New-York daily tribune., 1861-08-11


privsteersmans was greed alone. They dared
eycrything for its qualification, and many Of them
were enriched by the profits of single cruise.
This absorbing lust for gold is the dang. rous
feature of oil privateorng. The distinction re-
tween that and piracy is extremely small. Every
man upon p.vateer has direct pecuniary in
terest in the profits to be realized from a prize;
and the temptation to cross the line which ought
to distinguish the letter Of marque from the free
booter where valuable cargo is within reach,
has made the whole system of private armed
ships especially obnoxious to maritime govern
neuts. 1t has repeatedly degensrited into the
most remarkable instance, of PIRACY on record.
These considerations will abundalty account
for lbe alarm occasioned among shpowners and
underwriters, when it was known that the rebel
priVateers had sailed to prey upon Northern
con merce The havoc made on Brush shipping
in 1912 was still remembered. 1t is known,
moreover, that no vessel is so difficult to capture
as a prvateer. During the whole war with En-
gland we lost scarcely dozen. But this dicul.
ty is now increased by the rebels employing steam,
while that also adds facilities for orerhaulIng a
vessel already entirely helpless. 1t was there
fore to be expected that rebel pirates would
pick up scores of yessels. Where one was ahoat
in 1872, there are now five, traversipg our coast
line, and within the very jaws of the enemy.
To the old impulse of greed is nov added ma
lignant sectional hatred, with e1tcnsye destitn-
ton at home. But there are strong facts To
mitigate the mercantile alarm which has been
entertained. In the war with England the South
had but two or three privateers afoat aud these
did but little on the ocean. Her ATTITUDE Tor
stealing failed her when directed against British
commerce. Nineteen-twentieths of all the prizes
sent into her ports during that contest were the
reward Of Northern skill and daring She had
neither ships nor seamen, armaments nor e1pe'
rience, nor has she either Of them now. The
little she does possess toward this new
phase of the business of stealing is itseli
stolen. She must therefore occasion more
alarm than injury Her chronic helpless
ness is apparent in whatever she under
takes. The difficulty of capturing prTateer,
before referred TO, is already experienced in the
case Ol one OF kNO uoN uhout' Dut "A' W.
tanly be taken or driven home, under the vig'
orous marine espionage now happily in force.
The pirates once captured, it remans for the
Government to punish it with the same iron
hand which it's army officers threatened to use
in putting down negro insurrection. The threat
Of retaliation is an Old dodge. When it be-
camo known to the British Commatder that
Andre had been takan, he threatened Wa'hng-
ten that if Andre were hung he would relallate
on prisoners then in custody. Bat that imnov'
able mind was not TO be shaken. lie went
steadily forward in performing his duty tc th-
country. The spy was haueed, but the t1res'
of retaliation was prudently disIegarded. Oh
what use can history be, if, pointing ou; to
US the proper path, we pussillanimously refuse
to follow it