Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-09-11
Morttster Dailp Syn
THE DAILY SPY.


Senator Sumner delivered one of his
greatest speeches, in New York city last eve
ming, on "Our Foreign Relations" The
speech is long; but it is a ulastcry produc.
ton, and will attract attention in Europe. AT
the beginning he states his points as follows:
''There is always natural order in unfold
ing subject, and shall try to pursue it on
this occasion, under the following heads
"FiySt. The pers to our country from
foreign powers, especially as foreshadowed in
the unexpected and persistent conduct of Eng
land and France since the outbreak OF the
war.
"SecondIy The nature of foreign interven-
ton by mediation. with the principles appli-
cable thereto, as illustrated by historic in
stanceS-showlng especially how England, by
her conspicuous, widespread, and most deter
mined Intervention to promote the extinction
of African slavery, is irrecoca5ly committed
against any act or policy that can encourage
hlS criminal pretenSion.
"IhaoIy. The nature of foreign interven.
ton by recognition, with the principles appIi-
cable thereto, as illustrated b. historic instan-
ces-showing that by the practice of nations
and especially by the declared sentiments of
British statesmen, there can be no foreign re-
cognitiOn of an inSurgem poper acheJe the
contest for aRdepeHdenCe IS shH pending.
"Fourthty. The moral lmpOSSibiity of for
elgn recognition, even if the pretended power
be de factO independent, where it is composed
OF rebel slave mOngers seeking to found a nelo
power with slavery for its declared corner
stone Pardon the truthful plainness Of the
terms which employ. | am to speak not
merely OF shareholders. but Of people to whom
slavery is passion and Observation-Disclosures
slave-mongers; now in rebellion for the sake
rpb lsIu
"F9lhty. The abSurdty and wrong of con.
ceding ocean betLtgsreacy to a pretended pow
er, which, in the first place. is without prize
court-s0 that it can not be an ocean belliger-
ent in .fact-and which, in the Sc cond place,
even if ocean beligerent in fact, is Of such an
odious character that its recognition is a moral
impossibiliy."
Under the first head he discusses the indie
cent haste with which England recognized the
rebels as 'belligerents," and the conduct of
England in allowing the rebels to fit out ''na-
val expeditions" in her ports and he points
out the significance of the French operations
in Mexico. We should like to print the whole
speech, but, for the present. must content our
selves with the following extracts from it =
1.-The concession Of ocean belligcrency is
to every slave monger cruiser, or rather it is
the countersign OF these powers to the com.
mission of every such cruiser. Without such
countersign the slave-mOngcr cruiser would
be All outlaw, with no right to onter "a oiusf1
foreign port. The declaration of belgerency
gives him legal competency and admits him
to testify by flag and arms. Without such
competency he could have no flag, and no
right to bear arms ON the ocean. Burke sem
IA, hos Il sint
treaty whict patS rebels in possession Of the
lar Of aGtioRs." And this is plainly true
The magnitude of this concession may be
seen in three aspects first, in the inuunlties
which 1t c0nteis; putting an embryo govern
MT mt of rebel slave mongers on an equality
with established governments, making its
cruisers lawful instead OF piratcal, and open
ing to them bUundleSs facilities at sea and in
port, so that they may Obtain supplies and
even hospitality. Secondly, in the degrade
ton that it fastens upon the national govern
ment, which is condemned to See its ships
treated on an equality with the ships OF rebel
slaye-mongers, and also the just rule of ''neu-
trality'' between belligerent powers called in
to felt 7 its activity against giant felony.
And UtlTd1B it may be seen in the disturbance
to commerce which it sanctions, by letting
loose iawless sea-rovers, armed with belliger-
ent Notwithstanding the right of search
whose natural recklessneSS is left unbridled,
and without any remedy even from diplomatic
intercourse. The ocean is a common highway;
but On this account it is for the interest of all
who share it that it should not be disturbed
by predatory hostilities. Such a concession
should be made with the greatest caution, and
then, only under the necessity of the case, on
the overwhelming authority of the fact; for,
from beginning to end, it is simply question
OF fact, absolutely dependent on those condi-
tons and prerequisites without which ocean
belligerency cannot exist.
''As general rule, Dclligerent rights are
conceded only where a rebel government, or
contendng party in a civil war, has acquired
such form and body, that, for the time being,
within certain limits, tits sovereign de facto,
so far at least as to command troops and to
administer Justice. The concession of bel
ligerency is the recognition Of such limited
sovereignty, which bears the same relation to
acknowledged independence gristle bears
to bone. 1t is obvious that such sovereignty
may exist dc facto on land without existing
de jtact0 on the ocean. 1t may prevail in ar
mics and yet fail in navies. In short the fact
may be one way on land, and the other way
on the ocean; nor can it be inferred on the
ocean simply from its existence on the land
Since every such concession is adverse to the
original government, and is made only under
the necessity o; the case, il must be carefully
limited to the actual fact. Indeed, Mr..
Canning, who has shed so much light on
these topics, openly took the ground
that ''belligerency is not 50 much a principle
as faet" And the question then arises,
whether the rebel slave. mongers have ac-
CURED such dc facto sovereignty on the ocean
as entities them To ocean buigerent rights.
''fhere are at least two ''facts" which are
patent to all; first, that the rebel slave-mon-
gers have not Il single port into which even
legal cruisers can take their prizes for adudi-
cation; and secondly, that the ships which
now presume to exercise ocean beliperent
rights in their Misunderstanding the rebel
slave-monger navy, which a member of the
British cabinet said was ''to be createdn-
were all 'crcated" in England, which is the
aacaI bnse from which they sally forth on
their predatory cruise without once enter.
ing a port Of their own pretended govern.
ment.
"These two ''facts" are different in charac
ter. The first attaches absolutely to the pre-
tended power, rendering it incompetent to ex
ercise belligerent jurisdiction on the ocean
The secand attaches to tine individual ships
rendering them piratical But these simple
ard unquesuonable "facts" are tine key to un
lock the present question.
''From the reason of the case, there can b.
no oceap belligerent without port into whicl
it can its prizes. Any other rule would b'