New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1863-03-13
THE LAW OF BLOCKADE
vhc Decision OF the Prize Cases By sho SUI
prems Court.
srpRyMF COJJRT OF TIE UNITED srATEs-TuEs'
nav March 10 1859

from the Dis ret Court OF TIC Onltd oses 'o' 'He
Ne IsS John Curie ct al causrt, Of TIE schooner cren
sh,w and her cargo sppean's ~ the United states Aupea
So, The CjTcu Conri To- The Southern District Of NewYort
No re- Peter Miller ct AL clsim,rs Of tie bark Hiswatbs
SON de irujt Con for the Southern District Of New York
NO. 2sl 2s? and zGo William Cunie ct al olsiIsat. OF
Che brig Amy W,rwict and her sg the United states
Appeal she Circuit Court Of the United States Tor the
b.thc, Of Ma'ssehu,ctt,.
theionowrc counse Messrf. Lord aud Edwards Of New.
Yotk and Carlisle Of for the claimants Messrs
Nav and Tsmes Of Washington for the United States
OPINION or THE COURT.
law which mus, sec, the decision
aud others Which II VIII be pTofer TO discuss shS ue
eide before notice the special facts pccun 10 ea'H lucy
Had the President the ris6, to Institute blocksd. Of
H. ao1ssmess on the pfincple % inter- siona ls"
spown aud sckpowedg'd smoos civilized Ssts. Tain, with
O. as the property OF persons domeied Of ieslaI. WV
N those sta es spSoper 'u1eci o. eaP'a'7 o" '
N.ut Is have risb. 10 cballss. IT,. existence OF
BLOCKADE dc fsco and cleo the authority oil the pay
So,s Of endy ns,ion FOR the Pa pos. o. trade and
p'eres. and bound to Tecosnie tne fn. a ~ me
purpose Of subduins the enemy; ally
Tia. d s r.: ' ys sn oS s' aud q
Apr, 1851, 1. mn admitted fact In these cases &c., o.,
Itl ae ch II he a%y md Navy
tb. proper person make such notification hos net esen
The Tishs Of prize have their osu in the ars
BELL ADD governed and judged under NE ss :. eous
s. Do sseo .nd The neutral must have knowledge
notice Of the ,oenon Of one Of TIC p' n y, iao, in
I ~ pouire whs her a, the tim. thi. blockade n'
tn,d ,tats Of war existed which would justify resort 10
Chi, means Of subduag the hostile force WsI 10 defined by
Mattel That in which nation Ptosecues t' rshts os
forcs5 The parties bel so,n, public odePsn.
dent nations bu. not necessary TO contn9'e wa tnA'
both parties shoud be acknowledged " independent nations
wss may eat while OF. beisersnt may claim sOSetssn
exegance Iusurrecon again GoVernnen' ray or may
ways be.ns by nsuTecon ssaos, Tie lawful authority Of
che But civil wa Ia never soennlJ decisTeS
Organization OF the Persons who orisinst, sod carry on
When the p.Iiy IL rebellion occupy ia hostile m.Dn.f
ence have cas-, off their allegiance have orgnneo Mns.
ss .S%%spcs1 . =, Sss,s and tie
they claim to be IN arms 20 e'sol'h then oe sno
che sovsssn Ps'y 're.' them .. insas.Rt rebels, .
VIC owe snsSaa, ard The ss0p .S. Ds sr
hshed among nations asve their foundation III rets' IN
Ss . az ssss ,F Hence ps 70 civil way
cede to each other beieeeu rights They exchange prison.
snd pst'onsl wa.s civil war" says Vstte breaks 90
foes and ,seet Of them Il produce. in nstO
ps6en parties who consider each other ensnios and se-
necessarily constituting a. least tor The
suo sePsste bodies, two distinct s9eiee h1sils no
csoIy Proiicaient nation, who engage Ia
This BE- ing The cs,r very evident that the laws
81 the.s nains o. nioae; alton ana AghoI-
SUoud the sovereign he has right to has up bis
YOneIs Rebels the opposite parry VIII insAe rep's &c
t'slO the as;os As eiy VA ntTr Puocy 1's I'm
o. nomi'e against iusasen,s II. stos ehseIeS Ise ~
history which the Court Is bound to notice and
sokDow.
Juce Hale When .asr Of justice Is
ruped by revolt rebellion insuec;iop 30 that the Cour'
be kept civil wal eIiss and hostiles
ny pTosecutd the footing a. opposing tie Gov
e,ni wee iosisnt sa.s .nyaa.aY the sas 70 d.,.
estonsl foeigo war 10 csnDot declare Wal AGAINST
Site OF States by virtue OF env elsue In the
tonsttuson IL eooisr. on the fresoent tie woe h1oeu'
ne i o!pd to ,aSe es'e De e laws De aih
Navy Of the United S,ses AID q the Militia o. the esefa
seH essd 1I1 ss0 e dscs o. ,o GGsa
foreign nation donese state pat by tne act o. o1eisi
sl out militia the military ard naval forces Of
che United stse in Of aysson by foreign nation the
President Is NOT only Authorized o1i pound 70 ~ oTce py
torce lie does nos initiate val bat beGpd to se-eP the
etsens, without waiting for sby pecial legislative author.
y and whether the hostile parry be foreign invader OF
Slses ofsanized a. e5slon, 1t mono tho Ieas var
snSa:l the asesiion Of j, De tni Gro. lord sio.e.
eroon without decls tstio eteI
side 30 laid down by the best whter' gu the laws OF
Lsuons The decssIion Of by country only,
ohaeBsc be accepted OF refused al pleasure y INC
ese 10 array because may b. called insurf
by one side ana The i.sII.en condeied q. Rebels aud
TsiIor Ii is Necessary that the revolving Province
STATE be acknowledged N order 60 consssot then psr
boHise Ia the s,cordng to the 0E of nsoos fo'.
acknowledge war by declaration Of neu-
Tas condition Of neutrality cannot eIs, unless there be
two beiserept psries A cannot BE- J.iaterqi al
though declaration of 30 made By eide only In tbs
the Soat.imo IAs0d, TIA Wheaton, 3J7 This
Govsrupent Of the United 5Sss hae Recognized
eIence 81 seVh Yss between Spin AID her eoOne. aud
has ayowd nor determination g. remain ueatra between tie
psr,eI Which party isthes'ore deemed by be- tne bo'
IZ.ent hAvn far cJGcegIs us, tie
Iigs OF war. sec siso I'd Binnie' Zs1
As the Of the attack Fort Sumter and the
oIsnzson 0 Ooye raent b. the seeding sIsles
tux 70 bslgefent. coua BECOME known ia Europe,
T. wit tie 18th VI May 1901 ia, Queen Of England Ia
sued her proclamation Of neuu atty recognizing hOits A.
existing between he Cnited Al. erica end oeita
States slyB. themselves tho Confederate OF America
1Ms was iMe lately followed b. ii.sr declarations or
set acqUiesce1ce b. other nation. After OH 'ial
recognition by the sovereign clzsn Of foreign STATE l.
sstopIed TO deny tee existence Of vita al the
Ihey ak tue Court TO affect technical igGorance u tue
e1stnce which all the world acknowledge
geste.t civil ia he history "i the race,
sd taus cnHgs e Any Of ibe Ooteinuent ana it,
by sHCtle deh1itODs AID OpEcal sylIOg The
law called the Law Of nature il grounded
ne common consult well s< the common seu'e o. the
world Ii such Anomalous doctrine ~ bs which
chs Court no" Tor tue ms ao deafeo TO
wit; that the Insurgents o nave nsh IA ees!hon sg+lnst
expelled their courts, estao sh Tego1
eons gV,Inuisnt ofgsbized sres and eoDmsaced hos
tties not euene became thty are utOr, tsd mat
levied Government by TRAITORS u member and
cestroy IL var, becsse 1t Is insuroct3n. Whether
the FIesident n i0h his duties ComLaudeTnt hef
e. sppresng has met with such armed hot
tue tosS;aooe aud win civil war Of such alarming prop,
ons - viii compel M " accord 10 them casTee,e OF bel
oenIs GGestion be decided by him and tb Court
ostbe governed by the decision End ecis Of the poca dc,
oatmeal tbs 0oysnmsnt TO which tits atfu tod
n4s1 dsernine what degee OF power the crisis usujs
me poclanaon Of tie blockade itself official aud coDclu.
evastes to the Coufs thu state OF existed which
ssd authorized recourse to such The
SSVondsnce Of LORD Lyons with secretary Of state
va. iat aud concludes the quesi.n II 10
LEGISLATIVE sanction Il In eDo ever al o.,.ed 81
TIC iAu&7dnsry Session oi tho L-gi.sturo Of lsCi which
H. Go,,4u,nr" ,3'a In enseIng laws to enable
end efficiency and finally " md ConSrs,, NJ,
.. tS act and ss.i1iag sad mssus valid
been eoHs vnaei Tue authority Il the Congress of IN, isss