Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1863-04-24
Foreign ConSuIs.

The following just and cogent observations are
extracted from London newspaper of the 18th of
March:
I'VE trust that in the debate which may be ex.
pected to ensue to night in the House of Lords on
Lord Campbells motion, attention will be directed
to one consideration of the subject of recognition
which has heretofore been almost entirely over
lo"ked. We refer to the fact that during the pres
ent anomalous condition of the relations of this
country with the Confederate States the large num-
Der Of British subjects resident in those States and
the immense amount of British property located
there, are dependent for protection at this tlme
when protection is most needed, upon the forbear.
ance alone of the Confederate government The
appointed protectors of the rights and property of
their fellow countrymen in foreign countries are the
ConsulS, of whose office this is the most important
duty. The British Consuls who discharge this duty
in the Confederate States accredited to- and re-
ceive the permission to exercise their functions
FROM a government with which the Confederate
States are at open war. For two years they have
continued at their posts solely by the federation of
the Confederate government, federation, be it
marked quite inconsistent with the strict theoreti
cal construction of absolute de tacto independence
Suppose the Confederate government. weary of
this inconsistency weary of retaining this only.re
naming vestiEe of repudated Authority, should
decline any longer to recognize the official status of
functionaries whose erequaturs and presence are a
contradiction of its rights and powers. A PROPOSE
tion to this effect viz to DISMISS all foreign Con-
suls not accredited to the Confederate government
on the first of May next is actually before the Con-
federate Congress. The number of British subjects
and the value Of British property thus left without
consular protection in country engaged in one of
the fierceSt wars on record, must be reckoned by
tens of thousands of persons and scores of millions
of money We do not mean to imply that the Con-
iederate authorities would seize this occasion to
waEtnny insult and injuYe the persons and property
so unprotected. Far from it On the contrary, We
feel assured that every care would be taken to nit
yate the evil and to relieve individuals from the In
conveniences caused by public necessity But if
ConsulS are deemed necessary to the protection of
personal and property interests abroad in time OF
profound peace, and of uninterrupted and rapid ln-
teruational communication, they can scarcely be
dispensed with at time and in a country where
general conscription laws convert the whole popula
tions into armies when military con1agralons COM
plete or anticipate the work of rereating or advan
eng hosts, when death, in many shapes, stalks
over the land and when, in fact, every part OF the
social and political fabric is strained i'll an agony OF
desperation. 1t is at such times and in such places
that the foreigner most needs the advice and asSs-
lance of his country's representatives, and these
alone can prevent or relieve much greVous indVld-
ual loss and suffering.
IT is this humane consideration which has in
duced the Confederate government to Oreear where
forbearance from any other motive would have lm-
piled o want of self respect Its right to DISMISS
summarily from within its jurisdiction all consnls
exercising their functions by virtue of an Greg uGtu
| from the Washington government is unqueshoned
1t undenable also, that were 1t to-day 10 ENFORCE
this right no one could justly accuse 1t OF lack Of
! moderation in the enforcement. 1t has given the
| other governments of the world two years to con-
slider upon the propriety, expediency, or conVe-
nience of establishing with it the usual relations
which obtain among governments. If, after two
| years consideration, the other governments con-
| clude such relations to be improper, inexpedlent
and incouvenieut we could not well blame the Con-
federatcs for accepting the conclusion final, and
refusing in their turn that convenience of relations
| which is reftssed to them. As matters now stand,
the forbearance of the Confederate government al
4 fords to foreign nations all the essential advantages
resulting from recognition, without reciprocity.
The dismissal of the foreign consus, although not a
step which we are prepared to advise, would simply
place all parties on the same footing. Sooner OF
later if recognition is indefinitely delayed, the Con
federate government will be forced to this measure
| A contemporary, in very able article upon
recognition on which we commented IN our las
impression states substance that the cef reason
why the Confederate States have not been admitted
into the family of nations is that their nor. adms
sion had not heretofore been felt as a serious in
convenience. "If, for Instance" says ourcontem
porary by way Of illustration, " the Alabama o.
Florida should accidentally wilfully destroy
British merchant ship, our government would D.
obliged as affairs now stand, TO apply tor compen
satlon 10 Tue government vi the Chi'eu o|'sc -
in the event of its being refused, which It yer.
probably would be- make repTisalS on the Fedora
marine and declare war on the United States vi
the other hand, if the Confederacy were acknoTI
edged as an independent State, then the demand 10
compensation would be made 20 its government on
under the circumstances. supposed it would be in
mediately acquiesced IN"
1t would be most ungracious perverseness to n
gard this passage as a friendly hint to Captain
SemnIes and Mailit, bat if the position OF the Mo-
Ming Post he we'll taken, as We believe it to be-
may soon force Itself upon the serious coLsiderato
Of the Conredersto government, whether sound po
icy does not requira that it should avail itself OF
honorable and legitimate means to make otner nj
tions feel the same inconvenience which, through
fault of its own. it is made by then 70 experlsne