Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1865-11-03
A snIution OF Inc Alabama DiacuIty.

~ SOLuLAGh Oh NAG AAttDHAAAI DAAAACuAAJs
John Bull is proverbially slow at COM
ing to a conclusion, butin any question
which affects his pocket he is usually sure.
He is beginning to perceive that the policy
pursued by Earl Russell, in reference to
the Alabama and kindred claims, is avery
short-sighted one, and that if the theory
Of belligerent rights which he has ad-
vanced become the accepted one, England
will in the end suffer heavily from it. The
conviction has dawned slowly but clearly
upon the British press that the precedent
which Earl Russell is seeking to establish
will in future times prevent England from
going to war with any nation, or even
from ouelling an Instruction without ex-
posing herself to the risk Of having her
merchant marine, in which lies, to q
greater extent than any other nation, her
wealth and power, swept from the
seas. If it become a recognized principle
in international law that vessels like the
Alabama may be constructed in neutral
ports, by neutral" builders, armed with
neutral cannon, and manned by 'neu-
trail seamen, and sent forth to destroy the
commerce of a government engaged IN
subduing rebellion, what nation more
liable to suffer from this principle than
England herself? To the English peoP-
"a nation of traders-eOmmerce is every
thing-its wealth, its power, its very ex-
istence. To the United States, a world
within itself, it is of but little compare
tive Importance. Should the principle of
Earl Russell be accepted, the United States
would lose little and England all. The
latter nation would be forced to submit to
insult and outrage from the smallest ma
ton on the globe, and to tremble at every
internal tumult, rather than take up arms
for any purpose. For as soon as England
goes to war, eve to quell insurrectien,
her own doctrine of belligerent rights
could BE- applied with fatal effect, and her
commerce could be swept out of existence.
America has plenty of ship-timber, plenty
of machine-shops, the best cannon and the
best seamen in the world. If this princi-
pie obtains she will easily find a legitimate
opportunity for its application. The Fe-
nian movement needs only such con
~nivance and aid from the United states
as England gave to our rebellion, to enable
it to assume terrible and threatening pro
portions. Why not an Irish navy as well
as a Confederate one. For every Alabama
that sailed from English ports we can set
fifty Fenian cruisers aioat upon the seas,
and the merchants who lost from the de-
VISITATION wrought by the Alabama can
reap a rich harvest from British prizes. II
it be lawful for Great Britain to permit
armed vessels to be fitted out in her har-
bors to prey upon American commerce we
can easily return the compliment and SO
e~fectually that no man will endanger life
or property in any British bottoms. Brit
ish honor will not permit it to grumble at
the application of its own principles.
We can, therefore, afford to wait with
patience for this series of reflections to i'm
press itself on the mind of John Bull. He
will soon, if left to himself see the folly OF
his W position, and be only too glad to
back out of it. If motif he still insists
on rushing to his own destruction-it will
be a pity to back him. Let his W doc
trine be accepted, and his wealth will be
memory-his commerce a remembrance
before many years are past.