The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1863-08-09


himself for few months exclusively 10 the
war, refusing to see or hear politicians Of any
sect or party. We sxhort our generals, officers
and soldiers to labor for few months moro
xealously than ever. We exhort our navy to
maintain still more rigid blockade, 90 that
the rebel leaders may mot escape to Europe
We exhort the loyal people to stand steadily
and heartily by the federal government. Tho
great rebellion begins 70 totter. A few more
sturdy blows, and il will be Isvslled to the
dust.
Piracy Undcr the Guxse o. Meutrsliey-
American Prsesdents Compared with
}, British Practice.
The Premier Of England, schoing tho mis-
Representations Of Mr.. Laird. the member for
Birkenhead, attempted recently, in Ais place in
the House Of Common, to pslliate or excuse
the bad faith displayed BY his government
towards the Unit ed States, in the mater Of the
feet Of pirate vessels sent out 10 destroy our
commerce, BY insinuating that we had shown
no better faith toward her whom she was ct war
with Russia We have already answered that
false suggestion BY referring to facts proving
that the neutrality which The United States pro-
iessed as'between the contsnding parties in that
war they practissd thoroughly and impar-
TALLY. One case to which We referred YVES that
OF the bark Maury, which was stopped IN this
port and subjected to judicial examination,
on the complaint OF the British Consul that she
wss intended for the use Of tho Russian gov
eminent, and it was only when the charge was
shown to be entirely without foundation that
she was released from custody. Another case
was that Of the General Admiral, a war vessel,
which one Of our eminent shipbuilders con-
tracted, in 1853, to build for the Russian gov
eminent. After the war broke out, in March,
1854, the contractor notified that government
that, this country being neutral, he could not
carry out his contract and consequently ceased
work upon it. 1t was not till l859-six years
after the contract was, made-that the vessel
was completed, and then, as we. said, she was
sent to Cronstadt by way Of England. There
was another case to which Mr.. Laird referred
in the House of Commons-that of the America,
sent from this port to Petropsulovski; but that
vessel was neither more nor less than . tow
boat, and was intended and has since been used
only a. SUCH .'.t.'''tst..
Whenever Lord Patmerston or any other
Englishmancan cite an instance of the United
States government having permitted its citizens
TO build, equip, At out, own and send to sea armed
vessels for the purpose of committing depre-
dations on the commerce Of q friendly nation,
or, of its having received, onacially saluted,
protected and feted in its ports such pirates,
then, and not before, will there be found any
justification for the unfriendly and treacherous
course which the English government has pur-
sued in our present difficulties. We respect
fully invite Lord Palmerston and the Hon. Mr..
} Laird to search American annals for some such
precedent. n.srf .se.E
The letter which we published yesterday
from our Liverpool correspondent adds another
to the many illustrations which we have here
tofore had of what Is British neutrality. IL
appears that the privatser Japan afterwards
called the Virginia, and now known as the
Georgia. was the property of Liverpool mer-
chant for some time after she bad actually
turned corsa'r. Three American vessels--the
George Griswold, the Good Hope and the r.
W. Seaver--were captured by her, and the two
latter destroyed, between the l4th and 22d of
June, 1868, and it was not until the 23d Of june
that the forlnality Of cancelIing her British
register was observed at the Liverpool Custom
House. So that, while this pirate ship was
roaming the seas on her mission Of plumber and
destruction, she was under the legal, as she
still ID under the practical, protection o.of
the British flag. her registered owner
then, rs probably her real owner now,
being Mr.. Thomas Bold, Of the mercantile firm
Of Jones 4 Co., Of Liverpool. We should not be
at all surprised to find out before long that every
other Anglo. Confederate pirate ship is either
wholly or In part the property Of English mer-
chants, IS they all are undoubtedly engaged in
the service Of English commerce.
While we are comparing American pre-
cedents with British practice, it may not be
out Of place to cite . British precedent which
We have, however, declined to follow. In the
year 1887 there were some revolutionary com
motions in the British American Provinces, and
. party Of the patriots, as they were called,
undertook to at out steamer for some
military purpose on thc American side OF the
Niagara river. Early on The morning OF the
30th OF December . party Of British subjects
crossed the river, attacked the Caroline, set her
! on fire, lowed her into the current, and sent
her, with over score OF persons on board,
over the roaring cataract; and for that cot,
involving the violation Of neutral territory, ne
honor Of knighthood WAS conferred b. Che
English government upon Sir Allan McNab.s
We have not seen II 70 follow that precsdsns,
by punuing Into British ports the corsairs hat
there And protection, cncouragemsnt and
assistance. Our cruisers may chase them 10
within marine league Of those ports; but they
ureaa ths chaso no further Tbev resvect 80