Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-04-13
From Europe to Mnrch aoth.

The steamer Africa, from Liverpool, ar
rived at New York Saturday morning. The
only noticeable matter in the news report is
the following account of an important de-
bate in parliament, March27, on the pirate A la
bama and American affairs =
DEBATE ON THE ALABAMA IN PARLIAMENT
In the house of commons on the 9th ulti-
mo, Mr.. w. e. Foster asked whether the at
tention of government had been directed to
the danger to our friendly relations with the
United States, resulting from the fitting out
in our ports of ships of war for the service of
the self-styled confederate states, in contra
yention of the foreign enlistment act and the
policy of neutrality adopted by England. He
reviewed in great detail the history of the fit
ting out of the Alabama in the yard of gen
teman holding a seat in that house. The
American minister had continually called the
attention of government to the case, and at
last it was referred to the law officers of the
crown, and after considerable delay, their
opinion was received stating that the fitting
out of the vessel was illegal, but that very
day she was allowed to sail. The house was
bound to inquire into this delay, for it was
very likely to embroil us with the Americans.
more especially as he believed there were 9TH
er vessels fitting out in English ports. He
believed that government was under the err
roneOus idea that it was not its duty to en-
force the law, but to leave it to the American
minister. The Alabama was built in Eng
land, and was fitted out from England, and
manned by Englishmen, except one or two
officers, and she had never been in a conted-
crate port, and, under these circumstances,
it was not surprising the Americans should
regard her as an English ship.
SPEECH OF THE SOLICITOR GENERAL.
"The solicitor general said he could easily
show that the charge brought by the American
government against her majesty government
was most unfounded, and when the honorable
member referred to the complaints of the
American government, twas desirable to see
what they were. Since the FIRST Mr.. Seward
complained not only of the Alabama, but also
in the same communications of the export of
arms, &C., to the confederate states, 1t was
certainly astonishing that the American gov
eminent could prefer such complaints but it
had all along denied to Great Britain the
rights of neutrals allowed by international
law, of which they had been themselves the
strongest asserters. He quoted at length the
opinions of American jurists, and of the rules
of practice laid down by Mr.. Webster and Mr..
Madison, to the effect that the American gov
eminent did not and could not prohibit its
belligerents, but that they did so only at the
risk of capture and confscation by either bel
ligerent.
1.-THE government would do all it could to
carry out the law. The foreign enlistment
act was passed for our own defences, and not
by an obligation of international law Its vi
olation was not a violation of international
law, but of the municipal law; and as there
was no offence on the showing of the Ameri-
can government itself against international
law, their only right of complaint arose from
the act. The American government was only
entitled to ask this government to carry out
the law as it would do if it was concerned it.
self, and to administer the law as English law
was always administered, not on suspicicion,
but on evidence. (Cheers.) If government
had directly or indirectly aided in fitting out
hostile ships, the Americans would have
ground for complaint, but not if private indi-
vduas did So and their offence would be
against the law of the country and not against
international law, which did not prevent them
from dealing with either of the belligerents,
subject to the penalty of capture and confisca-
ton.
"The government would carry out the law
honestly and fairly. He could not but attri-
butte the erroneous feeling in America to the
assertions Of the American government, al
though aware of their inaccuracy.' He denied
that there had been any delay on the part of
the government. The law officers were con-
suited, and the order to stop the Alabama sent
down to Liverpool within three days after the
evidence was laid before earl Russell, and