The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-12-14
Alrbmun0 tilspatril.
SATURDAY MORNING....DEO, II 1ss1

| seems to attract large share of public atan
ton. The writer very completely disposes of
| the supposed right of the Yankee Govern
ment in the premises, showing that none Of
| the cases cited from the law books reach the
!! point under discussion. That point, after d Il,
| must be settled in the mind of every man by
| his own common sense.
| Why does the law Of nations decide that
| contraband of war cannot be carried 10 n
| country AT war? l. it not because a nation.
| protesting to be neutral, has no hight to assist
the enemy Of a nation at war, while she is
herself enjoy ing ali tho privileges immupi
ties, and advantages of peace And unless
| the property made the subject of seizure be
going to the country at war, how can 1t hene-
| tit, or be supposed TO benefit. such bellirerert
| country Suppose a columbiad, OF iitied
cannon, OF a lot OF Shapes rifles, OF powder,
or anything else of a contrabaud character.
| should be found at sea- on neutral vessel on
It's way to England, country neutral in tias
| war, could II lie awtuiiy seized even though
| II should prove to have been shipped from
| Charleston Tnqueslionably it could not. for
| the simple reason that it is not conlins, IN the
| country Of war; and therefore cannot be de
signed for its benefit. And yet these articles
| are clearly contraband of war The law
means nothing more than to prevent a coun-
| try 1T war rom receiving aid from country
| a peace, TO the detriment Of the other beiGge-
rent. Even though the guns and ammunition
! were designed for the British navy or army,
and though The Yankees might suspect a dis
on, hp .tt Of
| q" Rebels, we conceive it could not be law.
| tnIly done.
But suppose the ships in question - have
| sailed from neutral port Does aay man
| dispute the right of Great Britain to take can.
non, or powder, or any other implement or
mInition OF war, on board Of her ships. and
carry them to England And if she has the
| right 10 take on board and 20 cary to Eng
land these articles. why has she Hof the right
TO take on hoard and carry anhass; ,lors or
commissioners. allowing them. evea, 10 be
| eontFaband OF war But they are nat contra
| hand and the expression Of Sir William Scott.
| ."you may arrest yoHr enouay's Ambassador
on his passage. which was torn from its
| couteXt to support tLiz proposition. is found
when restored to lis connection, 10 establish.
| 10 such doctrine. Nor does the case of the
Marshal Beiesle, which has been so often
cited establish any such principle. That oili-
| Ger, appointed by Louis Nv ambassador to p
neutral court, was seized in Hanover, part
| of the King Of Great BIitains dominions.
Great Britain being then at war with France.
| To have made the cases parallel oar commits
| sioners should have been arrested in some OF
| the Yankee States. Nobody contends that
| Lincoln would not have had a right to arrest
| them on his own ground
| II Is, however, as we have ctten said before.
| useless TO argue this point, and We cnlv do it
| Ill obedience to the general taste Most as
| snredly, Great Britain will not be Influenced
in the slightest degree, by any view Of the
subject taken BY Rnyhody on this side Of the
| Wafer Her rulers have never wanted law to
| justify anything they might wish 10 d.. or to
| leave undone, whenever the act or The onis-
| sion might be favorable to the interests @ her
| people. In the present case, there are strong
reasons why She should pocket the afront,
| Her subjects hold stocks III Yankeedon. 10 the
| value of five hundred million, and probably,
! Lintolns subjects owe her five hundred mil
! lions more. These debts and securitie, yyonId
! instantly be con!iscated in the event of = war
and should she even be so far successful ~ ,
| plant the lion upon the Capitol at Washing
/ ton, after having captured every Yankee sea
| port, and sunk every Yankee ship.-atter
| having dictated peace and placed her foot
on the neck of al! Iaukeedom-sl.e would
| hardly ever he able 10 realize the amount
from people 50 utterly impoverished
The commercial distress that would follow
| the destruction of SO much English wealth IN
| the meantime, would reduce thousands f.
| begg4ry. Besides, LDgliad has no.v the
| largest commercial marine in the world aud
| the Yankees since this war broke out, have
| had scarcely any foreign trade The contest.
| Iii this view Of the case, would be very une-
| q'jitI. The English would have all to loose.
and nothing TO gain, by war oil such terms.
| These considerations may possibly induce her
| to overlook the aiiront offered to her soyer.
| eighty, CT AT most to rest satisfied with an
| explanation, or something very far short of
| what she has Just right to cain. The time
is passed, as the Times very Justly observes.
| when she could he dragged into war BY either
her sympathieo or her aItipAthies ana thougl,
she may wish rs ali success, and speedy de
| hverance t.om the Yankees, size will deliber-
| aLe long before taking the decided step What
| effect an outrage so daring NAV have upon
| the temper OF the natioa Is altogether another
| question, and when that is fairly reused there
| his been 10 ruler since james III that durst
| thrust himself between i. aud its object II
may or 1t may not ioiCe Lord PallnerStou into
| decisive measures Or compel him 10 resign
| the rejns into the hands OF some person
| more inclined 90 tax" up the matter with IA
| high hand But IL the mean time lec Us not
| be influenced by any hope FROM that quarter
| Let orr measures be taken IA tIGugh there
| were no such power IS England in existence.
| We shonld nWe our independence 10 nothing
| but tho iight arms cf our young men.
| TIVE FLORIDA ON 4 FRouc.--We find the
! following in the Mobile ErtHtg4 Neug, OF Fri.
| day last.
| The Confederate States steamer Florida
| came np 10 tawn & aoout = o ClCC< this morn
inr, and nov lies IN The stream no: a biz the
worse for her brush y yeS terdiY morning " hirh
| is more than the enemy can say for himself
| AS far as we have been atle 10 ascertain the
particulars OF the aft tir, they are as follows.
/ and from q reliable source
About q o clock yestsrd ~ morning, Il n in
| stant) The Florida, Capt. Welles T.. =. n
came Ia sight of urge three Iaastet: propeIi :
or, in ide ut Horn Island Pass and uut after
her, frs' signaling to the Pamlieo which was
in company, 10 turn back. The enemy show
| ed some disposition 10 figh', bat after ex.
changing few shots, concluded to try her
heels, IN which She had a euperiority The
Florida, however, pursued her FOR about three
miles outside the Pass, when she reiinq uished
the chase, the sea being too rough for her to
word her guns with Effect.
During this brush the enemy fired erbt
shots; the Florida desirous OF Gripping him
before be could get out Of thu way, fired some
sixty shot and shell, several OF which must