The New York herald., 1862-04-01

mere incident to and consequence of the capture The
rules Of war entitled US to destroy our enemy com
merce. prov ded could thereby weaken him and pre-
vent his tho Struggle 1h,t the origin OF
right to capture hs merchant vessels. We're We TO
give up hat rcht' And VIC gave II up could we then
MAINTAIN the right Of bockadeS lie thought not, be.
cause q blockade infinitely stronger interference
with private interests and private properly than the
right OF capture by (Hcar Were ucn 10 fhroic
naSli yreyonderdne and in frre 10
on the footing had at alp For wha,
reasen were We To abandon our immense powery Was IL
for the sake o humanity He believed that the interests
Of humanity would greatly suffer from such course. II
o. conduct wars by should have TO
double stand ng army and be roiuccd the
OF hiring 10 hight b. tiles for In the long
run that would moversh the country more than over the
OF her gcets could do; while, the othef
hand she would fall into chrome state of Wal and having
her strongest tied bohind her back wou4 longer
be sble 10 uphold her rights against all the world.
(IieAr.) Honorable gentlemen spoke as, though Eng
land vas always begerent, and other nations always
ourselves But IN the case Of France and America being
war; and England remaining neutral, was clear that all
advantage enjoyed by America IN tho one would
be enjoyed by England IN the othcrf The right Of cap
turing or VI nterruping the commerce Of an enemy
right Of great advsge TO tho strongest. The cues
ton OF its advantage this country at a arcc
ted b. the fact that commercial marinc larger
than that OF any other nation. possible that
larger number OF our merchant ships might be cap.
tured than taken from the enemy but the rcd agc
10 the nation must he the amount y force 'oe could Tinp
against the tnesys force IL was Gear TO bis MUD that
this rule must necessarily be IA favor long
as we maintained prcdomnance upon the se.s.
lie regretted that tho contrary principle should
pe suggested mat HOUSE, anu ne suullu
be suiii more sorry n it wero med, for prin-
cipes aii in that House did pass nothing In
Europe. (iear) II was aqucst'on 10 be approached
for discussion a1ne-wth great caGtiOn. (Hear,
hear) u not desirable 10 impress uIon tho public
mind Of Europe belief that Whatever the government
might do the poopc VI this country had arrived at the
conclusion that the capture Of property At
longer lawful and such doctrine might he adopted by
them at a time when IL would be mor noon ycnsnl Cor
(Hear. besr lie did not doubt that the motives Of
those who brought onward this question most
ceent. No one could be insensiblo to the srisycus
s....,x sl.
grcat commcrc al community in the event Of war but he
maintained that the best way to make TO con-
the interests Of humanity. and TO make u as lite
rthsnsame possible to the beIgercnts was TO make
II short and sharp. (Hcar, hear We should be slow
enter upgn war; but when the comeat was de'ermi9
cd ~ Tho combatans arrayed and s~ords crossed
then wc should exert our utmost power. (lear.) To
do otherwise when bad our own interests alone 10
defend would be weakness, but whcu had the into
of others also to guard II would be treaehery.
Br ksau,zsIr, probably there never has been qurs.
tion brouRb before this House during the time that
have had seat IN II which was more deserving Of the
serious and dspassonstc Of honorable
membss The House well knows that from
the termination Of tho last great unit, the hostiies
WITH Russia, there had been period o: about forty
ysarsforty years OF wonderful changes, not only In this
country moi only IN Esrope but on the American con-
tnent also. Tteps hod0cw up IN America great nd-
tton, with great mercantile navy-so great as 70 be
about equal ~ the mercantile navy "f this country.
when Russian war bel All the yernuent advised the
uueeu IT, issue the proclamation to which references has
been made than this discussion. That pro-
canation, during tho lime occupied by the Russian
wsr dio precisely what tie Declaration OF Paris two
years Afterwards did for International law In
general, and for al future wars, should such
arse II found by The government that the
Id policy was imp ssec any i.L'er. Unless ou could
Ockads every port In Russia Il quite clear that
American mercantile shil- So,nd carry on trade with
that country as before tho aud II they had Russian
cargoes those ships the sn would not have
mittedi sreak adj yisedly-,hsy wo ii not have permit
isd wthodt remonslrance a., probably without resist
the Of right Of search regarded those
ships aud the TAX nc ffom them the property ofRssia,
who was then tive enemy OF England the government
haG not takeu tho coirso which they did hT the procla