Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1863-01-21

placed Tor the official documents published ny the BRUSH
GovernmeHt usually called fBlue Books, contain the
preston Of the satisfaction of that government with the
conduct Of the officials who conducted successfully the
delicate business confded to their charge.
These solemn declarations of priAcipe, this implied
agreement between the Conderacy and the two powers
just named have been suffered to remain imperative
against the and outrages neutral rights
med by the United States with uaceasing and progress
sing arrogance during the whole period Of the var
with naval force insufficient to blockade, effectively, the
coast of single State, proclaimed paper blockade Of
thousands OF miles OF coast extending from the capes Of
Of Mexico from Key West to the mouth OF the Rio Grande
Compared with this monstrous pretension of the United
States the bockades known in history under of
theBerlin and Milan DEGREES and the British orders in
Council in the years 1906 and 1907, sink into nsgnif
canoe. Yet those blockades justified by the pow
retaatory yet those bockades have since been condemn
ed by the pHbcists of those very powers as violations
r ram set which
United States the most conspicuous those block
AIDES became the chief OF the between Great
Britain and the United States in 1872 yet those block
AIDES of the principal motives that led to the de-
caration of the Congress of Paris in 1885, in the fond
hope of imposing an enduring check the very abuse
of maritime power which is renewed by the United
States in 1861 and 1852 under circumstances and with
features Of aggravated wrong without precedent in his
tory.
The records Of State Department contain the evi
dence the repeated and formal responsiveness made by
this Government to neutrapowers against the recogn
ton of this blockade 1t has been shown by evidence not
capable of contradiction, and which has been furnished
part by the officials u" neutral nations that the few ports
of this Conederacy before which any naval forces at all
have been Stationed have been invested SO intellectually
that hundreds Of entries have been effected into them since
the declaration Of the b0ckade that enemies have
the most orcble manner, by repeated official complaints
of the sae to of goods contaband of sale which
could not possibly effect their interests if their pretended
blockade sufficient Greatly to prevent to
that they have gone farther and have alleged their
inability to render their paper blockade effective the
excuse for the odous barbary Questioning the entrance
tn n nv
in the channel that our commerce with foreign nations
has been intercepted not by the effective investment of
ports by the seizure of ships in the attempt
ter them but by the capture tine high of neutral
vessels by the cruisers of enemies whenever supposed
to be bound to point on our extensive coast without
enquiry whether single blockading vessel to be
found such point that blockadng vessels have left the
ports at which they stationed for distant expeditions,
have been absent for many days and have returned with
out notice either of the cessation renewal of the block
ade in word that every prescription of maritime law,
and every right of neutral nations to trade with beg
sally respected have been Systematically ard persistcnty
violated by the United States Neutral Europe has rt
ceivcd our remonstrances and has submitted in amoS
unbroken silence to all the wrongs that the United Stats
have chosen to intlict its commerce. The Cabinet 4
Great Britain, however, has not confined itself TO such
implied acGuiescence in these breaches of international
law results from simple naction, but has in pub
lshed despatch of the Secretary of State for Foreign
fairs assumed to maze change in the principle enuncat
ed by the Congress Of Paris to which the faith of the
British Government was considered to be pledged; a
change too important and too preudica to the interests
of the Confederacv to be overlooked and against which
have directed solemn protest to be made after vain at
tempt to obtain satisfactory explanations from the Brit
ish Government In published despatch from her Maj
under date of the lth February 1862 the follow
ing passage:
ler Majesty Government, however, ofopnion that
assuming that the blockade duly notified, and also
that number Of ships stationed and remains the
trance of port sufficient really to prevent access to
create erdens danger Of entering tearing it,
and that these ships do voluntarily permit ingress
egress the fact that various slips may have successfully
escaped through las in the particular instance here
erred to- will not Of itself prevent the blockade from be-
ing an effectual one nv international law"
The words which have itacised addition made
by the British Government of its authority pru.
cple the exact terms Of which were settled with debera.
on by the common consent of civilized nations, and by
implied Convention with this Government, already
planned and their effect is clearly to reopen the preu
dice othe Confederacy Of the disputed questions
fc.sed to settle The importance Of this change is readily
illustrated by taking one of our ports as an example,
There is "erident danger in entering the port oil Viii
mngton from the presence of bockaing force. and by
this test the blockade is effective Access is not really
prevented" by the blocSadng fleet to the port for
steamers continually arriving aud departing that
tried by this test the blockade is ineffective and in aid
The justice of complaint this point manifest
to leave little TO: doubt that further reflection will
induce the British government to give such assurances
will eace the painful impressions that would result
from its language iflcft unexplained.
From the foregoing remarks will perceive that du
ring nearly wO years of struggle in which energy
of our country has been evoked for maintaining its
existence the neutral nations Of Europe have pursued
policy which, nOminaly impartial has been practically
most favorable to enemies and most detrimental tn
The exercise of neutral right of refusing cury into
their ports to prizes taken BY both b.igerents. cm
nently hurul the Confederacv 1t ste-ny asserted
and maintained
The exercise of the neutral right of with
bcigerent whose ports not blockaded by fleets su
cent really to prevent to them, would have been
eminently hurtful to the United States ltwas complas
antly abandoned.
The duty of neutral States receive with cordality and
recognize with respect any confederation that indc
pendent States think proper to FORM too clear to
admit ct denial but its was emnenty bsne
fetal to the United States and detrimental to the C0ned
eracy. II was postponed.
In this of relations with tho neutral nations
that this Government has complaint make that those
nations declared their neutrality could neither expect
NOR desire The complaint is, that the neutrality
has been rather nominal than real and that recognized
neutral rights have Bean alternately asserted and waived
in such MANNER as to bear with great severity and
to confer signal advantages on our enemy.
have hitherto reraincd from calling attention
this condition of our relations with foreign powers for
rious reasOnsthe chief of these the fear that
me OF our Just grounds Of complaint against course of
policy 50 injurious to our interests be miscontrued
into an appeal for aid. Unequal We were, in mere
numbers and available enemies were
conscious of Of resistance relation whch Eu
rope ncreduous and were there
fore peculiarly liable to be misunderstood Proudly self
reliant the Confederacy knowing fn well the character
of the contest into which it forced with full trust
the superior qualities of Ms population the superior valor
of its soldiers the superior skill of its Generals and above
all IN the usUce OF us cause e no need to appeal for the
maintenance of its rights to other earthly aids and
and has continued this struggle with the calm conf
dence inspired in those who with consciousness Of
right invoke the Divine blessing their cause This
confidence has been assured that have never Welded
dependency under eoat do feel undue elstioa
at the brghte: prospect of successful issue to our
contest 1t is therefore, because just grounds Of
plant longer be misintcrprcted, that lay them
clearly before you. 1t seems to me proper to give
you the information and although immediate results
may be attained it is well that truth should be
and recorded 1t is we'll that those who are to follow ms,
should understand the full nature and character of the
tremendous conflict in which th. blood of people has
been poured out like water and in which they has
ted unaided the shock of hnss which would have succd
to overthrow many he powers which their hesitation
in according our rights as an indepent nation, imply
1t be, too, that in future times unfriendy discus
sions not now shall unfortunately between
Of forbearancc under the grievances which have
enumerated may be evoked with happy influence in pre
venting any serious disturbance of peaceful relations