The New York herald., 1862-02-01

Captains pratlCAI
Archipelago We confess are Infinitely astonshed to
md contemporary journal indirectly paiaiing the Dc.
sucton OF the port OF Charleston by .he precedent OF
our having proposed sink ships IN 1904 in front OF
the harbor OF Bouogne. Can it be necessary to draw
out in words the obvious distinction btceeH military and
commercial poytsteoeen hdrtor wdessf and offended
for he cypress purpose Of the conquest and tgation Of
Esgfand habor valuable 10 its country merely
fostering ne commerce ef al the maritime nations Of Es
rope To block up permanently the mouth Of the Ca
rome and to destroy thereby tho port Of bordeaux,
would have been the corresponding barbarty though IL
is one which no European government ever imagined.
But for England to have destroyed the Of Bouogne
1904 she had done 80, would have been simply
equivalent to the blowing up Of ssbsstopol by Turkey
The barbares perpetrated by the fsder govern
ment equally bracng the energies Of the South AMI
iadisnation. We hardly know why Europe has hitherto
acted toward the Northern with much
long suffering than she showed towards Holland 1881
and 1882 Holland was guilty Of the barbarities
committed by the Washington Cabinet but France and
Great Britain, as soon ae Beqo"s showsd nat they
sce and general security ahesatngly recognized NE in
depemdencea af Belgium.
The Blockade Likely to be Challenged
by Europe.
From the London Post Government Organ) Jan. 10
Tho Paris Monite HIS already called the attention or
Europe TO the vndctve prosecution OF hostiities by
the federal government Of Washington, in the destruc
tou of Charleston har which 1t describes proyok
Ing fecngs Of Indignation" IL will hardly be thought
that this language is too strong especially since
there every to apprehend that the federal 60
vernmcnt contemplate similar acts of barbarons and
permanent dee astatioa elsewhere II will have been
that they havesunk whaling huks filed with granite
in triple at the mouth Of the port of Charles
ton The resistance which these obstructions must
offer to tide and current will probably result in the torme
tion Of sandbanks which will permanent and ir
remediable the natural sandbanks at the pouths of
many European rivers. At the present moment il is
possible that the granite might with great labor be re-
moved but in proportion tho period for which the
obstacle is suffered to remain it will become fixed and
indesructibe The great outport Of South Carolina may
therefore be thought to be as good as blotted out
from the maritime emporiums OF the world We have
already said that the policy is likely be carried
elsewhere Indeed the objects involved ia this act
would only be rendered efectual and complete by its
general application We expect that the harbcr of
Savannah and the communication Of the Savannah river
with the sea will be destroyed by the same the
port OF Charleston.
There doubt that carry into operation such
policy this would be abuse of the rights Of
and there to be ground to question ,rhr
s0ould not be also 10 ID those rights This question: in
deed, might suggest ITSELF whether considered such
wholesale ruin in its municipal in its International
Atons 1t is not however for us to consider the NUM-
cpa constitution Of the United States. II has been
doubled ,chster the right Of declaring bocsads acih
IN the Presidential atacriy by the taD Of the Union and
might further be questioned whether the permanent
destruction Of harbors is inconsistent with the
right Of the particular States in their Internal rea-
tions. But these matters which perhaps
but impcrfectly scrutinze in Europe There be
40 doubt, hotcerer, that the free navigation Of great
rivers, tending TO promote e commerce Of he orld, has
Ln0 been leaing object Of European solicude Intsrna-
point inconsistent with the rights of begerens It has
never suffered any infracton Of the law Of block
oue Out IL mas AZ the same time tdkon
% he doon tas loo Of blockade by e oa rgcross cond
hoHs-.he aNpyroding feature Of Uhch is Tat bocddes
are in thir nature temporary, and net nsGne; and
meyey 0n0yot conditions Terminating ,rh he restoration
Of peace. Now there can be question that Carada
were unhappy in rebellion against this country and
resolved destroy the igaton OF the river ST. Law
by sinking ships full Of granite and by leaving il 70
tidal action to do the rest OF the work the Of
the United states would Immediately resent our conduct
q violation Of international law and Of compacs be-
tween US and themselves. Neither there be any
doubt that they would be perfectly entitled to hold this
Lawrence and the case OF tho Savannah and Alabama
rivers that the former after traversng terri
tory for an immense distance has its in Lake
Cntaro the southern bank OF which In possession of
the United States These lakes are h0ocrer much IN
Me mature Of iland watrs. that might fairly Js dispu
Ed sohesher thy pos essed original right 10 communication
sct the Herein however rests the sole difference
between the ports OF the river st. Lawrence and the
ports Of rivers which the government Of Washington is
apparently threatening to destroy
The rioht Of navigation, regard 20 serera of the
great rirs Of North Arseca, has BEN made during the
tds hE1Irsd years The subject Of ert.re Stipulation The
Mississippi, which involves the port OF New Orleans will
serve as an sxampie Byne eay q l.6s, andsr which
the rig@ f navigating tie Nj s.ssls. red to British
subjects, "'citho,d being s.ofF'dor ,me,a Of any
duty ,riatsrs Again, in 1883. after ,he independence
OF the United States was acknowledged, and when
louisiana had been ceded by France SPAIN the right of
war,eclion again secured 10 thi: coutry The Treaty
Of Ghent is silent this question; IL neither confirms
rescinds the stipulation in question We certainly
not prepared to advance . claim upon this ground;
although gcographers might be brought forward to as
Of the British Crown But considering that the United
States allowed by this country the right Of navigation
the 81. Lawrence, and that both France aud oursres
point treaties asserting for both coan,ris right of
ndvsgdicn oher american rirrs, Europe docs appear
to possess claim TO be heard in arrest Of the vndicvs
and probably irreinetabe blows with which the Wash.
ingt0n government; Is threatening o,hor great ports and
harbors besides Charleston Tho opening Of the great
OF Europe the Congress Of Vienna 1875
ed the province uf this hemisphere in its international
principles hose rivers declared open not simply
by compact Of the rveran Powers but for the general
advantage of international commerce.
But apart from tho ultimate results OF this barbarous
policy Of the American government the immediate effect
fsy 10 found in the disposition of eyy fag ohol-
lengs the blockade. "Btockddesr - haze suid
ut only under he elective supervision Of beuigren cruisers,
ice BY their presence. Now, the object OF the
destruction of Charleston Is confessedy for the
fneciency Of TIE Loctcds and perhaps for the total de-
parture OF the cruisers is certain that there be
no legal blockade by sunken ships and Inter-
national law has placed the most rigorous restrictions
IN tho way OF interference with the interests OF
marce. Biockades in this nature permanent do not
exist in law, although harbor may be blocked
mp and destroyed in fact. Meanwhile perceive that
bill has been brought into the Washington Congress
thorzing the President to abolish harbors by municipal
law ard 10 tako them out OF the reach ~ the law Of
and the accepted maritime usage Of tho world
We yet knew that municipal law wasstronger than
cannct forete, bet IL striking resemblance
the barbarous policy OF the executive government whc
s filing Europe cih ndigna'on nat he Ao,i.eur by
erulger end s0hch II BE- oarried into csns
raj prdci dforg tie coat Of TIC cosdrucy ,rilL rudi
ate tse i<adin3 principles Of cs,iiifdtior.
Look ON This Picture.