Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1864-04-18
SUPPLEMENT-
THE EVENING NEWS.
How the Alabama is Welcomed.

may be flying the Confederate flag in our
harbor before the sun sets this day; and
it is question of some little practical i'm
portance to us how we should receive
Captain Semmes and his crew. Shall we
receive them as they were received at Cape
Town, as heroes in a righteous war: Or
shall we hold aloof from them, as support
ers of an unholy cause, whom the arm OF
public law has not yet reached:
The Alabama, by coming to cruise in the
Indian Ocean, places the greatest possible
distance between herself and danger. The
vessels of the American mercantile marine
become prizes the moment they appear in
sight. Captain Semmes does not, it is
true, cut the threats of his prisoners; but
he would not hesitate to do so if they re-
sisted. In this he does not differ materi-
ally from the common pirate. There is no
element of danger, or difficulty, or priva-
ton, in the course pursued by the captain
of this destructive cruiser. He treats his
prisoners neither better nor worse than
the pirate outlaw of every civilized nation
in similar circumstances would do. The
character of his conduct is only masked
by the belligerent rights being extended to
the South, while it is doubtful if Captain
Scmmes is rightly covered by even this
mask. We believe it possible that he has
not even regular commission, and with
the Severn in Bombay harbor, the fact
ought to be clearly ascertained.
But leaving these considerations aide,
and all regard for the substantial juS'ict
of the Northern cause, we simply ins:,.
here, that if we are to sympathA: with
weakness, simply for itself, our sympatlsg
cannot rightly be demanded by the Ala
bama. The opinions of Eng
lishmen are changing with regard to the
South, as reason reasserts its power over
sentiment. We are beginning to feel,
with regard to the Confederate cruisers,
that it has been a criminal indifference OF
our part which allowed them the freedom
of the seas; and that, if the letter On the
law gave them an unhappy opportunity,
it should have been at once closed and
this great scandal prevented. Who. we
ask, is the better for the seventy-two ships
which have been burned by the Alabama
Is the Confederate cause the better: We
trow not. Or is England the better for
the evaporation which their destruction
has raised, and with great show of jus
tice, against her throughout the North;
What Shall we be the better for the seven
ty-two ships which have been burned or
scuttlcd, if it should turn out that, after
all, they are English property; and that
we have TO indemnify their American
owners to the uttermost farthing for their
losses. And this is not an impossible
contingency. The arrest of the Alexandra
is an admission that the Alabama ought
not to have been allowed to leave Liver
pool, and we may be legally responsible
for all her deprcdations. At least, il is
altogether premature to decide that the
property Semmes has destroyed IS Amcri-
can, for it may yet have to be made good
by the British taxpayer. Should the
North, in the close of the war, make the
demand, our appeal will not be to arms,
but to the law. 4 fine Of two millions
sterling on this account would be pecu-
liarly poignant to the national vanity; but
it would be cheap sum to pay for multi
flying the dangerous principle that Semmcs
miserable exploits must introduce into in
tcrnational relations, unless condemned
i'll some such way by the conscience Of
England and Europe. The danger of the
principle is at once apparent, il we for
moment contemplate our referring the
question of indemnity to the arbitration
of France. Would France say pay or not
pay: If she should award the latter,
" would not her motive at once be clear.
the hope of being able some day TO serve
us as we have permitted Captain SemmeS
and his (English) crew to serve the North
en States: We deeply rcgre: that the
Alabama should be visiting these shores,
and we hope that she will come and go
without any notice being taken of her Off
GERS and crew that might appear to the
Confederates or to the people OF the United
States of the nature of respect or congrat-
ulation.-Ti0,es Of India, January 236.