Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1861-05-24
The London Time, and America.

b Notwithstanding the enormous length of
the line Of coast, both on the Atlantic and
on the. Cult, the Southern ports from which
produce can be shipped with any regularity
are few in number. There are only FIVE rail-
ways which strike this coast throughout its
entire extent. These terminate at New Or
leans and Mobile ia the Gulf, and Savannah.
Charleston, and Wilmington on the Allan
tic. If the United States can blockade these
i've ports etfectualiy, they to all practical
purposes seal up The Southern States. Of
course they must do this effectively. The
validity of mere paper blockades has. long
since been disowned by every Power.
We have been told that there are letters of
marque nowsin London, and agents have ar
rived by the last steamer to make contracts
tor Armstrong guns and all other warike
stores OF the most recent invention. Both
parties will come into the markets of Europe,
and will bid for men and ships. So far as
prlVateerlng 10 concerned, the South will
have the advantage.
No adyenturer would care to take service
with the North, because there would be lit
tie or no prey. The South has nc commerce,
bottoms. The North, however, has ships
upon every sea, and is victim that will pay
plunderer. There are silk cargoes to be
intercepted even 10 the Eastern seas, and
the treasures of California arc to be met with
adoat. TO protect this commerce will re-
qulre no small portion of the available Uni
ted States navy, and it is therefore not quite
certain that MIR. Lincoln can respond to the
reiterated demands of the merchants of New
York to blockade all the ports of the South.
Looking at these matters in strictly Eng
lssh pnnt OF view, our interest is first, if
possible that this melancholy rupture should
be repaired, and that either by reunion or
by amlcable separation, peace should be res
tored. But if this is impossible. then it be-
comes our next object that our cotton sup
ply should not be cut off, and that the mar
kets for our manufactures in the South
should not be forcibly shut against us. With
this view, we shall be compelled to scru.inize
the legality of every blockade established up
on the coasts of the seeding States.
The government of Washington has itself
relieved us from what might otherwise have
been great danger of being made the prin-
cipal victim of this unhappy quarrel. At
the treaty of Paris, England and France pro-
posed that all nations should renounce the
belligerent right of issuing letters of marque.
The United States then refused to join in
this convention, and required for their mer.
chant ships an immunity from the men Of
war as well as from priyateers. If America
had then Joined to make this proposition an
universal law of nations, privateers would
now be considered pirates, and the South
would be at the mercy of the North.
: That proposal having. however, been re-
jected, the belligerent parties hold their an
cient rights, and the commissions of Mr.
President Davis are as good as those of Mr..
President Lincoln. AS to the resolution Of
the merchants to treat the privateers of the
unrecognized South as pirates, it cannot be
maintained. Every iurist must hold that,
so long as Mr.. President Davis is President
of a Confederacy Of Sovereign States, he has
the right to issue letters Of marque. which
any chief magistrate of republic either in
North or South America would have.