Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1861-11-26

WOuid give US through route from North to
Sonth in the interior Of tue Conf terate States,
and give Us access to population and military
resources from which we are now. in great
measure, debarred. We should Increase greatly
the safety and capacity of our means Tor trans
porting men and military supplies. II the con-
structon of this road should, in the Judgment of
Congress, as 1t Is In mine, be indispensable for
the most successful prosecution Of th- war, the
action OF the government will not be restrained
by The constitutional objection which wond at
tach to q work for commercial purposes and at
tention is invited to the practcabity Il securing
its early completion by giving The neeltul ard To
the company organized tor it's construction and
admDisi ration.
If we husband our means and make iudicious
use of our resources, it would be difficult to Tx
limit to the period during which we could con-
duct war against our adversary whom we now
encounter. The very efforts which he makes to
isolate and invade us must exhaust his means.
whilst they serve to complete the circle and di-
versify the productions Of our industrial system.
The reconstruction which he seeks to effect by
arms becomes daily more and more papablv i'm
possible. n OF only do the causes which induced
us to separate still exist in full force, but they
have been strengthed, and whatever doubt NAV
have fingered in the minds of any. must have
been completely dispelled by subsequent events
If instead of being dissolution of a Ieague it
were indeed rebellion in which we are engaged
we might find ample vindlcation for the course
we have adopted, in the scenes which are now
being enacted in the United States Our people
now look with contemptuous astonishment on
those with whom they had been so recently as
soc:ated. They shrink with aversion from the
bare idea OF renewing such connection. When
they see a President making war without the as
sent of Congress; when they behold Judges
threatened because they maintain the writ of ha-
hop
justice and law trAmpled under the armed heel
of military authority, and upright men and in
nocent women dragged to distant dungeons upon
the mere edict of despot; when they find all
this tolerated and applauded by people who had
been in the full enjoyment of freedom but few
months ago-they believe that there must be
some radical incompatibility between such
people and themselves With such people we
may be content to live at peace, but the separa-
ton is final and for the independence we have
asserted we will accept no alternative.
The nature of the hostilities which they have
waged against US must be characterized as bar
barous wherever it is understood. They have
bombarded undefended villages without giving
notice to women and children to enable them to
escape, and, in one instance, selected the night
as the period when they might surprise them
most effectually whilst asleep and unsuspicous
OF danger. Arson and raplne, the destruction
of private houses and property, and injuries of
the most wanton character, even upon non-com-
batants, have marked their forays along our bor-
ders and upon our territory. Although We ought
to have been adnonished by these things, that
they were disposed to make war upon us in the
most cruel and relentless spirit yet, we were not
prepared to see them fit out large naval expe-
dition, with the confessed purpose not only to
pillage, but to excite servile nsurrection ir our
midst.
If they convert their soldiers into incendiaries
and robbers, and involve us in species Of war
which claims non-cOmbatants, women and chill
dren as its victims, they must expect to be treat
ed as outlaws and enemies of mankind. There
are certain rights of hun ani!y which are enti-
tied tc respect, even in war, and he who refuses
to regard them forfeits his claim, if captured to
be considered as a prisoner Of war, but must ex-
pect to be dealt with as an offender against all
law, human and divine.
But, not content with violating our rights, un-
der the law of nations, at home, they have ex-
tended these injuries to US within jurisdc-
tions. The distinguished gentlemen whom, with
your approval, at the last session, commission
ed to represent the Confederacy at certain foreign
courts, have been recently seized by the Captain
of United States Ship-Of-war, board Brit
ish steamer, on their voyage from the neutral
Spanish port Of Havana to England. The Uni
ted States have thus claimed general jursdlc-
ton over the high seas and entering British
ship, sailing under its countrys flag, violated the
rights of embassy, for the most part held sacred
even amongst barbarianS, by Seizing Our minis |
ters whilst under the protection and within the
dominions Of neutral nation. These gentlemen
were as much under the jurisdiction Of the Brit
ish Government upon that ship and beneath its
flag as if they had been on its soil, and claim
on the part OF the United States to seize them in |
the streets Of Londo on would have been we'll
founded as that to anprehend them where they |
were taken. Had they been malefactors and cit
liens even Of the United States, they could not
have been arrested on British ship or on Brit
ish soil, unless under the express provisions of a
treaty and according to the forms therein provi-
ded for the extradtion of criminals.
But rights the most sacred seem to have lost
all respect in their eyes. When Mr.. Faulkner, a |
former minister of the United States to France, |
before the sece>s sion of Virginia, his
native State, returned in good faith to Washing
ton to settle his accounts and fulfil all the obl-
cations into which he had entered, he was perfd
iousy arrested and imprisoned in New York,
where he now is. The unsuspecting confidence
with which he reported to his government, was
abused, and his desire to fulfil his trust to them
was used to his in jury.
In conducting this war, we have sought no aid
and proposed alliances offensive and defensive
abroad. We have asked for recognized place
in the great family of nations, but In doing SO
we have demanded nothing for which we did not
offer fair equivalent. The advantages OF inter-
couse are mutual among nations, and IN seeking
to establish diplomatic relations, we were only
endeav0ring to place that intercourse under the
regulation of public law. Perhaps we had the
right if we had chosen to exercise it, to ask to
know whether the principle that ssblockades to
be binding must be effectual,'' so soemnly an
nounced by the great Powers of Europe at Far
is, is to be generally enforced or applied only to
particular parties.
When the Confederate States at your last seS
sion became a Larty to the declaration re-afhrm-
ing this principle Of international law, which has
been recognized so long by publicists and Gov
ernments, we certainly supposed that II Was to
be universally enforced. The customary law of
nations is made up Of their practice rather than
their declarations; and if such declarations are
only to be enforced in particular instances, at
the pleasure of those who make them, then the
commerce of the world so far from being placed
under the regulation of general law, will be-
come subject to the caprice of those who exc
cute or suspend it at will. If such is to be the
course of nations in regard to this law, it is plain
that it will thus become rule for the weak ana
not for the strong.
Feeling that such views must be taken by the
neutral nations of the earth, have used the
evidence to be collected which proves complete
ly the utter inefficiency Of the proclaimed block
ade of our coast, and shall direct it to be laid
before such Governments as shall afford us the
means of being heard. But, although we should
be benefited by the enforcement of this law SO
solemnly declared by the great powers of Eu-
rope, we are not dependent on that enforcement
for the successful prosecution of the war. As
long as hostilitieS continue the, Confederate
States will exhibit steadily increasing capacity
to furnish their troops with food, clothing and
arms. If they should be forced to undergo MANY
of the luxuries and some of the comforts of life