The New York herald., 1863-06-16

moy CuJ0r.
law which compels man to commit
tam act, when by the same law he know,
will be sentenced to Be hung for its com
sion, must either be radically wrong or
iawgivers must err in the construction
upon it. , $500.
Ths Privsteer OperattoMs or Our Cos
10 the list of captures BY rebel private
which we published yesterday snd Sunday,
have to add this morning that cf the brig A
BELLA seized offthe capes Of Virginia by the
cony, ono Of the recent prizes Of the privat
clarence, sndnOw converted into rebel cruis
This vessel was bonded and let 60, her sail
qualities, wepresume, not being considered 9,
as to render Der available for the priwxteer
vice. 'Fta-f . h
THESE repeated captures 20 near our co
have, as may be imagined, created the great
alarm among the shipping interest. The
citement caused by them is, in fact, as great
that caused by Lees threatened advance id
Pennsylvania and Maryland On every side
to be heard imprecations against the indiF
ence and slothfulness Of the Navy Departme
which, 1t is contended, could, with ordineI
energy have prevented these depredations.
is, in fact, this unfortunate improvidence viii
has been the cause of all our losses and failure
1t is only when the misfortune is upon us tl
we take steps to guard against it. In the eleven
hour we at last find the Navy Departme
Weakening up to a sense Of its responsibiliti(
Within day or two upwards of twenty go
ernment cruisers have been despatched fro|
this port, Philadelphia aud Boston in search
the rebel privateers. The officers at the diffc|
ent navy yards deserve the greatest credit Il
the promptitude with which they have got theI
vessels ready for sea, and the zeal exhibited d
them shows how much the department cou
have accomplished il it had only set its ene|
gies to work in time. 1t is by calculating d
its apathy that the rebel privateers have be-,
emboldened to effect these daring captures
close to our coast; for il has been reasonabl
argued that when, with vessels like the Balt|
and Atlantic at its command, it made no q
tempt to check the depredations Of the All
bama aud Florida, It would not be likely
interfere with the operations OF smaller Graf
even though venturing almost to the very eI
frances of our ports. l'a.'5
1t is to be hoped that the newborn enera
thus displayed by the department is not spa
modic, and that it will not pass away with u
danger that presses so closely home to us. 1t
only by straining every effort, and that pers
veringly, that amends can be made for the una
countable Indifference and neglect that ha,
allowed the rebel navy 70 grow to its Iresel
formidable proportions.
The West Iadiss--Thssr Attit.de Toward
.-...... y. Abe Uasesd states.
We publish to-day several interesting lette
from the special agent Of the HsRAID in the We
Indies, giving an account of the sort of neutral
ty which is practised in those islands in relato
to the war between the United States goverI
ment and the so-called Confederate States. r
shows that their neutrality is all on one side, an
that they are doing everything in their power
favor the Southern privateers and cruisers On
to promote the cause Of the rebellion, while, o
the other hand, they leave nothing uudone ,
damage the character and destroy the interes
of the United States. e
They are indulginga twofold passion--hatre
of the American republic and desire to gro
rich at the expense Of their continental neg
bors. They have long envied the greatness an
feared the growing power Of the United State
and they now rejoice to see the nation prostra
by intestine war, as they think, beyond Il
hope Of recovery. Hence they are insolent an
audacious. The public journals and the organ
Of opinion are almost without an exception Q
the side Of the South. and no opportunity is 10
Of wounding the North. Even the very negro,
have declared In favor of the government
JEFF Davis. They know on which side the
bread is buttered-they are making money rap
ly by assisting the running of the blockade, an
they calculate upon impunity. imagining tb'
the republic is broken up and ruined. Bu
though cast down, it is not yet destroyed; su
the day will come when the West Indies ma
be made to feel that honesty is the best polio,
and that they have walked up the wrong passci
ger. Conscious Of their gnilt. they have sougl
and obtained the protection Of British frigater
and We are told that Port Royal, in Jamaica,
Of dollars. Armstrong guns have been a!read
mounted on the batteries, and an enormo,
quantity OF war moteriei OF every kind had be,
sent from England to the magazines. But the
preparations will not save them from ju
retribution.
When our internal strife is ended we shs
pay attention TO matters outside. We shall the
have two great armies at our disposal, henc
forward to be united; and these troops will !
far happier to find employment in snnosing Il
West Indies than to be fighting against cat
other in unnatural, fratricidal war Lot no OF
imagine that because We do not now resent Il
insults and the wrongs inflicted upon
we shall no, do 40 hereafter, when our han,
are no longer fall Of domestic troubles. "
bide our time, and meanwhile We will deveio
the best aud most improved iror-oiad vessel