The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1864-01-29

our merchant ships without award of court
Such are the new precedeuts established by
English Ministry who had it in their power
to gain for traders on sea the same immuni
ties during war as are enjoyed by traders on
land. Evidently new dread Of the Russian
fleet is mischievously superadded to the for.
mer difficulties of Europe.
Against President Lincolns Government
We committed (as believe) sin of princi-
pie when the Queen was advised to recog-
nlze as belligerents on the ocean those who
were not belligerents on the ocean; those
whose war was wholly land war; not touching
US; whom, moreover, we knew to be no in
surgents in good cause, but traitors in the
worst of causes
When England declared herself neutral
between righteous Government and pow
er seeking to exist for the sole sake of prop
agating Slavery, and thereby gave to the
latter .gratuitousy y an enormous advantage
ard great moral encouragement, our very
best friends in the North became violently
indignant. But badly as they regard us to
have tehaved in that matter. they forget our
first ottelSeS in comparison with the second
that our neutrality had been unfaithful.
and is unfaithful to this day. Only yester-
day read in the columns of The Star of two
more American ships burnt by the English
pirate ,'abama. Why is it not seized in the
first Eaglish port which it dares to enter !?
BY all these events We are laying up evil and
quarrel for the future.
1t is astonishing how few Englshmen are
aware that England is liable to repay every
shilling of damage done to American COM
merce by these violences. We ourselves first
advanced the law and practically applied it
against America. In 1893 President Wash
lngton, on the representation of the English
Emhassador, did what he could to prevent
the fitting out of prvateers to aid France :;
and not only restored British vessels which
had been captured, but proclaimed that "the
Government of the United States held itself
responsible to indemnify British owners for
such captures" This stood upon the general
moral rights Of nations, there being then no
Foreign Enlistment Act in the United States.
But in 1874, Immediately after the applica-
ton Of the British Government, Congress
passed such law as satisfied US; and the
President, with the concurrence of the SEN
ate, made treaty with England, of which
one clause scared indemnity to British own
'rs for vessels captured by ships fitted out
in the United States. And all damages we're
faithfully repaid to US. With such a prece-
dent it i, morally impossible for any Amer
lcan Government to fail TO exact repayment
for all the violerces committed by the ships
fitted out in England, even if some of them
have since contrived to steal into a Conted-
crate port. A sore point of quarrel must
remain, which, even if it does not end in
war will visit US with weakness and with an
enormous expense.
Professor Newman goes on to show that
1t would he better to pay the bill of damage
caused by these cruisers at once, and put
stop to the business; than allow an account
(Which he thinks, must ultimately be paid.)
to go on doubling. We print this important
article to show the view taken of this untor-
tunate question by at least one Engishman
Of intelligence.