Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1864-01-25

the Star, of two or more American ships
burnt by the English" pirate Alabama
Why is she not seized in the first English
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 Fnglishmen
are aware that England is.liable to pay
every shilling Of damage done to Ameri-
can commerce by these vioences. We
ourselves first advanced the law and
practically applied it against America
In 1898, President Washington, on the
representation of the English ambassa-
dor, did what he could to prevent the
fitting out of privateers 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 indem-
nifty 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.
I But in 1894, Immediately after the ap
plication of the British Government,
Congress passed such law as satisfied
US, and the President, with the concur
renee of the Senate, made treaty with
England, of which one clause secured
indemnity to British owners for vessels
captured by ships fitted out in the United
States. And all damages were faithful
ly repaid to US. With such an expedient,
it is morally for any American Govern
ment to fail to exact repayment for all
the violences committed by the ships fit
ted out in England, even if some Of them
have since contrived to steal into a Con-
federate port. A sore point of quarrel
must remain, which, even if it does not
reach the point of war, will visit US with
weakness, with alarm, and with enor-
nous expense. .
What is the Asiatic policy of Eng
landf Apparently war with Japan-war
in New leland What is her European?
To talk for justice but take no practical
step for justice. Why not? Because, in
addition to the Asiatic troubles, she has
an outstanding quarrel for her wrongs to
American commerce What, then, is the
domestic policy of England? Not re-
form, not retrenchment, not judicious ex
penditure on internal improvement; that
is impossible. As we now go on we must
have ever increasing armaments. Sup
pose that we owe three millions of sterl-
ing to President Lincoln's citizens for
property destroyed. How much cheaper
to pay that at once than to allow the
bill to double itself, and then pay eight
or ten millions a year in European igno-
miny while watching against possible
American war, until less honorable min
listers pay the debt Of nature, and some
fresher mind rises to the head of affairs
"a Lord Stanley or a Mr.. Gladstone
who will pay the American bill, and tell
US to think ourselves well rid of it.
AT the next election many will raise
cry of ''Peace and Retrenchment-"
Let none delude themselves with the idea
of solid peace, or fruitful war, or useful
if inglorious retrenchment, unless we
speedily retraee our steps, and over
throw the evil precedents not yet finally
sanctiened-declare that tho Confede-
rates are not ocean-belligerants, that the
ships built and fitted out in England
against the North are English pirates,
that they must be seized wherever they
can be caught, and all their damages
repaid Add to this criminal prosecu-
ton to their builders, and we shall re-
gain the good will of our best friends
the freemen of America. After that we
shall have strength to spare in aid of
European justice. lg
y A