The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-05-13
Our PrivateerS.

Our PrivateerS.
Rem tetigit acu. We have hit them between
| wind and water The vast commercial fleets
Of the commercial North have been stripped
OF their business. The declaration of war at
Montgomery, and call for privateers, have
IL, ne the work 1t needs not the actual lifting
onf of volunteer ships, and the actual capture
If N orthern merchantmen, to deprive these
,,,tsr of their freights. The probability OF
attach the risk they run, puts the ban upon
than in a.ll the ports Of the world. Inc brlt-
isb aag, the French flag, any aag now Is safer
for the freia hts it covers than those Stars and
str;nes which, the North has stolen. The rish
of capture, thV sudden rise Of the rates Oh In
suranos in THEN vessels, Is what ruins them
| 10 what transfers the whole carrying trade OF
he seas to the vessels of other nations
The largest com mercial marine in the world
ID that of the North. 1t approxlmates I'VE
millions of tons. The total Of the United
States last year was 1888, 1868 tons; that OF
TIE North could not have been much short OF
Eve millions. for the South has very small
marine. This five millions Of tonnage, diff
ferences of measurement being equated, is
greater than that Of Great Britain, who boasts
| 70 he mistress of the seas. Every sea is white
with the sails of the North; every port is en-
livened with their presence and their enter
| prise. Everywhere are they competing sue
! cessfuly for tho carrying trade of the world.
| EyerTrhere does the shipping of European na-
| lions fuI them ita rivals and vanqu!shers.
And now will commence the grandest SIAM
| pede that has ever been witnessed in the tide
| Of time The most multtudinous. the most
| widespread, tho moot helpless and the most
eyposed marine in the world, suddenly hears
| that the Priyateer is abroad. Tho hawk Is
about to swoop down upon thepoultry- yard
| the panic and the scampering is about to COM
mence.
| The North are attempting to put down prl-
| Watering by bad names. They denounce 1t rs
| piracy bat it ia no more piracy than the arm
cd resistance of the South is rebellion. The
| nr;vateor on the ocean is what the volunteer
is on land. He does nothing that naVa
shin NAV not do; he conducts his warfare Oh
the epemv's commerce precisely in the man
ner in which the uaval vessel conducts It,
1t is only the nations which maintain large
and costly navies that can dispense with th'
employment of privateers. Several years as'
the great naval powers Of Europe proposed t.
the United States that it should be made al
article Of international law, that prsrdtssrss
should be abolished But the United States 70
a PEELED the proposition. 1t was her policy t
maintain but small Navy, on the most eco
4 nomieal footing. Adhering to this policy,
| would be suicidal for her to agree that pr
!, watering should be abolished. 1t was tn
" only means by which, in time of war, sh
!, could supply herself with a substitute for
4 NAVY. 1t would be as idle for her to agree
"a this proposition as to agree that hereafte
wars should be conducted by regular armie
n alone. With @ small Navy, it would be as IA
n tai to agree not to employ privateers, as wit
- a small standing army to agree not to emplo
"a volunteers or militia in emergency. Privateei
are the volunteers Of the sea. In few month
Is the South will have formidable Navy, dom
terrible execution upon the enemy's commerce
- though now she has scarcely vessel in con
ns mission.
n The North i. committed to privateering. 81
N cannot treat it as piracy. 1t is in vain for h
4 to expect the European powers to put it und
"a the ban of International law. There STAN
the North's own protest in the name of
j. MARCY, against such proposition. 1t was
= Northern President and Northern Secreta
~ of State that defeated the proposition of t
Paris Conference in 1885, Nor will the interes
~ Of the European powers permit them to int
=. fere in this matter. Southern privateering pu
=. five millions of Northern tonnage out of u
10 field of competition and opens that field wi
= and free to European shipping. They will 81
to the North, I'VE proposed to abolish tt
a. thing; you refused to do SO; it is now our i
lie terest to hold you to that refusal; and it is
"a "a YOU to endure tine misfortune"
be- Privateering is as legitimate as any 9th
ng mode of warfare. The authorities Of the Sou
n. will take care to place the service und
nd proper rules of moderation and responsible
n a, and will rigidly enforce them. After THAI
done, the service is as legitimate as the reg
oh lar naval service itself. We tough our Revol
Is, ton in part with privateers. PAUL Jos
was our most renowned champion of the o
~ He was an Englishman; the English call
,oo him pirate, As they called WASHINGTON rob
,is but the world Recognized him hero as ii
Oh recognized WASHINGTON as something bet
~ than a reyolutionist.