The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1865-01-13


T.e iss |sing Of letters Of ,rsrque by
cx-preSiddnt JuareZ to Americans,
against II rench ships, and especially
S.ainsg ST Gamers of the French Trans
Atlantic q ompany, is said by the Ship
y14 Guel tie, in a paragraph copied in
tbs l0urnh hl some days ago, to be con-
trncd bv ladyices from Nantes. One of
these steaI ners having on board 100000
in suecie, WAS conveyed from Vera Cruz
by Fren th man. .ot-war.
If this be fact, it is one of no incon-
siderable interest. We are surprised
that Juar has not before adopted this
obvious node of harassing his enemy.
The exam ole of the Southern Confede
racv has shown that few fast ships can
drive a larger commerce than that Of
France from the face Of the ocean. The
ships of war Of no nation can afford ade
quate protection to its merchantmen, and
France, powerful as she is Oh land, has
never been distinguished by naval apti-
tuie and enterprise We can only con-
clUle that .juarez must have been hith-
crto dissuaded by the United States Go
yersment from adopting means of an
novance and retaliation which, effective
as il is, might ultimately lead to COLI
sion between the United States and
France Whether that opposition, for
reasons best known to itself, has been
Withdrawn by the United States, or
whether .Iuarez has determined to consult
only his own incIinations and accept the
ready aid Of American privateers, re-
mains 10 he seen. In any event, the is
SUNG Of letters Of marquo is q measure
Which vii! give France fresh annoy
ance and which may lead to serious
COMPLICATIONS between the two Govern
Inents,
The gusto with which Yankee priva-
yateers would avail themselves Of sucl,
license may easily be imagined. Mr.. Sew
ar1 could not restrain them, even if he
had tie disposition. Such prospects OF
wholesale plumber would be TOO tempt
ing .or tie sternest Yankee virtue. It
would be useless to point out to them
that by embarrassing the relations Of
tie United States and France it might
prevent the rebellion, which is DOW posi-
lively making its last appearance on any
boards. "A bird in the hand" in the
opinion Of that practical people, "is
worth two in the bush" IF Juarez has,
IN reality, issued letters Of marque to
American ships, every New England har-
Dor will swarm with fast-going vessels,
now unemployed in consequence Of Cap
tain Semmes; and they will make
up the losses inflicted by that enter
prsing pirate by initiating his ex-
ample with astonishing energy. To
DO them justice, the Yankees, as
prlvateers and pirates, have few
equals. Captain Kidd, in his palmiest
Gays, never approached them in dash
and rapacity. They will carry off French
merchantmen from under the very guns
oftheir nen-of-war, and in twelve months
from the time they begin operations q
French trading vessel will not be seen On
the Ocean
We fear the thing is too good to be
true. But, if SO, where will France find
protection for her commerce? Will she
have TO resort, as the United States have
done, to the English flagf That would
he too sore humiliation for the grand
nation. Bat it would be no refuge
Yankee privatemsmen, though honest
and. scrupulous as their nation in general
pfoverbially is, might make Mistakes
Aabonng under the delusion that Eng
land has been tho real privateer of the
Ooniederacy, and is the responsible party