New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-11-20
INTERNATIONAL DUTIES.

property is fearful 10 contemplate. The con-
test has already been pro.racted beyond reason-
allie expectation, partly because-thc Rebellion
taiped 10 the interest OF Human Siayery-maDy
Of our nominnlly loyal people, including por-
ton of our Military and Naval officers, being
themselves devOtces of the eXecrable "insttu-
ton" do not wish the Rebels defeated and
crushed, but bought up and cOnciliaicd; and
because the despots and arstOcrats OF Western
Europe earnestly desire and confidently expect
an opportunity to tell the masses whom they
rule ald tax that republicanism has been tested
and exploded in the Fictitious, tleeting pros
perity and final collapse Of the American Union.
In vain DO their oracles proclaim and protest
their rigid neutrality-the intelligent AMI candid
know they are not impartial, nor anything like
it-,bat Great Britain, for example, has never
taken q step with regard to our contest whrh
was not as favorable to the Conlcdcrates us it
could be without 4 virtual declaration of war
against us-that, from her indecent haste TO
recognize the Rebels as a belligerent dosn TO
Chancellor Glads.one's public recognition Of
Jeii. Davis as a poteutate who has creaiedA
nation, her whole course has been unfrlendy
and unjust We mey not now be IN condi-
ton to resort these wrongs as they deserve,
but we eau remember them, aud we shall.
We print elsewhere the article of Tie Tins
Ioudcn) on the case of the Alabama, or
"2gO" now engaged in burning aud destroy
ing our merchant vessels somewhere on the
high seas. Let our readers carefully consider
that article IN the light of these incontesiablc
facts:
The Alabama is n vessel built in a British
port. OF British material. 10y British mechanics,
and nayieated by British crew. She was
never in any port or oiliDg claimed a. belong
ing to the Confederate States. Hor captain
and at most bali dozen OF her Officers are
Rebels; aud there is pretense Of sale or trans
fer to Confederate owners. That is all OF the
ease, except that the British Government. dis
clAms-wc presume truly-all completely in The
escape of the vessel from The port where she
was built. Sic was never cleared Tor voyage;
she went Of on prctcnse OF a trial TRIP, CIV
ing the Government bonds in the sum OF SlvO,-
600 for her prompt return; but she never did
return; 20 the Government IS 100000 10
pocket, and We are TO stand tho resulting loss
of several millions worth of our merchant ships
and their cargoes.
Now we will concede that, mp to the hour
OF the Alabamas escape from her Jurisdiction,
Great Britain acted toward US in perfect good
faith. She considered the 1920" British
vessel, as she certainly was, aud took what
she deemed adequate aud proper securities
against her wrongful conversion into a Con
Tolerate priyateer. That she was not aud
could not have been lawfully turned over at
Liverpool 70 the Rebels who are now said to
be her owners ia proved by her clandestinc
elopemcnt and her owDers' forfeiture Of
500, COO Tint escape IS, then, a violation OF
law ana right, Great Britain herself being the
Judge. 10 is id.e, therefore, for Tie Times to
parade its extract from President Plerces
Message Of 1850 az authority in the case.
What wc did during the CrImeau War wa
done openly, boldly, justified BY our Govern
ment, aud is admitted by Ihe I'mfs to have
been justified by the Law of Nations. Had
the case OF the Alabama been So similar as TO
be covered by President Pierces doctrine.
there would have been 30 sneaking out OF port
with the vessel under the protection Of lie,
and no forfeiture and payment OF 100000.
Great Britain lms cnphaiically confessed and
II ii. III ff..v
from aught for which precedent was afforded
by US during the progress Of the Crimean
War.
Let Us recall TO the remembrance OF Great
Britain u precedent that does boar On the case:
At all early stage Of tie great French Rcyo-
luton, Citizen Comet was sen as French Eui-
baasador to tbs country. We had recently
closed our Revolutionary War. wherein France
had powerfully aided US TO maintain our indie
pendence against the arms o: Great Britain.
France and Freedom were both popular here;
Great Britain and the coalition Of Kings 20
crush the French Republic were generally de-
tested. Genet was of course welcomed and
feted here as Embassador never was before
nor since. Deceived BY these popular oyations,
he undertook to fit out priyateers in our ports
10 prey on the commerce Of Great Britain,
when Washington promptly stopped him. He
threatened to appeal from the President to the
People OF the United States, when Washing
ton cut short his career by refusing longer to
recognize him IA MI Euibassador. There was
mars blusfer and some mobOcracy here but
Genet subsidized, American neutrality was main
tanned, aid British commerce preserved from
wrongful spolIation
Is not this q precedent worthy Of British