The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1863-12-15


the Southern coast even though the extent of
1000 miles were conpreheEded In terms 90 snat
! blockade. 80 -
On the 18th Of January, 1862, Her MajeHy's
Minister in: Washington, communicates to his
Government, that in excavation OF the harbafous
attempt to destroy the port of Charleston py sink
! ing stone feet in the harbor, Mr. Seward had ex-
! pIaiaed athat the Government of the United
States had, last spring, with "a. navy very little
prepared for SO extensive an operation undertaken
to bloekad upwards of 5000 miles Of coast. The
Secretary of the Navy had reported that he could
stop up The large holes by means of his ships,
but that he could not stop up the small ones.
1t had been found necessary, therefore, to close
some of the numerous small inlets by sinking ves-
sells in the channel" -aasaszz-..za.z.aa..
! On the 9th May 1862, so far from claiming
the right of British subjects neutrals to trade
with Us as begerents, aud to disregard the block
ade on the ground of this explicit confession by
our enemy of his inability to render it effective,
Her Majesty's Secretary Of State for Foreign
Affairs claimed credit with the United States for
friendly action in respecting it. His Lordshlp
stated that "the United States Government,
/ on the allegation Of rebellion peryading from.
nine to-eleven States OF the Union, have now, for
more than twelve months endeavored to maintain
"a blockade Of three thousand miles OF coast. This
blockade, kept up irregularly, but when enforced
severely has seriously injured the trade and
manufactures of The United Kingdom. Thousands
arc now Obliged to resort to the poor rates for sub
sistence OWN, to this blockade, Yet Her Majes-
/ tvs Government have never sought to take advan-
age Of the obvious inperfes lions of this blockade,
in order to declare it Ineffective. They have, to
the loss and detrment Of the British nation,
pulously observed the duties of Great Britain
towards friendly State"
Again on the I'D September 1862, the. same
noble Earl asserted that the United States were
every far indeed from being in ga condition to
ask other nations to that every port Of the
coast of the so-s:yled COME derate States is effect
! lively blockaded"
When in view Of these facts; of the obligation
Of the British nation to adhere to the pledge made.
by their Government at Paris, in 1856 aud rem ew-
ed to this Confederacy in 1861; and of these re-
peaed' and explicit avowafs. of the imperfection,
irreguarty and inef6ciency of the pretended
blockade Of our coast, directed our Commissioner
at London to call upon the British Government
to redeem its promise and to withhold its moral aid
and sanction from the fragrant violation of public
law committed by our enemies, we informed
that her Majesty's Government could not regard
the blockade of the Southern ports as having been
otherwise than "practicay effective" in February
| 1862, and that 'the manner in which it has
since been enforced, gives to neutral governments
no excuse for asserting that the blockade has not
been efficiently maintained" We wefe further
our agreement no blockade was to be considered
effective unless sufficient really to prevent access
to coast, that the declaration OF Paris was 10
truth directed against blockades not sustained by
any act ual force, sustained by VIGOROUSLY mad
equate force, such tue occasional appearance of
man-of war in the ofins, the like"
| 1t was impossible that ehis mode of constituting
an agreement SO to make its terms mean almost
the reverse Of what they plainly conveyed, could
he :harw iSc@ han IF
the refusal OF the British Government to remain
bound Dy its agreement or longer to respect those
articles Of the declaration of Paris, which had been
repeatedly denounced by British statesmen, and
had been characterized BY Earl Russell, as ''vcry
imprudeut,, and 'most unsatisfactory"
If any doubt remained of the motives by which
the British Ministry have been actuated in their
| conduct, it wohd be com pletely disspatcd by the
distinct avowals and explanations contained in the
published speech recently made by Her Majesty
. Secretary for foreign affairs. In commenting on
the responsiveness Of this Government against the
countenance given to an ineffective blockade the
| following laneuage.is used alt is said VIC have,
contrary to the declarations of Paris; contrary to
international law permitted the blockade of three
! thousand miles Of American coast 1t is quite
true we die so, and the presumable cause Of com
plsnt is quite true, that although the blockade is
kept up by sufficient. number of ships, yet these
ships were sent into the United States navy in a
hurry AID are i'll fitted for the purpose and did
not keep up so completely and effectively as was
required, effective blockade
This unequivocal confession of violation both of
agreement with US and Of International law is defen-
ded OH grounds, the validity Of which we submit
with confidence to the candid judgement of man
kind.
These grounds are thus stated: Still looking
at the Law OF nations it a blockade, we, as a
great billigerent power in former times, should
have acknowledged: We ourselves, had block
ade of upwards of 1000 miles, and it did seem to
-me that we we're bound in justice 10 the Federal
States OF America to acknowledge that blockade
+ But there was another reason which weighed with
me. Our people were suffering severely for the
want OF that material which was the main staff OF
their industry, and it was"a question of self in
terest whether we should hot break the blockade.
But'ln my opinion the Of England would have
been forever infamous if for the sake of their own
interest, they had violated the law of nations and
made warln conjunction With these slaveholdins
States oi America against the Federal States -"
In the second of these reasons our yhts are not
involved; although it may be permitted to observe
that the conduct of governments has not hereto
fore to my knowledge been guided by the prnci
pie that 1t is Infamous to their rights when.
everthe invasion of thuse rights creates severe
suffering among their people, and injuruusy eff.
fecs great Interests. But the iutiA,ation that rc
lations with these States vi cid he diseredit.hlo