M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1865-12-21

J magistrate from The Bay Of Tunis
D whose rule includes the old dominion
2 OF Carthage, on the African coast.
D Our domestic contest, now happll,
ended, has left some traces in on
relations with one at least Of the grea
maritime powers. The formal accor
} lance OF belligvrent rights to tn
, insnrgeDt States was unprecedented
aud has not been justified by tn
issue. But in the systems OF neu.
| trality pursued by the powers whicI
made that concession, here was I
marked difference.
The materiaiO of war for the insnr,
gent States were furnished in a great
measure, from the workshops of Great
Britain and British ships, manned
by British subjects, and prepared for
receiving British armaments, sailed
from the ports of Great Britain to
mako war on American commerce,
under the shelter Of a commission
from the insurgent States. These
ships, having once escaped from
British ports ever atterwarI entered
them in every part Of the world, to
reht, and so renew their depredations.
The consequences OF this conduct
we're most dIsastrous to the States
then III rebellion, increasing their
desolation and misery by the prolon~
CATION Of our civil contest. 1t had,
moreover, the effect, to a great extent,
to drive the American flag from the
sea, and to transfer much of our ship.
ping and our commerce to tho very
Power whose subjects hal created the
necessity for such change. These
events took place before | was called
to the administration OF the Govern
ment,
The sincere Gesire for peace by
which | am animated led me to ap-
prove the proposal already made, to
submit the questions which had thus
arisen between the countries to arbl>
tration These questions are of such
moment that they must have com
manded the attention OF tho great
Powers, and are SO interviewer with
the peace and Interests Of every one Of
them as TO have ensured an impartial
decision.
| regret to inform you that Great
Britain declined the arbtrament, bat,
on the other hand, invited US to the
formation of joint commission to
settle mutual claims between the two
countries, from which those for the
depredatiOns before mentioned should
be excluded. These propositions, in
that very unsatisfactory form, has
been declined.
The United States did not present
the subject as an Impeachment ofthe
good faith of Power which was
protesting the most friendly dspcsi>
tion, but as involving questions OF
public law, OF which the settlement is
essential to the peace Of nations; and
though pecuniary reparation to their
injured citizens would have followed
incidentally on decision against
Great Britain, such compensation was
not their primary object. They had
a higher motive, and it was in the
interests OF peace and just ce to
establish important principles OF
international law.
The correspondence will be placed
before you. Tho ground on which
the British Minister rests his jnstif>
cation is, substantially, that the muni>
cipal law of nation, and the domesr
tic interpretations of that law, are the
measure Of its duty as neutral; and
| feel bound to declare my opinion,
before you and before the world, that
Justification can not be sustained
before the tribunal of nations. At
the same tine do not advise to any
present attempt at redress by acts OF
legislation. For the future, friend-
ship between the two countries must
rest on the basis of mutual justice
From the moment Of tho estaolish>
ment OF our ireo Constitution, the
civilized world has been convulsed
by revolutions in the interests of de.
mocracv or of monarchy; but through
all these revolutions the United
States have wisely and firmly refused
to become propaganGists of Repub-
licaniST. 1t lie the only Government
suited to our condition, but we have
never sought to oppose it Oh others {;
and we have consistently followed
the advice Of Washington to recon-
mend it only by the careful preservs> '
ton and prudent use Of the blessing.
During all the intervening period
tho policy Of European Powers and
of tue United States has. on the
Whole, been harmonious. Twice
lindped rnmora of tha invasion nj