The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1863-08-02

tuition OF slavery as only an instrument 70 .
used In behalf Of the Union, though SLAYER
itself may thus be saved and protested in tn
very States where a military proclamation ha
declared it to be abolished.
The Case or the PeterhoG-Im portan
Declslon.
In another column we publish the decision
of Judge Belts in the case Of the Peterhoff, con
demning that yessel--a decision the importance
Of which is immense, in view of the fact thai
British statesmen and the British press have
from the beginning claimed that the vessel
was on lawful voyage to neutral port (Mata
moros), as her papers showed, was evidently
innocent, and that IL was highhanded out
rage to capture her at all, which must be met
by force if the government of the United
States sustained it.
Earl Russell, knowing that his words had
| responsibility behind them, and foresee.
ing that the case might lead to serious trouble,
States cruisers had right to capture the YES
sci, taking the risk, and that nothing could be
done until it was seen how the American ad-
miralty courts would dispose of the case. One
of the admiralty courts has disposed of the
case, and disposed of 1t in the very opposite
way from that which the organs of English in@
terests will say is right and proper. Yet
it cannot be affirmed that every disposition to
render fair play was not shown by our govern
ment. 1t can hardly be doubted that the mails
on board the vessel which were captured
with her would have proved the case
against her beyond the shadow of a
doubt. An objection was raised by
the English government to the detention of
the mails, and Mr.. Seward, the Secretary of
State, directed that they should be surrendered
to the British Consul here, in pursuance of the
law Of nations. The District Attorney accord
ingly handed them over to that official unopened.
But, Notwithstanding this absence of link Of
evidence in court, there was enough to condemn
the vessel, and to show the falsity of the pre-
fences on which the English journals and Eng
lish members of Parliament raised hue and
cry about the highhanded proceedings of
Admiral Wilkes. aaaeaig
The first question now is, what is the Eng
AA0A 6OSC AhuASAV SOuS w NO oUOut W AA
it demand the restoration Of the vessel, or salts
faction to that amount? And the second ques-
ton is. what will our own government do in
the premises? Will it stand by the decision Of
our courts, or tamely and ANONYMOUSLY yield
to the dictation of foreign Power, contrary to
the principles of international law and the
maxims Of public justice! The people will look
with more than ordinary interest to the final
solution OF the case.
Wealth and Patriotfsm or the Loyal
The best evidence that can be given of the
wealth and patriotism Of the loyal States is fur
nished by the daily subscriptions to the nation
al loan Familiarity called the ave-twenties. For
the last month these subscriptions have been
averaging as much as a million and half of
dollars per day, and now the total amount paid
in for these bonds up to the first Of this month
is some two hundred and thirty millions Of dol
lars. Had the financial policy Of the govern
ment been in ADLER hands than those Of Mr..
Chase, the national loan might to-day have
reached five hundred millions.
And this is an illustration, not only of the
wealth. the prosperity and the boundless re-
sources of the North but also of the patriotism
of its people, of their confidence in the govern
ment, and of their determination to uphold
their political institutions. Here we have been
for over two and a quarter years waging one Of
the greatest and costliest wars that the world
has ever witnessed. in which the government
has had over million of men in its employ
ment, with pay, rations and equipments two or
three times more costly than those of any
European army, with transportation cores
yet, in spite of all the immense expenditure of
the government, its credit stands unimpaired,
and the general prosperity of the country is
greater than perhaps at any other period of our
history.
These are facts which all can see, and in
view of them, and of our recent successes East
and West we think il about time that the rebel
leaders should realize the utter madness of fur
Their resistance to the power Of the United
States. While Southern resources have been
exhausted to that degree that twelve dollars of
Confederate money represent only one dollar in
specie, our resources have hardly been tapped
yet. The most desperate OF the rebel leaders,
therefore, can have no hope of success. They
must see that they cannot destroy this republic.
And If the Confederates were to lay down their
arms tomorrow and submit to the laws what
would be the result to themi Why, the citizen OF
| Georgia or Of South Carolina would, on the in
slant, enjoy all the rights and privileges of the
W. l.. 4
the rankest secessionists must acknowledge, Is
better state Of things than anything they can
hope for under the sway of JEFF Davis, or Of the
oligarchy be would establish.
But, while this is the sort Of reasoning in
which the unfortunate people OF the South
might we'll indulge, upon the facts indicated,
the effect which those facts should have on the
administration Of Mr. Lincoln should be OF a
| different character. The authorities at Wash
ioutou uapinU that there l;sr;x -,