The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-07-16


the 18th Of June, the date Of tho Despatch
from Berlin to the Minister at Warrington.
The despatch Says
with great pleasure that have received At TINS
time tho proposals from North America ana the neGota
lions conducted by you have not had the desired
because there hesitation in Offering to our wASsy
&c s ~ % raS n tms
mutually settled vide and unaterable basis has neen
taken S serious consideration BY The g,ss: M ans
desire e that the american government should seize ms &c,
cdsion to proclaim is accession % the Paris declaraso
that while the war Lasts they would please TO apply TO
neutral shipping generally the second and third PROPOSE
tions Of the Paris declaration.
1t is very plain that the Prussian government
had not received the alleged offer of Mr. Sew
ard to adopt the Treaty Of Paris; but 1t would
seem, on the contrary, that the administration
at Washington had rather declined to "defer to
the wishes of Prussia for the abolition Of letters
of marquee"
1t appears. however, that Prussia did receive
proposals" of some kind "from North Anne
rioa," which, we presume, means the federal
government. Now, the question is, what were
these proposals? 1t is for the interest of the
country to know, and we are glad to see that
the production of all correspondence on this
subject with European Powers has been moved
for in Congress. Let US have light. There is
no necessity for secresy in a republic. 1t is
now three months since the dispatches OF Mr..
Seward were sent to Europe. There certainly
ought to be answers before this time to his pro-
posals to abolish privatcering, If any such offers
| were made. We are aware that it is not in the
power of the Executive or even of Congress TO
abolish privateering absolutely; for the consti-
tuition gives the right to every future Con-
| gress to issue letters of marque, and the
| present government cannot make any bar
| gain binding on its successors contrary to
the constitution But it has discretionary
power for itself to issue or refuse to issue these
commissions to priyateers; and during their own
term of Office the present government and the
present Congress might agree to place the right
| in allegiance, and also TO submit to the peo-
| pie an amendment to the constitution declaring
privateering to be piracy for all time to come.
| Whether Mr.. Seward has made such proposals
to the European Powers, and, if 80, what
answers they gave, are matters of the deepest
interest and Importance to the American peo-
pie. If our memory does not greatly deceive us,
the English papers in the cotton interest," at
the time the HERALD reached them with the
news of proposals from MIR. Seward, declared
| that it was too late for neutral Power to en-
ter upon any diplomatic negotiations after hos
tilties had commenced between the bel
ligerents; and probably this is the answer, if
any, that has been returned from Lord John
Russell to the Secretary of State.
The Prussian Minister does the United States
the justice to admit that Its government was the
first in the world to propose the principle of
abolishing all right of capture Of private prop
erty on sea- whether by ships-ofwar or by priva-
teers That principle has long since been adopted
on the land by all civilized nations. There seems
| no reason why it should be retained on sea-
| The proposition was made by our government
in 1854, and was then declined by England and
France; and, though it is now supported by
Prussia we have no doubt it would be declined
again. If that honorable principle became pub
| lie law the United States could abolish priva-
| teering without danger to its commercial inter-
ests. But the object of England and France is
to obtain cotton by hook or by crook, and they
will evade every fair proposition of our gov
| eminent and seize upon any excuse to pick
a quarrel with the United States rather than
| 90 without the coveted article whose pro-
duction is monopolized by the Southern
States If, however, they will wait patiently for
short time the government at Washington will
open the ports of the rcbellious States, and give
France and England all the cotton they need.
| A few operations like those of Mcclellan in
| Western Virginia will enable our army to over
run Eastern Virginia and before November to
penetrate to the very heart of the cotton States.
| Commerce will follow the flag. But let them not
rouse the vengeance of this republic by attempt
| ing to force the cotton crop from any State in
this Union against the will of the government.
Such highhanded course may be successful
against the government of the Chinese, but
would be attended with great danger in the
case Of the government of the United States
The Rebs. privateers-ffhe Inef;cioncy Of
Our Navy Department..
From Maryland to Missouri the movements,
achievements and combinations of our land
forces for the suppression of our Southern re-
bellion are eminently satisfactory and encour-
aging They fully justify the belief that nothing
can save the rebel armies from humiliation ex-
cept their seasonable submission to the flag of
the Union But our navy-what can we say
! for this shameful humiliation of our navy? Or,
we might rather ask, what has become of our
| navy when our rebel privateers off the coast of
Massachusetts, and near the coast Of Virginia
and In the Chesapeake Bay, and in the Gulf of
Mexico, are allowed to prey upon our commerce
with impunity?
The answer that all our available naval YES
sells are occupied in the blockade of the sea-
| ports Of our revolted States will not suffice
| These privateers, fitted up, manned and equip
ped in those seaports, could only get out to sea
| by running our blockade. In running it, we
| have the proof before us that this blockade is
inefficient. We may be answered again that our
available shipsof-war are not equal to the task
Of guarding the few navigable inlets and out
| I.t, g 1hor ocl - ~