Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1864-09-10
THE PIRATE GEORGIA.

The telegraph announced to US yester-
day, that the rebel pirate Georgia had
been captured off Lisbon by the Niagara.
She was carrying English colors at the
time of her capture, and it was said that
much excitement was occasioned in Eng
land by the affair. The Post, Lord Pal
merston's organ, justifes the seizure, and
it is probable that the British Government
fully endorses the transaction. The
Sacramento Union gives the history of the
affair and says:
The Georgia was recognized BY the British
Government as q Confederate vessel Of war.
After a brief career of devastation the steamer
was found to be poorly adapted for cruising
purposes, and was taken into the ports OF
Liverpool, where it was said she was sold to an
En1lishman. When captured it was main
tanned that she was an English ship, chartered
by the Portuguese Government. It'll one Of
the clearly established rules of international
law, based upon substantial reasons, that
"neutrals cannot purchase ships OF war from
either belligerent;" so that whether the Geor-
gia, as Liverpool journal contends, obtained
a
thorities, and whether the charter was bona
Scie. are not questions of material importance.
Having been recognized and treated by the
British Government as Confederate war
steamer, the Georgia could not be sold In
British port and be respected afterwaId as
peacefui trader under the British flag. or
course the Tories and Secession sympathizers
discovered in the seizure by the Niagara an
outrage upon the British flag; but the Pal
merston organ, which is by no means
friendly to our Government, is compelled to
concede the legality of the transaction. As to
the rumor that the Palmerston Ministry con-
nived at the seizure, it is doubtless nothing
more than partisan invention, designed to
show that the Ministry is conciliating Anne,
rican favor, at the expense Of the honor and
dignity of the British Empire. The pro-
gress Of events has probably rendered the
Ministry, the merchants and the great majo-
rity of the English people anxious to avoid
giving further cause Of complaint to our Gov
eminent, and to drown the recollection OF
ugly precedents. As consequence, the
capture or destruction Of the craft which
have been depredating upon our commerce
will be regarded with almost equal satisfac-
ton in England and America. The de-
termination of the British Government to
allow no more pirate vessels to repair and
coal in British ports practically ends the
system Of piracy by which we have so
heavily suffered. The Tallahassee was
unable to keep ahoat because she was
not allowed to obtain sufficient supply Of
coal at Halifax. This nation cannot forget
the settled malignity Of the British aristoc-
racy nor the rascally conduct of the mer-
chants at Liverpool. But now that better
counsels prevail, let US remember that there
has always been a numerous and respectable
body Of Englishmen who denounced the sys.
tenn Of piracy from its inception, who have
restrained the Government from even more
obnoxious acts, and who will, at some future
period, demand that adequate reparation shall
be made. The Florida is still afloat, but il
the British Government honestly enforces its
present policy her career will soon be ended.