Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1861-05-29
Feeling of the British Press and Peo-
/ pie ON the Crisis.
NEUTRALITY DECLARATION OF LORD PALNERsToN
I

Feeling OF the BrttIsh Press ana ReO-
pie ON the Crisis.
NEUTRALITY DECLARATION OF LORD PALNERsroN
REPEATED.
From the London Post, Government orgsn,) May I.
The latest advices from America bring intelli-
gence which the people of this country will read
with dismay and regret. Not only has the navy
yard, with fleet of ships of the line and frgates.
been destroyed by the hands of federal officers,
but the capital is threatened with actual invasion.
Mr.. jefferson Davis and General Beauregard are
stated to be in the neighborhood of Washington,
ready with six thousand men to make dash on
the seat Of government.
But il is important, in reference to English in
terests to consider the effect which this unhappy
contest is likely to produce upon neutral COM
merce. Mr.. Jefferson Davis, the President
of the new confederation, has announced his
intention of granting letters of marque. Pres
ident Lincoln has met this threat by declar
ing blockade Of the Southern ports, and
by stating that he will treat as pirates all
privateers commissioned by the insurgent
States. In these circumstances no one can
be surprised that the British foreign Minister
should be required to explain the course which
the Government is prepared to pursue. The
question, no doubt, will be discussed in its i'm
portant bearings when Mr.. Horsefalls motion
comes before the House; but last night Lord John
Russell, in answer to Mr.. Gregory, made state
ment which is worthy serious and grave al. en-
ton We do not allude to the levying of Federal
dues on shipboard, a case phich must be decided,
,ehsn il arises, upon the universally admitted prin
eipais of information Ldio, but to the declaration
made by the noble lord that the Government had
come to the conclusion that "the Southern States
of America must be treated belligerents."
The noble lord based this determination upon the
policy which this country pursued in 1925, when
Greece was engaged in instruction against Tur
key. Ii the noble lord had referred to American
precedents he would have found that the greatest
of American jurists, Mr. Justice Storey had laid
down precisely the same rule. That learned
| Judge in the case of the Santissima Trinidad q
Wheaton, decided that during the continuance
of the civil war between Spain and her
colonies, and previous to the acknowledge
ment of the Independence Of the latter by the
mother country, 1.-THE colonies were bellig-
erent nations, and entitled to all the sovereign
rights of war against the enemy" The thirteen
States when they revolted from England, were
so treated, not only by foreign Powers. but by
this country The federal government, there
fore, can not justly take offence that doctrine
which the United States have asserted from their
| first Constitution should be admitted and recog-
nized in the present contest. Bat belligerent
| rights carry with them corresponding obligations.
Blockade must be efectuai, and priuGteers must be
iarfuliy commissioned. We beliere that block
ade by letters of marque, though a nOreI expert
ment in maritime udrtare iooutd be quite as efec-
tual as a blockade as regular men-ot todr. The
Northern States, with their powerful commercial
marine, could easily blockade all the Gulf ports,
and prevent the ingress or egress of every cotton
ship. The employment of this description OF
naval militia would, we suspect, be far more use
full than any operations by land. In spite OF the
oh
tain to arise from the present unhappy contest
the American rule that =" the flag covers the
cargo" will give comparative immunity to Brit
ish and foreign commerce. 1t is the policy of
this country to watch with sympathy the progress
of the war, and carefully 10 abstain from all in
reference nhieh may not be requisite for the pro
lection Of British interests, and the assertion Of
those great principles of public law which subsist
for the benefit of the world at large.
lFrOm the London Times, May ST.
Americas present position is one which she
never could have foreseen, and never contempa-
ted it is the direct contrary of all that she has
ever marked out for herself, and she has conse-
quently been ndustrously indicating princip es
and making precelents, all of which will now 60
to the contraction of her own belligerent rights
She has saved from perishing the vile trade of
privateerng, and the existence of priyateers scat
tered over every sea will necessitate the dividing
her feet in order to protect her commerce. She
has stretched the rights of neutras to resistance
of the conceded right of search and visit,
and she has thereby given us immunity for every
character of goods which we may carry in our
free natural ships. She has even, we believe,
gone further than this.
If we mistake not she in very recent case Of
an American ship seized by Neapolitan cruisers
off Sicily, raised and insisted that State not
blockade its own ports. We speak from i'm
preston, and not from reference, but we believe
we are correct in saying that the United States
demanded and obtained restitution and compeu-
sation from the King of Naples, upon the ground
that, as he claimed Sicily as part of his domin-
ions. just as Mr. Lincoln now claims the seeded
States, he could not lawfully blockade the porte
of Sicily. However this may be, we have said
enough to show that there is really some compli-
cation in the questions which the Government
declined last night to discuss. But it is conso-
lation to know that in dealing with these ques-
tons we shall have to deal with people who
have always been the champions of the rights of
neutrals, and who will have no difficulty in ap-
preciating the arguments in that interest which
we shall have to lay before them.