Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1863-01-16

sage. They had also addressed communications
to the different Cabinets OF Europe, in which
they assdlaed the attitude Of being sovereign
over tEis CtuiedcracJ-, alleging that these III
dependent Sr:tss Tare il rebellion against the
remaining Siatss &c the Union, and threaten.
ing Europe with manifestations Of tioir dis.
pleasure if it should treat the Confederate
States az having al independent existence
It, soon became kaown that tbeso pretensions
were not considered abroad to be a. absurd
as they were known to be at home, nor had
Europe yst learned what reliance was Ii be
placed on the official statements Of the Cabi-
net at Washington. Tic delegation Of power
granted by these States to the Federal Gov.
ernuent to represent them in foreign inter
courae, had led Europe into the grave erros
Of suppoaing Skat their separate soToroisntJ
and Independence mad been merged into one
common sovereignty, and had ceased to hare
a distinct existence. Under the influence oi
this error, which eli appeals. 70 reaeoE and
historical fact wcSe ycinly used TO dispcl, our
Commissioners were net by the de .laretion
that foreign gcTernments could not assume
80 judeo besEeaa Ise conflicting reTcoasnta-
ti6ns of the two parties as to the true nature
Of thslr pravieua mutua! relaticna- The
governments Of Great Britain and France
accordingly siEnied their determination lc
c0ntine themselves to recognizing the ss!f-
evident iGct OF the existence Of a War, and 10
maintaining strict neutrality during Its
progress. Some 6f the>other p"We:s OF Eu-
rope pursued the same course 0f policy, and
it became apparent that hy some understand
ing, expresa or lacit, Europe had decided to
leave the initiative III all action touching the
contest on this continent to Tho two powers
just named, Who weTs recognized to hsT5 the
largest l2tersEIs involved, both hJ rer1on oi
proximity and or the sSteili aiIf! intimacy oil
their ccmmsTcia! rslarinnE With the States
engaged in wsr.
II Is maElieGt thsi tie COURSE 81 acton
adopted by Europe, while hnsed on Nj appa-
rent ToIlIsal to desrinin6 the question, CT Ia
side with either party, was in point Of iacl
an actual decision AZ 4iIst our rights and in
tsToT Of the sroundless FEetensioEE Of The
United States Tt vas refuaa! 10 treat uH
as an independent government. Il we were
independent StG:oE, tic refrssl to entertain
Hith us the sarao intera,tiona! intercourse
as vas ms:Eta;Ic1 with cur enemy wss IN
just, aEh was injurious il i,s effects, what
ever mag bsTo tern tho E:otivo which
ProHPse" IL Ne;th5r wsG it in accordance
win tho high mnrel obligations of that in
ssrnation.i co;ie whose cG:nf sanction is the
ccnjcicnce nj soveIeigns an1 tho public
npiai1n Of mankind, th.t :hose cDninen!
powers snccld decline tire performance Of a
duty peculiarly incumbent o. thsn, from
any apprehension Of The consequences tc
themselves. One immediate AID necea1srJ
result OF their declining the responsibility OF
der!@lon which must have been adTsTSe to
the eStraVasant pCeteusions OF the United
States, w.s the rrolume at1n Of hn5tiItics To
which our siieIniei were thereby encouraged;
ahf wh!ch have Resulted in nothing but
aasnes 81 carnage L5a ;ieYnststiou on this
coEhneIt, and o! p.isery autl suffering cn tho
other. Anch ~ haTe scarcsiyE parallel in
history Had thnsc powers promptly ad-
mltt"'i "rlc right 20 be treated as eli other IN
dependent nations, none can doCbt that the
moral ELECT OF snch action w"u'd have been
to dispel tue dciusioa under rhich the
United States hare persistad in their cff3rts
20 accomplish onr 6Gtiugation. To The CON
tinuod hesitation III the same 1owefs ia Ton-
dnr1ng this Gct CT simple justice tovlsda thio
Oonfedalacy, is still due the continuance OF
the cala1aities which mankind Su1arz from
tbs Interruption Of It's peaceful purauits, both
in the old and the new worlds.
There are other matters in which leaS thnr
Justice bag bern rendered to ihii people hy
neutral Europe, and undue advantage con-
terred On tha asgreganrs in wicked var
Al tho inception Of hc1tilites tho inhabitants
nf The Gdnftderacy we're almost exclusively
agr.cu!luTlats; those rf the United Statse. to
great extent, mechanics ard merchants
We hsd no cnmmarcisl marine, while their
merchant vessels covered the ocean. Wc
were without G. navy, while they hal pow
orful iisets. The advantage which they pos,
sessed for inn;cting injury on our coasts and
harhors was thus counterbalanced in some
measure BY the exposure Of their commerce
to attack by private armed vessels. It was
known 20 Europe that within very few years
past the United States mad peremptorjlY re.
fused to accele 81 proposals for abolishine
priraSeering. on the ground, "a ailedgcd By
;aeu: tha: nations owning powerful fleets
would th2:ahT obtain undue adrantag:
over lhase possessing inferior naval forces
let 10 sa1ner ws5 w@r uasrnrt be
tween "a, CoE;sderscy and tie Tni:at
States, than tha maritime powers CT Euronf
issued orders pTohihitinE eithor party from
bringing prizes into their ports. This prchi
hition, dircrted with apparent irnpariiaiitJ
sGaiEat hotE hell iEsTcnts, vas in reality eH-c
tive arsns; the Confederate Slater alone, i1l
they al3Go could trd hostile commerce. o.
The ocean. Merely nominal against tho Unitei
States, tho prohibition opecated with INTENSE
ssTe7;:y on the Grnfedor.cy, by depriTiEg i
cf th3 onlv means Of maintaining, with SON:
approach to equality, it's struggle On the oceaI
sgsiaqt the crushing superiority Of naval force
possessed by it's eneloics The value and ef
icicncy of the weapon which Was thus wrest
ed from our grasp By the combined action 9
neutral European powers in ievor o. nst:oT
which profssses openly ito Jntcc!icn ol rava
ging their commerce by prive;asra If any ru
ture var, ia strilingly illustrated ny the Ter
ror inspired Gnong the comm arcial Glasses o
the United States by single cruiser CT tht
msnded By officers and HanHad hy crew
who arc debarred, by the cla5u.c cf neutra
ports, frcn the opportunity Of causing cap
trred vessels to b': condemned in their fcTo
as prizes, has suficed to double The rates 6
marine insurance in Northern ports and rn:,
sign 20 forced iusctiop numbers Of T0Ttharl
vessels. in addition 20 the direct damage in
1ictsi by CAPTURES at sea. How diff: :cnl.. then
to averss.imate The ef:ecta iiiat n,us1 hav
been produced by the hundreds Of priTat
armed vessels taat would have swept the sea
in pursuit Of the canmerce OF ouT enemy,
the means Of dispos,Eg of their prizes had no
esea withheld hy ihs action OF neutral Flu
rope
Bas I. is especially in relation to !},s 50
csllvj blockade OF OF. coast that the pniicy .
European powers has boon So shaped as Z
cause the greatest injury TO the Ooafedcrccy
and to confer signal advantages Oh the Un:te'
States. The Importance OF this sahjsc: re
q::res some development.
Prior TO the year 1856. the pr!7c:p'o' Tesu
hting this subject weTsto be gath&rs'i frcu
the writings of eminent ruhlicsts, tha daci
sous Of admiralty courts, in!srnstlonai ,rea
ties, and the usages of nations. The uncer
tainty and doubt which prevailed in Iefereuc