The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-12-02

mR SUMMER Oy TIE FLORIDA CASE.
Frsm ne Tribune.
We collected, on Tuesday, some notices nv the
Epglish press OF the Flo.id7 clsc; not because
We thiul, our opinions OF the course OF our Gov
ornmeIt ought 20 10 influenced in the least de-
gree by the declarations OF British newspapers.
but for the sake Of exhibiting once more the rude
haste with which those journals are wont 10 take
sides against This country We desire all Amcri-
cans should learn that the opinion which is OF
consequence TO them is not the opinion of Eu-
rope, but their own. If we appear before any
tribunal, let it be at homej aud It VIC accept any
verdict, let It be made up by an American iuly.
To-day, however We arc willing to present
what may pass for the reverse of that picture.
MIR. Senator Sumner has contributed tl the Is JstOn
Daily ddycJtiSCy gu essay upon tho F.0lJ'4 case,
deyoUd especially to iheICC1 piiulStiou Of English
IiecluCntb bcariug upon IL. With his usual
abundant iCaruiug Mr.. Sumner brings together
no less than seventeen instances which in tucr
essential facts are similar 10 the capture of the
FLORIDA. lis h-t extends an the way from 1865,
during Queen EIiyNbctl'- reign, - the year $50,
including al tho most familiar cases and many
which by most persons will now Dee heard of for
the first time. We gppryh.ud that even those
who have looked with favorable eyes upon the
seizure ty Captain Collins will be amazed at the
number OF uCcgdtut in English naval history
which tfId justification for i..
On the QuC-tIOn arising between this Govern.
meut and that of Brazil, Mr. sumner expresses
no opinion. Recognizing fully the general pru-
Ciple that ait /, by no means lawful to attack or
take an enemy IN the port of q neutral who Is in
amity with both pur,ies, he suggests that never
theless there may be decisive considerations,
distinguishing this case from every other, which
will justify our Government, whilo recognizing
the violation of Brazilian territory, at least in
declining any restitution of the ship" But he
adds, "my present OBJECT will be accomplished It
sns.1 Il tuIt oh,
close the British mouth Whenever topens 70 con-
denim a capture like that Of the Eorida'
Omittlng the wcll.known cases Of the ESSer and
the d3ynStTOag, we select frUm the remainder tyo
instances, both in principle identical with the
seizure Of the Hoyjda. The first is from De
Cussy, "Phascs ct Causes Celcbres," tom. ,,
p. 81 -
"The French shlp.o-t e-lIuc Ila,er5r separated In
stgIm II, N the rot 10 which she bcOlgCd, and much
dshled. was discovered, September, lso6, bv several
turned her head to the land aud actually aground
"BGt though in ths disabled condoa and on the very
shores Of the Lnod STATS she received British broad
on neutral torrory. Ills crew we're taEcn prisoners
ard bic ship was brut Tus act was violation Of the
coast within Caunu,hoJ hat been expressly recognized
~ the Treaty Of la tcwo1u G.a u tain ami tc United
States. A The ship burned. hJrs could bo no uuus-
cG olts resltn ion But q does not appear that the'e
The second is told m greater length, aud is
honorable as embracing al exposition Of British
policy from the pen of one of the greatest Of
British statesmen. In los French fleet was
attacked near the coast of Portugal by British
fleet superior in strength. Two of the French
ships were taken, two Others forced on shore
and burnt. The Prime Minister Of Portugal
instantly wrote TO England that the Portuguese
tern oTy had been violated, and demanded from
Great Britain that satisfaction which was due by
the law Of nations. The answer to this demand
was framed by 10 less person than William
Pit, afterwards Earl of Chathum. Instructions
were sent by him TO the British Minister ut Lis
bon, in which, after directing him 70 make every
effort TO ConCiliate the offended dgntyO III King
of Portugal, and declaring that Ellis Majesty has
nothing more really at heart than 10 give so far
as he can with honor to the King Of Portugal all
reasonable sati,faetiOn' Mr.. Pitt appenls this
following remarkable postscript
Though & be sufficiently implied by the above words.
honor, that there things which His Majesty could
possibly On any account comply With have thought It
pressy to sgny to you that any personal MARI on great
any under command, totally iul dmis sble
wou Es the idea OF restoring the shps-Otwar taken
You viii, therefore in case, in your conversation with the
nSc'S Scse Sod of nss9 son 9S c rSw to oa SS, a
against any cxlccution Of that kind being at the same
ness"
Subsequently, an extraordinary envoy was
sent TO lisbon to negotiate this affair, and
"TLs lore declared openly and in fun audience, con
Who burnCd he frcl ch vessels on the coast Of Lagos
pruAcnsiIe and that on this account tue King his
master sent Lisbon, order to testify that he had
part in It, and that II contrary his ordIrs
tht had committed tnat ofhostiy Tor which he made
TepagSuou. De -0'Hut, HrHotcs s,U EI1Hiuistratou
df P0HtGi, tOA 2, -.
Nevertheless, al hough the wrongfulness of the
sct was admitted, the ships were not restored,
nor was any indemnity given therefor. The in
stTuCtions of Pitt were carried out 70 the letter.
!. Yet when, in l762, France declared war against
Portugal, the failure to restore these ships was
made In the -lrRtiOn one of the causes OF the
war, and Portugal had to suffer for the injury
= which Great Britain utterly refused to compeR-
safe.
/ But we have learned ere now that Great
Britain respects only such pre- 'edents as make for
her interest or coincide with her prcjudces for
the moment; and we need not expect mat view
of her own traDgTcssOns Will impede the utter
auce of her remoaches upon what she chooses to
consider as ours. We echo the words of the
Sattfdag Rcriotr that "it will be remembered,
long GftIr FCGcrals and C0n,edCratcs shall have
ceased to lght, that there is one among the most
powerful nations of the world that has no mca-
sure Of international right cVcapl the strength OF
= weakness Of its &c iversary.' Tue judgment Of the
civilized world long since declared that Great
4 Britain is that power.