The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1865-05-12

1
Acting Brigsdier General under Har
dee, and captured at BentonFiIIe By
Fitzpatrick He has been confined al
Fort Delaware. 20
The LastProclamatiOns OfMr. Lincoln,
From the London Star, Apri 2s. ~ - ~
Mr.. Lincoln has issued two procla
ma ions which are worthy of serious
attention. The onescloses to trade, all
the Southern ports, with the exception
of a few where suppli.s are received
for the federal armies. The other
claims from foreign nations such treat.
ment of federal cruisers as would vir.
tually amount to the withdrawal of the
recognition of state of war. The
procl-mations appear to be somewhat
inconsistent The first, closing to for.
eign trade the ports of the late confed-
eracy, is virtual acknowledgment tha I
a state of war still exists, and it would
be inconvenient and impolitic to per-
NIT to foreigners privileges only consis
tent with state of peace. The second,
on the other hand, claims from foreign
nations all those advantages and con-
veniences of peace for national vessels
which the United States are not pre-
pared to concede to foreigners in the
case of commercial vessels. The ques-
ton consequently arises whether, ac-
cording to international law, the
United States are justified in assuming
the position apparently so contradicto-
ry. Mr.. Lincoln's government may
possibly contend that the twoquestions
are not necessarily connected, that the
rights of federal men-of>war depend
upon the existence of an enemy at sea,
and that while no such enemy may ex-
ist the ports may properly be kept
closed because of the disturbed condi-
ton of the country. Recent events
have certainly materially altered the
state of things which existed when our
government recognized the South as
| belligerents, and thus laid the founda~
ton for the treatment of Confederate
cruisers as lawful conbatants. The
South had then 8 regularly constituted
government, with a capital and an ex
tensiye seaboard from which cruisers
might sally forth on hostile missions.
In point of fact the cruisers have
chiefly sailed from neutral ports, and
this is the case with the only two ves~
sells now flying the Confederate flag, the
Shenandoah at Melbourne, and the
Stonewall at Madeira. While the le-
gality of this practice has been dispu-
ted by the North, European govern
ments have looked chiefly to the ques-
ton of the commission, and when any
cruiser was commanded by an officer
having regular commission from Mr.
Davis as President Of the Southern
states, the belhgerent character OF the
vessel has been admitted But the sta
tus of a President, seated in q capital
and surrounded by Congress and by
the officers and organization of regu-
lar government, is somewhat different
| from that of defeated rebel hurrying
from the so-called capital, which Is now
occupied by the United States troops,
and representing neither government
nor an army. Mr.. jefferson Davis,
with his carpet bag at Danville, is a
very different person IN the eye of in
ternational law from Mr.. President Da'
Wis in Richmond, backed by the army
of General Lee. Whether the time has
already come for the British govern
ment to give sll the effect to these
changes which they must sooner or L.
ter demand is question which is prob
ably already under discussion The
United States have unquestionably now
a right to dispute the validity of the
commissions Of Mr. Davis, and to de-
mand the war vessels of the United
States shall not be subjected to vexa-
tious restraints because two ships with
in the circumference of the earth, one
south of the equator and one north,
bear the commissions of fugitive who
was last seen with carpet bag at Dan
| Vile station. If their claims be not re-
sponded to, they have perfect right
to treat all war vessels of other nations
entering their ports with the same
scant courtesy as is meted out to them
abroad. -L-s 70
If the fight of Davis, however, has
created this great change, upon what
pretence does the President still shut
out foreign commerce from the South
ern ports 1t is possible that the sole
| intention is to prevent assistance from
abroad reaching the Coniederates so
long as even the semblance of organ
izstion is retained among them; but it
is also not improbable that the move is
not designed to quicken the action of
| foreign Powers IN Withdrawing from
the Confederacy the recognition of bel
ligerent rights. A strong feeling has
already sprong up that a profitable trade
could be done with the South were the
blockade removed 1t is calculated
that the markets must be completely
bare of many of those articles OF COM
merce which England can best supply,
and that if money is not abundant
large quantities of cotton and other
produce will find their way to the sea
ports SO soon as peace is finally pro
claimed This desire for the opening
of commerce with the South must be
taken into account by the Government
in any decision to which they may
come IS to the propriety Of longer re-
cognizing the COniederates as bel5ger'
enis England has no interest in re-
cogpizing a state Of war which does
not practically exist and thus de
priving herself of market for heI
goods 20 which she formerly had access
but from which she has for ioar years
been excluded. Lancashire, moreover
wants the American cotton. Ihe eoun
try wants cotton goods ST the old pri-
ces, or cheaper. n possible Every ns-
tional interest unites in making it sd
| vantageous for England to have those
Southern ports opened But we cam
not with propriety make any repre-
sentations TO the American government
in this sense 30 long as We recognize
the Confederates as beliigerents, ifit
appears inconsiste for Mr. Lincoln tC
claim the privileges Of peace for the
national ships while he shuts up his
ports as II war existed, it would bs
equally inconsistent in US to claim the
opening of the ports while We con
tinned TO recognize the state OF war
Each government has thus something
to concede, and we have no doubt thai
the respective representatives will dis
cuss the subject with all cordiAlity and
coed feeling. Whether the govern
ment of Lord Pslmsrston Was too hasty
in granting the recognition Of bellig
erent rights or not, it is certainly de
sirable that they should not be TOO lats
in adapting thear policy to the altered
circumstances The governments OF th'
United States, on their part, ought Z
hasten to remove al restrictions on for
eign trade at the earliest moment con
sistent with national safety.
PORTRkTT OF THE PsEsiDESr.-Ar. J
W. Dodge, the distinguished miniature
painter, of this city, is now in Washing