Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1861-08-23
No Blockade.

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that there is really no blockade Of the Ports If
seeded States but we are SO Instructed in the
following article We have heard SO much
about the blockade, and SO long supposed there
was one, but fnd it only mistake, that, amidst
the multitude of falseloods filing the public
ly mistake that there is war 1t has been
published throughout the country that the hero
Gari5alii had signifed his intention to come to
this country and join the Federal army and
that he had actually been appointed General,
We now learn, by letter from his son, that he
dissuaded that son from joining our army, say
ing to him that it was only d family quarrel in
which we are engaged, which could better be
adjusted amongst ourselves. These are only q
few specimens of the misrepresentation which
are becoming thick as autumn leaves There
is no doubt however that the great critic, time,
will set all matters right Here is the article
on the blockade
THE RIGHT TO CLOSE OUR PORTS.
It was an inadvertance Of Mr. Seward rs
Secretary Of State, t. announce lis measure to
the foreign powers as a blockade - and nat
urally these foreign powers were but too ready
to take the Secretary at his word and clairsl
all the rights which the term blockade" i'm
plies. OF course explanations were at once
made, and the official inadyertancy corrected.
But with curious earelessness, American jour
nalists continue still to support a theory of this
important question which is prejuaicial to our
own interests. 1t is q view which fol eieners
would be glad to take, wrong rs ii is, because
i nm, diff entities mr. tboir Cd,
tages in an equal ratio.
Blockade is an international act. It is an
interference by one nation with the ports Of an
other nation, by which not only interests but
rights Of other nations are touched For this
reason blockade must proceed according to in
ternational regulations. Notice must be given
to neutral powers and the entrance to the
blockanded ports must be made dangerous"
But the act by which a government closes GER
tain Of its own ports rests upon purely NUM-
cipal and domestic right, which every nation
possesses and practices, to declare which ports
Of its coasts shall be free to the approach and
entry of vessels. 1t is precisely Of the same
character with the power which nations exer-
else in imposing duties upon foreign merchan-
disc. They have right to say what kind and
what amount of foreign goods shall be brought
to their shores, or to exclude them altogether
as is often done. They have a right to say in
what bottoms such goods shall be brought, and
if they please. to shut out foreign vessels alto
gether. Navigation laws are in the statute
books Of every commercial people. They may
also make and unmaka ports Of entry ut their
own discretion. No foreign nation has the
right to ask even reasons fur such regulations.
TO doubt this right or to say that it can be
lawfully interfered with by foreign poHcrs, is
simply TO declare that the American govern
meut must ask the consent Of foreign nations
before it can collect It's usual revenues.
It must be remembered that We do not close
all our ports a measure at which foreign pow
ers might demur, from the sudden stoppage Of
our exports. The few which have been closed
are Of far less commercial Importance than
those which remain open The connections Of
the whole country with those which remain
open are perfect. fla southern man cares to
sell his cotton, he can send it to New York with
little more expense than he is at to ship it from
New Orleans. The Government has not pro-
hihited the export Of this or any other Article
1t has simply interdicted commercial inter
course with certain ports in which insergents
prevent the collection Of revenue. That these
ports are cotton ports is an incident which it
had no reason to take into the account a; and
we may add that other ports may also be called
cotton ports-such rs New York which ex-
ported last year not less than twenty millio
dollars worth Of this staple. There is no Fea-
son why planters should not send their produce
to the ports which remain open certainly 10
reason why their temporary and really trivial
Inconvenience should be weighed in the scales
against the very existence CT the government,
which depends upon its power to collee. its rev
enucs.
Let Us not forget that when we consent to
own the purely domestic and municipal act Of
closing certain Of our own ports. as a measure
in which foreign nations may interfere, we set
q precedent which bundles our flag and our
honor and will be used in the future to estab-
lish other acts Of foreign interference with our
private affairs. Itis encouraging to England
to resume towards us that old claim to the do
minion CT the seas which cost Us the war Of
1912 to prove falIacious.-N. Y. Post.
- Ga the 10Th and 18th inst there was a
conference of Z. S. Marshals in New York for
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