The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-11-16


take any step directly hostile TO the Northern gov
effment and Il must be assusse therefore, that the NORTH
EN- 9osse Gsef woutd take tns trfdtise d9d,ia me
Eurefeaa Pr whtch should interfere IN an American
4udi1,i
In order to arrive at the quarter from which, N tho
place. the United States government appchends
such act Of Interference have only to look TO the
character of the defenccs which it s recommending
to the Legislatures Of the different Northern States.
Mr. Seward states that "the most obvious precaution
against this dapger1 Is 10 put IN condition Of complete
defence all the ports, harbos, coasts and lakes
The ports and the coasts, rs well known, would be
assailable by every maritime Power but the lakes are
the boundary between the United States and British
North America, and assaiable only by Great Britain
Very possibly Great Britain may not be the only Power at
whose hands recognition by the South is thought posi-
BILE by Mr. Lincoln and Mr. Seward; but Greet Brian Is
dsswediy he Pouer against Whom there is disfincfire
Nosc maa sag that The American gveinment, in our
judgment nrer took STEP more uncoied for and more un.
wise We deeply regret tho amentabfe contest to
which they find themselves committed; and We have
locked throughout more in sorrow for America than
for authority which is now wagng But with all this
sympathy and with the utmost interest," both pecunary
and moral IN tho American civil war, we have nrmy
and hxedy refrained from pronouncing judgment be
stween the belligerens. we thought at could drta
ttoodshed and trmnate the tdr ,cohd most gladly cef
friendly 0scdtdion. But from the very commence
nen persuaded that the scope and Aerccncss Of
the hosttcs such European mediatsn would
rather intensity than alay We have therefore ut once
nation and as government, resolved 20 lake part
chdte'e', and to pronounce no opinion ahaeor IN he
question; while '" hope 70 remain friendly wsta both
inetios both Of the British government and The British
feope II he think that any design crisis (aaiess IL Ie
liamenD 10 recognize TIE South Such resolution Of
traty part is recommended grounds both OF
policy and Justice The only incentive Of either this
country or France TO take opposite would be 10
stabsh the supply Of cotton. But we believe that
such hypothesis is altogether delusive and that while
Tho Northern government continued It's blockade there
aooald be no more export qf con from recognized than
from unrecognised Southern coted7acy II would also
be at present altogether premature TO recognize body
Acs44fa haS ha..
their capacity to maintain their own independence. "
The prediction ef the North shod be realized and ei
e,ners, ohat Uoud become Of British French recogni
tionp
We think, therefore, that Mr. Lincoln and Mr. Seward
proua against danger sohch hardly be said 10
era and that in doing they wasting upon useless
objects at once men money and mdtei which 1t should
be their aim concentrate upon their real ard imedi.
ate enemies. The Washington Cabinet themselves
deliberately allowing the Southern Confederation the ad
vantage Of their schemes. The sonherners for
to divert the military power OF the North. Although
there Likelihood of such recognition taking place the
anxious TO evnce its power by extending the number of
its enemies They might make that shall not re.
coen;e ne South, that still less shau attack tie North,
and therefore that the only enemies they have TO contend with
are those already before them.
LORD LYONS AND MR.. SEWARD ON THE UNION AR
RESTS OF FoRElGNERs--FUBLlC NECESSITY AND IN
TERNATIoNAL LAW.
[From the London Poost government organ) Oct 3ll
The Americans since the constitution Of their govern
ment have always proessed to observe with great strict
ness the principiis Of public law On some occasion
lusthable by that comfy which ought 10 exist between
friendly nations We may mention the opposition to the
English orders In Council which led TO the Of 1872
the refusal to admit the right Of search when sought
be enforced solely for the purpose Of repressng the A
can slave VI sde and the indignation which few years
ago pervaded the United States account Of some
supposed violation Of the American neutrality laws IF
We add 70 this list the angry disputes which
have existed with regard to the Maine and Oregon
boundaries and the sovereignty of the island OF San juan
notion may be formed Of the high handed manner
which the United States government has uniformly
asserted its national rights. No doubt IL is difficult
measure the present American civil contest by those
definite and well established rules which the practice Of
cvsed nations has prescribed for the conduct Of regular
warfare. few months the federal government
extremely Indignant With Engsnd and France FOR having
issued declarations Of neutrality which, 1t said,
eeded belligerent rights 10 The secedng states Never
theless the federal government itself has aost from
the commencement OF hostiities, acted upon precise
iy the same principle. Sccessionists taken in arms
have not been shot, but treated with the usual
courieses Of war; and by the last mail
informed that interchange OF sixtyseven prisoners
has been effected with the of the authorities at
Washington. In almost the first prize caseibat Of the
British ship Hiawaha--condemnatio was pronounced
tho ground that regular state OF subssted be-
tween the federal government aud its rcveed provinces
Up 10 this point il may be inferred that attempt has
been made by either Of the contendng parties depart
from those principles OF public law which in q state Of
hostility govern the conduct of European nations both
regards bcIiigerent or neutral commerce. The only
ercepton Is the employment u prit,ee1s hich the South
may justify on Ms ground Of necessity.
1t appears, however that the federal government for
its purposes, has assumed to exercse powers which
paramount TO the ordinary law Of the land The writ
of hbeas corpus has been suspended of espion
age is in force on both sides Of the Atlantic and Aeri
can citizens on bare suspicion Of disaiecton are con-
stany consigned to Fort Lafayette and other military
prisons We in this country may lament that the liberty
OF the subject in America should thus be made to depend
upon the will Of military Dictator and that the ordi
nary machinery OF justice should be thrown aside
worthless and useless lumber. But the question comes
home to when find that Lord Lyons, the British
Minister at Washington has felt it his duty protest
against the arbitrary confinement OF British subjects,
alleging tha the authority Of Congress necessary for
such measures No doubt British subjects aho sioate the
Qaeea's proclamation, by aiding either hlgre place
Memefres beyond The protection # Brttish ld,c They are
much liable 10 be imprisoned native born Americans
But the tafbtray confinement Of foreigners OF course,
very different matter 1t has reference to those
Of precantion which government takes for
the oppression and coercion Of its own subjects in time
Of peril and trouble. Mr.. Seward's apology s-"That in
the present emergency all classes Of society alike must
cheerfuy acquicscc in the which the safety Of
the people demand, and that the British government
could hardly expect the President to accept their cxpa
nation Of the constitution Of the United states" II is
unfortunate that question Of this gravity should have
arisen but it is however, clear that IL British snb-
jects wrongully detained and The Anrcon courts
afford them redress they mast look to te7 country
for protection. In the case Of Mr. Forwood that gentle
man arrested upon his arrival at New York on
pcon OF Southern tendencies was kept under arrest and
searched, and his papers read but nothing being found
which could be construed reasonable he hbcrat
odn IN fact every steamer which crosses the Allan
tic has board spy who plies his discreditabe
cation by peryer'Eg the words Of careless and unsusp
conversation into proofs OF completely more serious
than mere Southern tendencies " the people of the
Northern States taely submit TO such system the fault
is theirs.
THE DUKE OF ARGYLE ON THE POLITICAL SUICIDE OF
THE REBELs--ENGLAND's NEUTRALITY ENDORSED.
from the London Times, Oct, 29.l
On Friday evening last the tenantry on the Argyle
entertained their noble landlord at sumptuous
banquet in the Argyle Arms Hotel Inverary. There
numerous attendance, and the chair occupied
by the Rev. Dr. Colin Smith, minister Of Inverary and
Moderator of the General Assembly The Chairman, in
able and enthusiastic speech proposed the toast Of
the evening, Long Life and Prosperity to the Duke Of
Argyle which responded 10 with Highland honors
The Duke, Ia his reply, ,sadUnortunately II is too
true that there at present ia operation which
TO cast gloom the prospects of the manu
acurers Of our country aud II is very remarkable
ample Of the intimate connection which commerce has
established between the distant regions of the globe
that considerable anxiety arising from
events taking place many thousands Of miles from
the great Atlantic see that there has been
fear expressed lately that the inconvenience which Is
likely TO arise in this country from the contest Ia Aefi
is great that there wu b. pressure pid pYon The
government 10 interfere IN that ootest, at least 10 take
steps yohieh may ultimately iguJlre IN IT, have
100 high an opinion Of the good and of the
public principle q the people OF this country to believe
that any such pressure VIII be put upon the govern
ment and must add that have too great confidence in
the rnness and pubic principle Of the government and
Parliament Of this country to believe that they will be
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