Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1863-10-23

T., vas a o~ues,ion Of sslfintarss. whethc7 We
shonid ~: break that blockade; bur, :" NY
opinion, tie name IF EnglaIt would be Tor
ever infamous if. for tire sake OF i"ttre-t ct
any kind, we had violated the general lawsrl
nations, and made war with these 6 tveh"li.
ing States of America against The Federal
States. Hear, hear And, gentlemen, /
am not speaking the sentiments peculiar 10
myself. or TO those who have ~ imnlcd a. IL
terest in the question bat these are, am
convinced, the sentiments OF that noble hearted
people of Lancashire who have lived and -four.
ished by that industry, bat who would not,
ON sure, allow single spot un the escutrhe"n
Of their nation in order TO maintain that IN
dus'ry. Hear, hear, aud cheers>J
raIvATEERs BUILDING y FITTING.
The principle is clear enough. II you are
asked 70 sell muskets, you may sell mu>kets
TO one party or to the other and 50 with regard
to gunpowder, shells, Or cannon, and you may
sell ships in the same manner. But II y0u
on the other hand. train and drill! ! regiment
with arms in their hands, or a(lrw a regiment
to 20 out with arms in their hands 10 take
part with one OF the Two b.iligrrenis. you
| violate YOUR neutrality and commit an "i!rrcc
against the other belligerents. SIN the same
WAY Ill IcLaIu W ~ . ~ ~ "'''' ="
ship to be armed ard 20 AZ once I" make au
attack on Il foreign 'beiligerent You are yonr-
| self, according IL your own law. taxing part
in the war. and it If an offence which ~ luu
ished by the law. But thcs" questions lead as
YOU will see, To the most diff! 'uit Problems
as to whether, for instance, Il Thousand persons
NAV 90 out "a lahorerS % Tia" Fedora State.
and in the next place n Thousand musEets may
- -. .-..t., hi, .,1 ,rI,.p .l,ar nrrI,.n
in America these thousand laborcrs, having
had an understanding h"fore,~ may&nIakn II
fnrma! engagement and lie armed with these
thousand muskets: though if that had been
done in the territory nf the Queen, and on 'lie
soil Of this country, it would have been an
offence.
! THE STEAM RAM QUESTION.
There are other questions with ropnr1 to ships
that have lately been prepared in this cnnn'ry.
because these ships are not like ship S which re-
ceive the usual equipment known in wars in times
past, but :hcy are themselves, without any fur
ther armament, formed for acts at otIemre and
war. They are steam rams. which might he
used Tor the purposes Of war without ever I 'uc'i-
ing the shores Of the Confederate ports VII
gentlemen. TO permit ships Of This kind kror-
irgly to depart from this country. rot IL cu.-r
into any Confederate port. not 10 eu'cr lao the
port Of 4 bciligercnt, wnn|1. as ynp So" expos"
onr good faith 10 great suspicion and ! feel car
tain that IT, during cur war with France. ile
Americans had sent line-cf battle ship. to break
orr blockade mt Brast, " ha'evlr reasons :irv
might have urged In support OF that, we sh"nll
have considered it q viols'ion Of neutrality
Sucl, is the spirit in which ] am prepared 70 act
Everything that the law Of na'inrs requires.
everything that snr law. that That Foreign En-.
liStment act requires, ] am prrla'ed tn DO. aud
even il it should he proved tn ba necessary f1r
the preservation rf our non r;liiY. that The sane
ton: of Parliament shon'd he asL"l ia further
measures. In short. 10 sun ~. her Maj sly
Government are prepared TO d. everything iha'
tho du.v Of neutrality requires. everything ''n'
is i:,st 10 n friendly nation. taking ss n rriucip'"
hat we should do to Others pc we should uiSl, ~
he done to ourselves Loud cheers l'ut III
will not DO: we " ill not adopt any measure lln'
We think 10 he wrong We sill not yi"il Il ia'
nf Brili.h law or Bri'i.h right in consequence 81