Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-04-13

could make great allowance for the irritation
OF the Americans, he trusted they would be
convinced that the government had acted hon
estly and impartially, although they had not
always respected our neutrality when their
own interests were concerned"
PROTESTS OF MIR. Barring AND MIR. BRIGHT.
Mr.. Barring expressed his regret at the
speech Of the solicitor general, which must be
offensive to the Americans.
Mr.. Bright was afraid the speech of one of
the highest legal officers of the crown would
add to the irritation already prevailing in
America. Whatever mistakes Mr.. Seward
might have made, the chief one was in ex-
pecting that as we bad an ambassador at
Washington, and the United States being the
only government in America which we ac-
knowledged, having had one in London, they
would be treated by our government with
greater torbearance and consideration in a
purely domestic quarrel. He complained of
the abuse of the English flag by the confed-
crate cruisers, and declared that the builders
of the Oreto were now building other gun
boats, and that Laird of Birkenhead, and
Thompson and Fraser of Glasgow, were also
constructing most formidable ram for the
contederates. He referred to the American
foreign enlistment act, showing that in cases
OF grave suspicion the OBuS probaHdi was
i"iu VII 1iO uSllnuueHls ne IOrel8n enllSt"
ment act ought not to be a part of interna-
tonal law, but its object was to preserve neu
tralty. The neutrality of the government
was cold and unfriendly one, and consider
erlng the enormous interests at stake the gov
ernment must exert its influence to prevent
acts so calculated to embroil us with a nation
with which of all nations it was our interest
to be at peace.
SPEECH OF MIR. LAIRD, THE REBEL SHIP
BUILDER.
Mr.. Laird said that the whole transaction
with regard to the Alabama was most open
and legitimate. Rifles were as deadly AS yes.
sells without guns, and he had seen manifests
at the custom house of rifles shipped to the
northern states by the celebrated firms of the
Banngs, and Brown & Co., of Liverpool.
(Lond cheers) He found also that more
than i've hundred thousand muskets, three
hundred and forty-one thousand rifles, TWEEN
ty-sM thousand five hundred gunfints, and
forty-nne million of caps, had been shipped
to the northern states, besides fourth more
as hardware. lie had also been asked to build
shps, complete with guns, for the federal gov
eminent itself, and he read letters to prove
tins, amidst loud cheers. He was, therefore
astOnished at the cutlery in America and COM
rlained of the espionage Of the federal gov.
,I 80 T. "i'a,>- here and said that he
the builder of a dozen Alabamas, than as a
man who set class against class, and cried up
the institutions of another country, which
were to be found of no value when tested,
and has reduced liberty itself to mockery.
(Cheers)
ENGLISH RUMORs OF AN EMBARGO.
The London Evening Herald says that ru-
mors are afloat in some circles that the GOV
eminent at Washington intend laying an en-
barge on British ships and property as a meas
ure of retaliation for the depredations of the
Alabama, and that this embargo will be en-
forced against British ships and property with.
out any declaration of war against England.
The Onus of that step would therefore de-
volve on England. Mr.. Seward will, it is
said, quote an English precedent for this step,
Lord Palmerston having in the year 1852
blockaded the Dutch coast and laid an en-
barge on Dutch shipping, without making
any declaration of war.
A PETITION TO PARLIAMENT
The following petition to the house of com
mons has been forwarded to Mr. w. e. Eos.
ter for presentation -
To the honorable the commons of the United
kjagdom of Great Britain and Ireland, in
parliament assembled
The petition of the Liverpool emancipation
society respectfully showeth that the steam
port for the purpose as since developed, of
preylng upon the commercial navy of coun-
try with which we are and were at peace;
That the Alabama was, if not entirely, at
least in very great proportion manned with
British seamen;
That her majesty's government was duly
informed Of the character of the ship before
she sailed, as is shown by the orders after
wards given to detain her at Queenstown or
at Nassau.
That the illegality of the conduct of those
that built and equipped the ship, and of those
who enlisted the men to sail and work her,
was practically acknowledged in the order of
detention.
That since the Alabama escaped to sea the
commander has burned or put to ransom many
vessels belonging to the commercial marine of
the United States; he has burned ships at
night with the effect, if not the object, of
Turing other ships to a similar fate; thus vio-
latng those generous laws which prevail
amongst seamen and outraging the noblest
feelings of human nature.
That many subjects of her government have
also suffered heavy losses by the indissrimi-
nate destruction of their property on board of
these American vessels, and the only satisfac-
ton the owners have been able to obtain, is
the official information that they may apply
for redress to the confederate courts-courts
which do not now and never may exist.
That the Alabama has frequently entered
British colonial ports, but for want of proper
instructions from the home authorities, or
through the guilty connivance Of the officials
whose duty it is to carry out the orders of the
government she has not been detained.
That whether the United States have or
have not just legal grounds for demanding in
demnity for the damage inflicted upon their
citizens by vessels equipped in our ports and
manned by our sailors, must be left to the de-
cision of the legal advisors of the crown, but
it is of the greatest Importance that the irri-
tation which such lawless conduct naturally
exctes should be allayed, and that a friendly
nation should not by the hostility of any por-
ton of her majesty's subjects be treated as
public enemy;
That other ships arc now being built and
fitted out as war vessels, and, it is currently
believed, to be employed in the service of the
so styled confederate states with the object of
still further preying upon the commerce of
our neighbors.
Your petitioners therefore humbly pray
your honorable house to take such steps as
shall induce her majesty's government to
make immediate inquiry into the alleged facts,
and by prompt action to stop the sailing of any
more war vessels for the so-styled confederate
states of North America, and your petitioners
will ever pray. On behalf of the Liverpool
emancipation society.
CuAS WILSON chairman