Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1862-10-02

The news brought by the late steamer,
that Secretary Seward had through Mr..
Adams, Minister to Great Britain, notified
foreign Governments Of the intention of
our Government to issue Letters of Marque
to American vessels, authorizing them to
hunt down and capture rebel privateers,
and English vessels engaged in carrying
articles contraband of war to rebel
ports, has somewhat disturbed the equa-
nimity Of the rebel sympathizers across
the water, and the English press are some
what Mortified at the atrocity Of the sug-
Festion that the American Government
viii hereafter employ this efsctual means
Of putting a stop to English sympathizers
who give "aid and comfort to those in
arms against the constitut authori-
ties of the United States.
Years ago England and France endeav-
Orsd 70 put down privateering, and asked
the United States, as one Of the great
commercial powers, to join them in trea-
ty. Our Government refused, unless Eng
land and France Joined her in an acknOwl-
edgment that in war the neutral flag pro-
tectsd the whole cargo, and that private
property was not to be subject to capture
by vessels Of war. This request was re-
fused, and the Treaty failing to secure the
sanction Of the United States Government,
was an abortion. Upon the breaking out
Of the rebellion, in order to mitigate as much
as possible the horrors Of civil war, the
United States Government offered to sc-
Sept the proposition, as England and France
made It, and join in a treaty to put an effec-
tual stop to privateering, and as the reb
Ols have privateers afoat, preying upon
our commerce, and as England and France
had vessels engaged in running the block
ads, which could easily be converted into
Privateers and money made by it, they re-
fused the request and thus gave to the
seoesh the privilege of navy of priva-
tesrs, when that section was unable 9TH
erwise to keep vessel Of war Thus did
England and France lose the best oppor-
tunity to cripple America and all other
powers with small ,navies, by treaty
making privateering piracy. Now they
are beginning to find to their cost, that
they let pass the golden moment which
We trust will never again return.
Yankee clipper ships and steamers, to
whom letters Of marque will be issued,
viii swarm every sea, and if a rebel vessel
or an English one, violates our laws, is
caught within our waters, capture is its
portion, and England and France seeing
this, feel that in attempting to aid the
rebellion they have failed to secure an ad-
vantage which was offered, only in a
feeling of humanity, which, in future wars
would have materially crippled our power
The United States never had and per-
baps never will have navy composed of
vessels Of war in numbers sufficient to
cope, in the event of war, with England
and France, but aided by her privateers,
which, in case Of such a war would
cover the ocean, she can bid defiance to
8 navy Of any power on the globe, for no
people on the earth possess the same love
Of adventure, combined with a love of
gain, and none in so short a time could
convert their merchant ships and merch-
ant steamers into war vessels, and man and
send them to sea, ready for action,
as the +" Universal Yankee Nation )"
and the war of 1872 taught England that
no navy could stand against Yankee pri-
Tatsers, who were here, there and every
where, where merchantman was to be
picked up, or foe to be attacked.
We are glad that the government has
determined to issue letters of marque, for
It win at ence put a stop to English and
French vessels running our blOckades, and
viii soon haul down and capture rebel
priyateers, which SO long have played upon
our commerce.
For the same reason that the English
papers howl over the avOwed intention of
our government to meet English cunning,
English audncity and EngIgh injustice in
giving aid and comfort to the rebels,
we rejoice, for it will touch their philan-
thopists in weak point, which is self
interest, for it viii shut off their trade
with rebeldom by the capture Of their
vessels, and thus applying to them
the argumsHtum ad PunetatSra, and make
them feel IN the most sensitive part that
Shonesty is the best policy"
saspioiOns are entertained of an infa-