Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1864-12-23
The Revocation OF Gen. DiX's Envasioh
Order.

must be filed by January l.t.
rAs Nevecation Of Gen. Dix's Envasioh
Order.
When the intelligence Of tho release
of the invaders Of st. Adams reached
Gen. Dix, that officer ut once issued an
order directing his subordinates" in case
further acts Of depreciation and murder
are attempted by marauders, or persons
commissioned At Richmond, to shoot
them down or if it be necessary with q
view 10 their capture, to cross into Can
ada, and pursue them" OF course we
know nothing of the President reasons
for directing the revocation Of this Or
der, but we cannot believe his action
,was prompted because an invasion Of
Canada under the circumstances men
toned by Gen. Dix could not be justi-
fed by international law and precedent.
Mr.. Lincoln evidently desires to have
as few irons in the fire as possible and
fhe shall succeed in the future rs in the
past, in steering clear Of foreign i'm
broglios and fully sustaining our nn-
tional honor, hewill add new Iustre to
his administrative ability. We appre-
bend that Gen. Dix was fully advised of
the law that would apply in lthe event
Of the execution of his order. M
One Of Americas ablest commenta.
tors upon law, Chancellor Kent, lays
down the following well established
principles, relative to the acts OF bellig-
erents On neutral territory: THAT no
proximate acts Of war are in any man
ner to be allowed to originator neutral
ground. = u No act Of hostility il
to be commenced Oh neutral ground.
n omeasure is to be taken that will lead
to immediate violence. The neutral is to
carry himself with perfect equality be-
tween both belligerents, giving neither
the one nor the other any advantage
and if the respect due to to neutral tor
ritory be violated by one party without
being promptly punished by just ami
madversion, it would soon provoke a
similar treatment from the other party,
ahd the neutral ground would become
the theater Of war. No bellig-
A, erent power can claim the right Of pas
sage' through neutral territory, unless
founded upon previous treaty, and it
cannot be granted By q neutral, where
there is all antecedent treaty, UNLESS
AN EQUALITY OF PRIVILEGE BE ALLOWED
! TO BOTH BEILIGERENTs.o i9 ~, A"
The language we have quoted is shat
Of an English judicial tribunal. Eng
land has thus established u precedent.
satt furnished the law for just such
proceeding as the order OF Gen. Dix con-
temp,ated. The st. Adams raiders
claiiaed to have acted under commits
siosis issued by the Richmond govern
ment, recognized Us . belligerent power
: by Great Britain. The Canadians being
neutral, were bound TO carry themselves
With perfect equality between the Con-
federates and our government, giving
neither any advantage. IT, however,
the agents and troops Of the Richmond
beliigerent violate the respect due to
3 English neutrality, and that neutrality
fail to punish promptly such belliger-
ents, then neutral ground is liable to be
the theater of war, for if there be no
treaty between Davis and England, ian
equality of privilege to pass through
neutral territory must be allowed to
both belligerents." .. aE q
The order of Gen. Dix was based up
ON the soundest principles of interna-
tional law, and We regret that it has
been rescinded. Until the Canadian au-
thorities give our government assuran-
ces of honest friendship, and cooperate
with us in preventing the depredations
Of cut-throats and thieves who make
Canada an asylum and refuge, as well
as base of pretended military opera
tions, we want to see the dignity OF
American manhood asserted and main
tained. Let US not humble ourselves
when we know we are right, and our
4 enemies confess to be in error. If Can
ada ia to be made the base of rebel oper-
ations upon our territory not in rebel
lion and which the rebels do not claim,
and our cities and towns are to be
burned, property stolen and citizens
murdered, then we say let the Ameri-
can government march its troops and
claim .equal privileges with its sworn
enemies, apon neutral soil. We believe
in mild conciliatory spirit towards
our friends, but if they persist in giving
did and undue advantage to our enc.
81 mics, while wearing the cloak Of friend
ship, let US be men, and not cravens
and dare to tell them OF their hypocr
sly, and our determination to maintair
Z our rights at all hazards. Let the Ca
madam authorities give the rebel raid
ers notice to quit their territory and en-
force their will, or else let the rescindet
order OF Gen. Dix be re.issued and car
ried into execution.