The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1865-01-17


I6rf wAnsex, Bes16s HAaDos,,
JuIy =, 1864.
fse6 Lvsns. Enses Ezfrssrdissry ~ her D,,a,.
nc I4jssfy, mar WasAisgfos, y. G.:
~ Lind: thank you Tor your courtesy in -
PLYING 20 my different letters. have, Of course, n,
urthsr claim to make upon = In that regard. But
dissent from the conclusion you have reached, and
inform y0u that Whenever released from prison I
shall prefer to the Home Government 81 Her Ma
and cruel imprisonment, to which consider have
been subjected by the failure to obtain that potee
ton under q neutral flag which was due to me
under the law Of nations and that Of humanity
i cannot concede, what is certainly q novel and
inhurnan doctrine in international law, that pas
-scnger on a British vessel which, has broken tina
blockade is go tainted in the breach Of blockade
that he may be taker, the high Seas under the
neutral flag, ashuman prize by his enemy. II. as
AMI Left TO understand, my Lord this the position
Of your Government, 1t follows that it assents 10
system d kidnapping under its flag OH the high
rREcEpExT. For if I, n passenger was legal prizs
the Greyhound, thea the British passenger in the
same circumstances is equally 50, being no more
protected by the British flag OH the high than
should be myself; and If, in these same circu,r-
stances, the Englishrnan does not share my fate,
but is absolyed by diplomatic ptercesson, this is
the faror Of the Yankee Government, which may a.
any time be withdrawn.
at one time, your Lordship wrote me that YOU
had req sested my release. at another time you
write that you cannot interfere in NY behalf In any
manner whatever. am left to imagine that thefe
is no other cause for this contradiction than tina.
am citizen Of a f,icndless and prosecuted govern
meat, towards which, yours, my Lord, processes
trality, butt must say practices UNIFORM di5favor.
Whenever restored to liberty shall have full OPP
portnnity to testify to the damage Of my iniprson-
Inent, rs measure Of the Indemnity shall claim,
from the British Government But your Lordshp
will already perceive from the enclosed copy Vi my
lett to the Secretary Of tho United States Navy,
that kaye in vain cntreated parole On account
Of my health, in circumstances which appeal not
only to sentiments OF pity, but to the lowest
Of humanity.
/ trust that your Lordshp Will fltl nothing in
who I have written inconsistent With the high
and courteous consideration due personally to your
SELF improper to b. communicated, as desiro. 10
your Government, in the interests Of justice and h,
mauity. have the honor &C.,
Your obediant servant,
EDWARD a. POLLARD
The law Of blockade was carly defined IN this
country under the pressure OF the British orders in
council and blockade of 1906 in retaliation Tor the
Berlin decree at which time we find the elabosat7
protests OF Madison against 'the mocker,es and ms.
chiefs practsed us,ler the name OF bockades.' The
doctrine Of fictitious b!ockades was then exploded,
and Great Britain was Compelled TO conlo;!n !er
practice to ,Le definition lnaca n her convention
With Russia III leol TO the e!S=ct that hlockadei
port was only such as there was an evident dan
ger in entering"
In this war the United States have gone FIR be-
You'd those abuses of fictitious b.ockaaes, which sho
formerly made sEbiects ct such violent comp lart,
and has practically converted the blockade which
she asserts Of the Confederate coasts into system
Of rowing commissions, by which vessels not CHASED
from the blockade lines are waylaid and taken UP
by cruisers on the ocean highway. Captures, such
as that of the Greyhound, are acts Of piracy:
But, in the above correspondence, second 1oiu.
is discovered. It is contcnded that not only the
Greyhound not good prize, but that the taking
pas engcr from the shelter OF her Tag was an ag-
g:avatio,, OF the capture, and the plain offence OF
Kidnapping.
On the second point We have American authority
30 decs i've and abundant that not inch Of ground
is left for the Government at Washington, which
still the style. and of course, is bound By the
presidents CT the United States, who!eon TO deeid
such violation OF neutral flag
I: was Daniel Webster who put we!I-TecosnIzed
principle Of international law in this neat phrase
"That ship on the high seas was part Of the ma
items territory It was this groundstEat the
United States defended the rights OF her flag ag,s
every claim which Great Britain ever made CT a1Iess
under it,
In letter of instructions, written in 1901 by Mr..
Madison, then Secretary Of State, to Mr.. Monroe,
resident minister in London, there is a plain and
complete cnunciation Of the doctrine eonteEded fox
III the above correspondence. Referring To the i'm
munities of u neutral flag, as recognized by Great
Britain, the Secretary writes
g She will not deny the general freedom OF the
high seas, and of neutral vessels navigating thei,
mAtA oucu eACtPsioAAo V1iiy as arc aiASAeu ~ ~
the law Of nations. = Bal nosehere wi} sis
find exception to this freedom Of the seas and Of
ncu,a! flags, ,cheA justifes Ire tasay array Of aas
person. not enemy military serrics found 81,
board neutral scssei If treaties, Bii. 81 as vel
others, to be consulted on this subject,
il will equally appear that no countenanee to The
practice can be found in them. Whis, they admit
contraband of war, by enumelating its articles,
and the effect OF real blockade by defining II, n
no instance do they affirm or lnply right IN any
sovereign to enforce has claims to the aHegGace u
his subjects board GfutSai resse.y the higa
seas; On the contrary, whenever BELLE clam
against persons board neut.al vessel is referred
to in treaties, enemies in military sYtec Gor,e
excepted from, the general immunity Of persons III
that situation; and this exception confirms the i-
mun!ty OF those who aie not included II, it.
Ii tie faw Of allegiance, hick Is muaictpa lar,
be in force at Ill On the his board foreign
vessels, it must be at ali ii there is vi
in its acknowledged sphere. II the reason alleged
for it te good in time Of war; namely, that the
reign has then right to the service OF all his SUD-
]ects, must be good at MI tines because lac has tbs
and justice for the tests Of this practice it il
peculiarly indefensbe, because i. deprves The dear
est tights of persons Of regular trial 10 which me
mos: inconsiderable article Of property captured
the high is entitled, and leaves Ia destiny %
the will Of an officer" Am. State Papers. Vol.
III. Foreign Relations, p. Si.l ia LIE
YNHE PUBLIC PRAYER MEETINGS,
Il held with especial reference to the condition u
our country, under the direction Of the Young Mems
Christian Association, will be held on THIS Tues
day. and THURSDAY AFTERNOONS, Il, IL
4 ysrwrV INT.