and subjects jeff Davis let.
,ers OF marque men to tho fate of pirates,
which, in spite Of all Lord Russels attempts to |
give false coloring to their position, we shall
not hesitate to accord to them. |
But the true pinch, in which the British Cab |
met may begin to find themselves doubtless
arises from the clamors Of the lords of the loom
in Manchester who begin to fear deficiency Of
cotton, unless our blockade can be weakened, or
so modified, as to perm it the expectation Of the
next Southern crop. And with that thought,
also, probably goes the policy Of concilla,ing
as far as decently be done, the leaders of the
southern Conlederacy. But if the British Coy
eminent would retain the good will of ours,
and not forfeit all name for consistency and hon
,rable dealing with Us, they must not barter 4