Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-06-16
The Lincoln Observation-Disclosures

IL has always been The policy of the Unit
ed States 10 KEEP a small standing army anu
asmaII war msrine-bOth OF which nave ever
been viewed with jealousy and dlstrust ny
The American people. For the defence OF the
country the policy has been 10 rely upon the
volunteer militia. and for operations on sra
upou a small regular navy assisted by pri-
xsteers tn ken from the merchant marine, and
saiIing under licenses granted By government.
denoninaled Letters If Marque and Repri-
sal The system of privateering was long re
eognised hg the law Of nations. and IN our
war with Great Britain in lsl2-15. bad the
ef. ct of making our Insignificant FEDERAL
navy. thu. assisted, a successful competitor
with The immense one of England 1t has
invariably proved one Of the most EFF civ
arms of the public service in time ct war
II q bern adhered 10 al cherished ny all
nations having small navi-<, and viewed with
di-Iik- By those Of la'g- onrs, b cause with
small navis. 10y its assistance, he former
we're able to cope With the nations having
the most powerful war marine. The Unit d
Stairs have therefore chung to the right OF
privateering with graf tenacIty aud hav'
steadily refused to yield IL, while England
and France Esp cially have been Eager ia
have the law OF natinns am. nded on th. sub
iect Al the conclu-inn Of The Grim an war
In 1856 eouvreati"n If representatives, of
the principal powers in Europe. met al Fari-
who agreed upon the following articles abol-
ishing priVatrering:
/ PrivaiPering il and remains abolished.
The u uIr.l q ,g c"v-rs enemy goods
with ihe exception at ehntraband OF war.
NEUTRAL gDOds. with the EXCEPTION of
contra aud # war. not liable to ca pIur,
md the ems my's htg.
4. BIockades in order to be- binding must
be Ell ciive-Ihat is 10 say. MAINTAINED by a
force sufficient really to prevent access TO the
coast of the enemy.
The G p.rrumrurs of the undersigned PIE
nipot-ntIaries &c 10 bring the prs n
declaration To the kn"wledg" OF the SiaI+s
which have not taken part in the Congress o.
Paris and to invite them TO accede to il.
Convinced that the maSims which they
now proclaim cinlOI buI be received witt
graiiiud, 10y tn whole world. the undersign-
ed Plenip1I entidries doubt not thai the effort
of Ib-ir Governments to obtain The general
sdou.inn thereof will be crowned With full
success.
Iu.- present declaration Ia not and shall
not he bIuding except between Ihn-e Powers
who have ace. or shall acc'Ge tn It.
Dnne a. Paris. The l6 b of April. 1856.
RI re follow the signatures "f the PIeni-
pplenIiaries nf Grrat Britain, France. Aus
tria, Prussia. r Issia, Sardinia and Turkey
This agreement was duly presented to The
Tinted States for a. c-ptance, and was rejPcI
ed, in a Communication from Mr. MARCY to
the French II mister at Washington, copies of
which wer- furnished she Ministers OF all the
other Powers. This letter of Mr. MARCY !
was one of the ablrst deIences of the right
and justice of priyateeriDg ever made by an
American statesman; and be then CONTEND d
that the right to resort to priyateers was "a
clear as the right 70 use public armed ships; |
that il was as incnnIe<rible as any Other |
rfgIt OF b..lligerenis. aud was as ". II sus-
tainei bv practice and public opinion as any |
other right tai b. fund in the maritime code
OF nation. Thus tn matter was definitely
&c tied. 80 far as the United States were c"D-
eern'd-
But recently The de-potie usurper at Wasb-
iugion has seen proper 10 declare two thu-
sand miles of our coast in q sts'e OF bl' ok
.de. and we'll knowing our chief rrm'd.
az inst it wa in This right of privaterring
be at once sneakingIy and di- bonor"bly se' Ks
In change The whole pol cy Of the Govern
ment. and sends to E. gland proposition nc
crptine The trims OF The Paris sg- ermenr
given abovr. and simultaneously proclaims
shat I'll D. rsnna engaged in privatfering IN
dr. latrers from the Coined rate Stat are
piratea and v i'll b. ea'ed a. such. wherevsr
and whenever rakenl Fortunately for rs.
Lincoln, proportion was treated with con
t-mpf BY TIE British Ministry. and his trick
for the oppression ard au'j rgaiion OF The
South by This mrans has f.il'd- The law OF
nation. will. for the present. at least. stand
and our privareering will g" on bile th- in
faiul,ed ,illainy of the would-he despoi al
Washington will s. cure the contempt and |
seorn Of the civiliz d world.