New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1863-09-11

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flag; for the British subject there is the opportunity
of trade. For the Rebel slavemonger, there is feN
owshfp and equality; for the British subject thero
is a new customer, to whom he may lawfully sell
Armstrong guns and other warlike munitions oil
choicest British workmanship, and Lord PalmerstofY
tells US, even ships of war too TO used in behalf Of
Slavery. What was unlawful is suddenly made law[
full while the ban is taken from an odious feony1
1t seems almost superfuous to add, thatsuch coma
cession, thus potent in its reach, must have been q
direct encouragement and overture to the Rebeion1
Slavery itself was exalted when barbarous prctendH
ers-battling to found new Power in its hatefuL
name-without SO much as o single port on th@
ocean where prize could be carried for condcmS
nation-werc yet, IN the face Of Ills essential dee.
ciency, swiftly acknowledges ocean belgcrents,:
whlie as consequence, their pirate ships, cruising
for plunder in behalf OF Slavery, acknowledge
as National ships, entitled to equal privileges With
the National ships of the United States This sin..
pie statement is enough. 1t is vain to say, that
such concession was "neccssity." There may
have been a strong temptation to it, constituting,
perhaps, an imagined necessity, as with many peri
sons there is q strong temptation to Slavery ise!f
But such concession TO Slavemongers fighting
for Slavery, can be yindicated onlyas Slavery i$
indicated AS well undertake to declare nen.'
trality" between light and Wrong-between Cool
and Evil-with concession to the latter of BelS
ligcrcnt Rights, and then set up all apology %
l" necessity"
2. 1t vas natural that an act so essentially TT.
friendly in character and also in the alacrity with
which II was done, should create throughout End
gland an unfriendly sentiment toward us, easily
stimulated TO menace Of war. And this menace
was not wanting soon afterward, when the two.
Rebel emissares on board the Trent were seized by
patriotic, brave commander, whose highest fault
was that in the absence Of instructions from his
own Government he followed too closely British
presidents. This accdent-for such it was and
nothing else-was misrepresented, and, with an ut<
terly indeiensible exaggeratioR, was changed by
the British nation, backed by the British Govern3
ment, into a casus tell, if such unauthorized
incident, which obviously involved no question Of
sef.defcnse could justify between two civilized
Nations. And yet in the face of positive decara1
ton from the United States, that it was an aocit
dent, the British Government made preparations Ia
take part ruth ReJi sidremongers, and IT fifty bei
gan such ignoble preparations by keeping back
from the British people the official dispatch Of 3Oth
November, 1861, where our Government after an-
nouncng that Capt. Wilkes had acted "withoat
any instructions" expressed trust that the Brit-
sh Government would consider the subject in a
friendly temper" and promised the best dispose
ton on our part" 1t is painful to recall thesd
things. But they now belong TO history, and wo
cannot forget the lesson they teach.
3. But this tendency TO e.pouse the side Of Slav.
cry appears in small things well as great, becom.
ing more marked in proportion TO the inconsistency
involved. Thus, for instance, where two British
subjects suspected of participation in The Rebel
lion were detained in military prison, without the
benefit of hdjeas corpus, the British Minister at
Washington asdrccied by her Maies,y'S GovernI
ment to complain Of their detention az an iAJrae-
tion If ne Coz sftstion 81 The Usited States, OF
which the int.rmeddliug Power assumed for the
time 70 be he "ezpounder;" and the ac-
corllnglv presented on this ground. But the Brit-
sh Cabinet in IL instructive apness to mix in our
war, if only BY diplomatic no,ee, seemed 20 have
forgotten the British Constitution. under which, III
1915 with the consent Of the leaders Of all parties
Broucham and Derby, Peole and DIsrae-tho
knieas corpus was suspended in ireland, and tho
Government was authorized To apprehend and de-
tain 'sEoh persons as they shall suspect" Tho
b sanci!0ning this exercise Of power went through AZ
~ stages n the House Of Commons in one day and Oh
lie noAt day a went through all s stages In the House
% Lords passing 10 be law without dissenting vote.
/, viii hardly be believed that Lord Russell who now
complains Of detention Of suspected persons as IN
nas ton OF the Constitution Of the United States
the Minister who introduced this bill and that on that
occasion BE- used these words: Il believe in my con-
science that this is calculated to prevent insar
notion 20 preserve internal peace to presrre c iy
ofs empire and 10 save the throne OF these realms and
the ir,c institutions OF this country
l. The complaint about the kcj,as corpus was hardly
answered when another was presented account Of
the cfort TO complete the blockade % Charleston by
sinksg 1T its mouth ships laden with stone usually
known as the stone blockade In common times her
Aalostys Government would have shrunk from any
iutcrmcddng here IL could not have forgotten mat
history, early ard late AID especially English history.
abouuas in similar Incidents that as long ago rs 1856.
st tie Siege II Calais by the Duke Of Burgundy ard
also In l6, tie memorable siege If Rochelle by Car.
dino Kohcleu. ships laden with stone were sunk in to
hagbor thu, during the war Of the Revolution in s7a,
six vessels sunk by the British commander in tho
Nauuah River far from this very Charleston.
protection dEAllsl inc appF"aCh VI thc rTrh,h anu
American naval forces that in 1904. under the d.rec
ton Of The British Admiralty attempt made 10
choke the entrance into the harbor Of Bouoene by
sinking stone vessels. and that in 1909 the samo
blockade Wa recommended TO the Admiralty b. 10 less
person than lord pundonald with regard 10 another
p0it, saying. Ships filed with stone viii ruin for
ever the anchorage of Ain. ard some old vessels Of the
line well loaded would be excellent for the purpose
Bat this complaint hy the British Cabinet becomes