New-York daily tribune., 1863-04-15

bet y cen peace and ruin. The Northern Copfed-
eracy, though aole TO effect tho frutlees crime OF
drowning whole provinces by breaking down the
bank Of "a mighty nver, is incapable Of defending
her archives, ler public buildings, aud the seat OF
her Government. There is much reason TO believe
that washington owes her safety at the presen. ~
moment TO prudential and political rather 'han "
military considerations" - .h
The revenue returns for the quarter ending MAJ 1
81 SLOW slight decrease. The total reveu9 nos re,
the financial year ending March 81 was @'o'o'''o'
against f69, GA, i79 TO March 1867. n...,.g f,,.
An account OF the seizure of the Peterpon aui
nshed bv Lloyd's Ageps at Matsmoss' W. III ,.anoJ
pssssuger on her, is published ~ tss.9 VIZ 49,
that the seizure nnjusiinsoIei ,I.iL "a ,hot
by express orders from Adnirai MnhJ siu ~, bsr
S'ant BALDWIN of the Vanderbilt wished 10 iet no,
GO cT6r I,y>, thinks it probable that the Uhtso
Ststas Prize Court at Key West VIII i,nineuIatiy
release the vessel bat there remains tne quss"VA
not only of darnsges, but oil tne necessary .",sd;t
| ing a guaranty asaip" i'i y
qbs Brtsh Board Of Trade returns for February
- ~. exnotts of the month TO have been t9,'
91S GOO against ES,320 600 In February last year.
rup FITTING OUT OF REBEL VESSELS IN EN-
........ GLAND.
From The Daily News. March p =, a.
There Ia ono inDoTtant poiut connected Win ine
building and fitting out in this country OF such ves-
sells IS the Alabama, wbieh, though referred 70 py
Mr. Forster and others in the debate on FRIDAY
eysbipc, has not vet been sufficiently considered,
and that is the gerry serious eztent 10 phich must
tell oesinst oErseioss hereafter. II through any
defect Of the law, or any want oil yigor IN is
ad the building Of war chips for bel
hpersnts is allowed to 20 on bere with comparative
immunity we mpy be quite certain that the pro
cedent thus unbappily established will not be
forgotten by other nations, and least oy the
nation that has such good cause 10 remember W.
We are now happily st peace with all the world
but q few years ago We We're engaged in pro-
trscied struggle with q great military Power-a
struggle which for three years severely taxed the
resources OF ou Empire. Though Russia was a
maritime as wen q military power, stu, as we
were able 10 blockade her two great ocean outlets,
the Baltic and the Back Sea, our commerce suf-
fered comparatively little during that period. Had
Ratsid. hOuersT been abs 30 secure the building y
poeerjI par pesses ~ nebtrai ports the resuHI to
ourseires rogiG kare been TideIy dLgereHt. Inc
most imposing fleet In the Baltic and Black Ses
would have been powerless to protect our commerce
if the fitting out OF Alabamss within the territory Of
distant and nomnally neutral Powers had been Al
lowed 10 proceed with comparative iDpunIty. The
hostile feet thus created would have preyed ON our
commerce in every sea. would have destroyed our
unrrotected tracing yesses by scores, and inflicted
enormous damage on our widely EXTENDED mercantile
marine. This disaster was averted durinS the
Crrnean war no. only by the prompt action OF the
American Government ia striDgentiy carrying OUT
the provisions Of their Enlistment act, but by the
unanimous decision Of the most influential American
merchants that any attempt 10 eyade iIs provisions
" ould be a natioul dishonor, A. well as fiagranI
oifsnse against the comfy Of nations.
IL 10 the direct interest Of every nation 10 preserve
its neutrality strictly nviOlats And our own inter-
ess in our present position a neutrals require that
should thoroughly reeprocaLe the conduct OF the
American Government aud people toward ourselves
during tie Cr.mean war The precedent We now
create will iut vitaby be adopted rule OF action
toward ourselves hereafter and II ID essential for
our own sake that the laws Of neutrality should be
enforced in manner TO deter the unscrupulous from
attempting to infringe them. No one will pretend to
ssy that this was done In the case Of the Alabama.
From whatever oause, there was O most maniiest
and disastrous failure OF justice that celebrated IN
stance.
II the existing law were really insufficient TO pre-
vent such an oIen and fragrant violation Of the bret
duties of neutrality it would be absolutely essential
for our own prot ection to have IL altered without de-
llsy. 1t IL impossible not TO soc, however, that IN
the case Of the Alabama the failure was due 70 want
OF prompiudo and more vigorous precautions, raih-
er than 70 the inherent defects Of the law itself.
This vessel was openly built under the superinteud
encs Of a Confederate agent and the sailors were
hired aYowedly 20 fight for the South, and tempted
with large promises of pfiZe.money. Evidence OF
all these facts could easily Lave been obtained by
the Government sgents on the spot weeks before
she left the port. We entitled TO hope and be-
liepe hereser, that there tsH be sach neeligsnce
IN future The Government Ia now thoroughly v
involved in such open defiance Of the law and Il will
incur a very serious responsibility IL il does not It.
self put the law actively In motion against oende
But even with the most prompt and efficient action
on the part Of the Government, it IL no doubt true
as the SOloitorGeneral intimsted that perfect
traity cannot be maintained without the cordial
| cooperation Of the people At such time II 10 the
frst duty Of patriotism and honor to protest against
those who, 10 open deiSnee oil the law seek TO be-
tray the interests Of the country for their sefsh
enos.
The whOls history Of the Alabama is now before
the public, and We arc able 10 understand precisely
how il Is that the English Government ia charged
with negligence in permitting her to get to sea, aud
Whist is the answer to this charge which Earl Rus
sell sets up. Ii 10 case which ought to be discussed
with the nost jealous impaItiality. The general
conviction Of the ufelsssness OF the prosecution OF
the war by the North and admiration Of tie skill
and zallsntry shown by the commander Of the ves-
sci since sbs left England, have, 1t Is to be feared,
epRepdertd a sGeht wish that international law
should somehow be made 10 show that 1t WAS quite
legal to build the Alabama here, and TO let her 20
Out ard try her luck. International law s not 70 be
treated in this way; and if there was duty i'm
posed under the circumstances, on the Epgish Gov
ernnent TO deiAin tue ship 1t would be q most
lamentable thing If We were TO reiuts to &C,
knowledge thaI we had done wrong, and
were to triAe with the principles OF law
simply because theIe 10 something exciting in the
adventures Of the Alabama. England has every
proper motive to DO right in this matter. We cannot
expec. to be olOoys neStrals; dEd u par GriSei
to Which Ue arc parties and tie Americans are not
tie posoer Of ea>m.es to haze shipsof-edr bull
ta American kar5orI you'd be q most serious dan
ger to British commerce. IL we can but clear
away the passions and preiudices of the moment, We
may easily that prudence would bid US wish that
the measures taken TO prevent the building Of ships
of war in neutral ports should be as stringent pos
sible. II, as we think, Earl Russell has done all
that the law permitted him to do it is matter Of re
gret rather tlsn Of rejoicing that hs could not dc
more. Some day, se mag BE- sure, tie precedent q