Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1861-06-12
Debate In ths British Parliament on
American Affairs.

Rights Of War.
/ Our English files by the America at
Boston bring us full reports of the debate
in Parliament on American affairs, of which
the telegraph has already furnished brief
sketch. We make few extracts:
"a LAWFUL BLOCKADE"
! Earl Granville announced, on behalf of
the government, that a lawful blockade
must be maintained by a sufficient force,
but 1t was not absolutely necessary TO rem
der all ngress and egress impossible, but
to render it extremely difficult. With
respect TO other questions, he stated that
certain articles were clearly contraband of
war; but that certain other articles depen-
ded upon special circumstances and con
tingencies, which could only be decided
10y prize court, and which it was impos>
sible to define beforehand.
VIEWS OF the EARL or DERBY.
Now, We know perfectly well that i is
not in the power of the Northern States,
if their ravy we're three times as powerful
as it is, to etiectually blockade all these
ports. There is 10 doubt they might eff
tectually blockade this, or the other port,
and that would be blockade which we
should be bound to recognize; hut | DO
think it is very important that her Ma
jestys government .hOuM not commit them
selreS 10 the doctrine that tie United States arc
10 lag dorm the principicQ Of unircrSdi blockade,
that ,hat universal blockade ,couid be rccoqnised
by her MGjcsty'S government, and that all her
Majestvs subjects who might choose 10
disregard it would be liable to penal con
sequences. Hear, hear. apprehend
that 10 make them so liable the blockade
must be one the validity OF which has
been recognized by their government. 1t
is important, therefore, that her Majesty's
government should come TO clear under
standing with the governm ent of the Tn.
tied States that mere paper blockade, or
blockade extending over space 10 which
it is physically impossible that an etiectu-
al blockade can be applied, rN not be rec
ogni.cd as raiid by h;s country. Hear
The other point is one of, perhaps, still
greater Importance. noble and learned
lord was understood to say few days ago
that by the law of nations Erivateering
was piracy, and that, consequently, the
nortberr States would be perfectly justi-
fled IN carrying out their threat to treat
all privateering as Pira9GSyf and visiting 1T
InaI If there Is one thing clearer than aho-
ther, it is that by the law of nations prira-
tccring IS not piracy-ttdt no cractmcrm on Tic
part Of any ono nation can make that piracy as
regards hcs,djccts Of atoticr country rhicL Is
not piracy Jy tie lars Of nations, or by the lar
Of that country. The Northern States, there's
fore, must not be allowed 10 entertain the
opinon-although it may be right that
we should warn British subjects that if
they should engage in privateerins eXpe-
ditions they will not be entitled to claim
the protection OF their governmen!-that
| they are at liberty so TO strain the law rs
20 convert privateering into piracy and
visit it with death. The punishment un-
der such circumstances Of persons entitled
to her Majesty's protection ,rouR not be
ricrcd cih Indifference, INT rould rccetrc Tie
most serious consideration BY his cowty 1t is
fright, on the one hand, that the people oi
this country shopld be warned of the per
il Of engaging in priyateering undertak-
ings; but it is essentially necessary, oil the
other, that the Northern States should not
he induced to rely upon our forbearance
with regard to the violation of the law ot
nations by visiting privateering with
penalty that IS not attached 10 it by that
Jaw. Hear.
1t is said that the Northern States treat
the Southern Confederacy, not as having
the rights of belligerents, bit as rebels
whose acts will be visited with all the pen
, alties of high treason, including capita
punishment. Bm that is not doctrnc r,
, admit. because rc hare dcclucd that Tie ,SoDd-
ern States are entitled to tie rights Of JcAigcrtnte
The Northern States. on hG other AaHd, cdinO
i, be entitled 10 claim tie rights n Jdlgcre,,tS fo
. themselves, and, on tic other, 10 treat hc s. nth
crl States not as JcNlqcr ntS, Jm as rebels
These are the two points upon which it Il
most desirable that clear understanding
should be come to between her Majesty
, Ministers and the governmental of tie Uni
l ted States-first, that we cannot rccOgniz,
= any except really effective blockad,
n such rs the United States may be able /,
enforce and secondly, that we cannot re
cornize the doctrine that, by any procla
e nation or enactment, the Northern State
a have power as against the Southern Con
federation TO treat privateering as piracy
and to visit it.with death.
LORD BRoUGHAN on PRIvATEERISG.
), Privatcering, however much IT might b
= :. reprehended, vas undoubted, in the cas-
= of recooui5cd JellgTolts, not piracy accordal
. 70 hc ia,c ofnations, as that law was at pres
: ent understood and administered; but,
any persons, subjects of this country, fit
!; ted out vessel against another countr
with which we were at peace, that in !tseI
= constituted a piratical act, and he wa
: :, clearly of opinion that the person so act
~ inc would have only themselves TO blam
if after full warning they entered upo
70 that course Taking into account Tn
:, prcat changes and improvements in a
y the appliances Of warfare which had c
late wears taken place, we should hold tha
coal might be looked upon rs amountin
" 10 contraband OF war, il furnished to on
r. of the belligerents to be used in warfsr
- against the other. He might add that h
y entirely concurred in the opinion that
r. was not necessary that a blockade, in or
d der to be looked upon as effective, shoul
be of such a nature as 10 render access
, apy part of the coast impossible, but th'
= it would be sufficient TO constitute II a re-
Al. =. 4 L. 80