Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1861-1862, 1862-01-06

wonderful that notice of for, 70 relations begun ir this
spirit should end in the exhoriation with which
already familiar in The circular of Mr. Seward TO forty
the fescoss the great lakes and rivers. After all says
Mr. L'ncon the safety and stability Of the Republic
depends foreign nations but upon ourselves v
Tia: perfectly true at this moment because foreign
nations earnestly desire peace ard 10 avoid AL occasion
Of Quarrel but il will cease to be the moment that
America has forced us n:O war; for one Of the many
evils Of is that nation S deprived by OF the con.
troll of s own desnies and forced to shape its course
no. by its WILL bu. by the deoision OF war ITSELF
OPINION oF rHE REPORT oY sLcRLrARY WILLIS.
Tie Blockade Railrs aud hs "Stone Fleet" Crime
against The Hoasn hinG
From the Lonson Times, Dec 17th
We turn then, to the report Of Mr. Gideon WeIes, the
Secretary of the Federal Navy for the explanation OF
hose hollow enignatlca phrases in which Mr.. Lincoln
boasts that TIE American nayJ created since the preseni
difficulties began has performed deeds which have in
creased the naval renoUn Of the Untod States. No ma
lion has less reason to underrse the tenown Of the
American navy than We have since Il rests AlEt St
entirely upon the capture four English frgaes
under Circumstances Of exirao dnsry disparity, and
ing also thai it, victories gained entirely by Eng
Ian sailors who had been luced from service by
displty 10 the rats Of wages, WHICH, If ous Admiralty
is no; absolutely insane will never again occurs we have
the bes poe.ibe reason for respecting that renown.
Our difficulty is TO discover how that reUoWn has been
increased by the o! the civil That Nc. Gid
Wees has used cer;sin industry IN tho Depart.
msnt der his control quite prepared TO admit
lie tells that o. the 4'h OF March las the effective
American Navy consisted cf orig forytso l. OF ell
glasses carrying 555 gdus and shout 500 men-G very
rgl navy for Power which pTopos, TO defy all the
ntycs OF the world, ard to take liberties with the COM
mecia snp7 Of all nations lie SAYS that at the date OF
bis report be bad increased this email naval force to two
hundtel aud ylour v.s3tls aud 81 600 selme1 This
is credtabs to Mr. Wees ofi,ial man, but the
.ul Il not exceedingly terrible especially when ne pro-
c,eds to tell Us how this has been accomplished, by
hiring all Of commercial vessels snd gathering to-
ge her Iysry hjsting thing hat would carry gun
T ess :urrs represeu. naval force which would be
very terrible Prussia, which might alarm tie hect Of
Iilly which would ell forth effort from Spain, but
which France could easily destroy, aud Eagand cannot
bat hold exceeding cheap, Tlis is not tle navy Of
rt ciss Power Il is CROUCH fora people who desire TO
bo at peace, but it Is ridiculous for people who ipsst
uotn b.ing qiarresome little who holds his own
aglins; Dig man who is trying to bupy him has every
bystander sympahies in his favor but nothing is moro
co coltempti6e than te who is noisy and offensive
ouy in reliance upon the mpunity which he expects on
account OF his weakness AID the generosity OF those
whom he insus To sustain the pretensons OF federal
sa,esmen to insult all neutral nations, Mr.. Welles in
creased navy is still but a contempt bic fotia.
Very Gift rent however is ia forces proportional
the enemy with which it is imme6itely matched The
Confederate Yates have NJ navy a! all. Against them
the navy OF Mr. Wenes "a as giant against dwerE II
has been wi hin the last few month"; when the federal
government had 26i slips and "a 900 men, aud their
enemies on'y three wre,ched pIivaeers and
craft fed frr irlui nayie ,ou Yet We believe thl; the
Sumter u sill TlnndetnG the federal commerce, and We
know that the Harvey Birch burnt close 10
shores we sce 'senssuon heading" 10 the last New
York papers that "he gsdeias are blockading the chan
us Of Tybse Issrd and Fort Pulaski" and have Mr..
W,leS testimony that although bis navy 'eonnI.
cd olp;ure every rebel ssel which showed fse on
the Potomac VT ceased to do 50 "whAn the reb j. erect
oT ~ 4.
thereby r,rd rcd passage the river dangerous" We
con ess that compelled TO look beyond these facts
discover the reasons for the toae CT congratulaon
witch ruls through Mr. Wees' report, and TO deserve
the increase Of renown claimed for the federal navy by
hr. Lincon. Mr.. Wtles, himself i4o think some
lur;her explanation necessary.
H. urges Therefore the duties of blockldirg
Of three thOus and niles 10 length, OF the active
pursuit OF pfveers and OF the organization OF naval
expeditions Tt4 is all very WE'LL bus it is necessary to
show that these dutes have been accom- shed The
avslexped.,ionl have indeed reeoied their des inaon
bur they had no enemy worth the name OF enemy
meet the OF the federal navy cannot be much
rsei by what little more than transport service-
TIE prvsees have saii before, not been taken
Tie b cSlde has been notoron y failure that moth
ing but the cI.GorGinary scrupuousnees OF the El
o Al Powers hiss allowed Il 10 continue. SHIPS AAv,
sJed Il and out at ell times Just they please, and,
far as the hGrSOrs are coIcerned there has never
been any officially in getting Into them or in getting
ly admitted the ure Of their Alval blockade by act
Of bar6lry which il unparalleled in the history Of
tional wars. Tocy have actually endesyored to undo
What Columbus had dors-.o shut up ffop all mankind
forever the p)rs which the great dicoverer opened to
the human Tsce and 10 destroy by artificial ailments
the Ga es by which Of oil nations and pass
Of millions OF square miles Of fertile and Ir,duc
tive land. 2his Is a Grim, against al human Kind II
il docs not call down universal opposition it is only be-
tue enterprise believed to be impossible its
desga is Cxecrabe.
We have nearly exhausted the deeds OF the American
navy during ibis evenful year. 0ns act however, yet
remains uunoced, and il is jus. possible O o. Il may
form the staple of Mr. LiacOnJ general and very guard
ed ausoa to tho grea; addition Of renown recently
cogEred This IA the &C. which las made the NJ yOr OF
Boston and the Governor Of Massachusetts, eloquent with
e1ul.sol and which has excited even tao House of Ee
presentavSs to Sr,rd,. This act is thus 6.t With
by Mr.. Gdeoa Weles "CIp-an CLa.ies wilkes in ccm.
mqnd OF the StD JIcnto while searching in the West
ladies fer the SuE,er received information that james
Mason aud John Sliie disloyal citzsns and leading
c)n7pirIors with their suite to embark from H..
vlua in the English steamer Trent their to Ii.
rope 10 the Of the insurgspt@ Cruising
IN the Bahama CtaHne 10 intercepted the Trent the
Sih Of November and took from her these dangerous
men, w5ou he brought to the United States His vessel
hlying been ordered 10 rfs for service at Charleston
the prjsOnors retained board and conveyed 10
Fjri WArrsn where they committed ;s ;hc custody
Of Colonel DmniicL, In c2mnsn3 OF tia, F0rrssa TIE
promps and decisive scod OF C'pain Wilkes OF this oc.
cason aeritcd and rec vad th, emphatic approval Of
tue department. aad, il too generous oSbcaranco was
ex ibed by hin in not c,p'uring the vessel which had
these rebel omsirel ol board It I25, In view Of the
special circumstances, eaa Gf rs patriotic motives, be
excused but il must by no be permitted to cor.
saie precedent hereafter for the trea,ment of any
clse of similar inf acLon Of neutral obligations by for
egn veeel5 engaged ia tie cirryiDg trade
There ia cipuiag the boldness OF this act nor Ia
dSed The bojness c this ibres bu: Whether is likely
i.c5slsG te reucSn Of the Federal navy m urs eyents
yet nut SHOW. Mr.. Weles will want more than "a 600
to make good these foolish words That fe can get
more, Grd will ges more. we aIe weii swars Tor we do
not underylue the power or energy Of cur rugged kns
ii they pus their heart in matter but he will cet
lt:le "reuovn" for his department In sucs cau'a IS
that he 50 unnecessarily pocainI against tho antag
ona. he so rashy d >, Il either the discretion Of Ar
Wees or the ability OF Mr. Li,con il TO be IS imated
hy hnr ale LhnY enents nIaaily IN be