Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1865-10-28

rights OF BngiAho was uhPie
cedented and precipitate, and on this point
uses the following forcible language;
Hence. 1 feel constrained respectfully to
submit it to your lordship t0Aether IN me
history of cirilized nations mere can Oe
found a single instance in t1hieh a steP o.
such importance lcas ereT tGEet oy one
friendly government in regard TO anotheri
upon. II mere presumption OF wnat was
going to be done, an assumptions OF certain
acts contemplated, but not performed. II
would appear to be the part OF CAIN States
mauship, in cases which cannot TALL deeply
IN affect the interests of a friendly nation,
To postpone action at least until something
shall have been actually done to require
It. In this instance there was ocertainty
at the time when her Majestys govern
ment acted that either of those d%eclara-
tons of intention would be fulfilled The
result proves that one of them, in point
of fact, never was executed. Neither Is 1t
at all beyond the possibility OF belief that
the other would have been left equally in
complete but, for this tefy action q her
Mqjesty's government which P~rectuded all
chance of aroiding having recourse to ii.
The actual blockade, then, so far from
being a cause, became actually a" tnev-
table consequence Of IL.
He again defends the course of this
country in the wa between Spain and
her Spanish colonies, andre-asserts his state
ment that the recognition ofthe belligeren-
ey of the South was the origin of all sub
sequent difficulties and ill-feeling. He al
Iudes to the important bearing Of the dis
cussion upon the commerce Of future bel
Gigerents, significantly pointing out the
fact that England itself would be the
loser if its position were successful. On
this point be saysI
HFor if it be fairly once established as
a principle of the international code, that
a neutral Power is the sole judge Of the
| deqFgeto which it has done its duty under
a code of its own making, for the proven
| ton OF gross and fragrant outrages, limited
in its own ports by the agent of one bel
l~igerent in cooperation with numbers of
its own subjects, and perpetrated upon the
commerce of others on the high seas; if it
be conceded that the neutral, upon recla-
nation made for the injuries thus done by
reason of the manifest ineficaey of its
meatis Of repression, which 1t has at all
times the power to improve at will, can
deliberately decline to respond to any such
appeal, fall back upon the little that it has
Attempted as an excuse, and thenceforward
claim! with Justice, to be released from the
inevitable -eonseduenees that must. ensue
from its ihaetioh, then il must surely FOL
low that the only competition between
g., ,-,l1 10 nat urhioh
shall do the most, but which shall do the
least to fulfill its obligations Of interdic-
ton of the industry AID ehtertriss of its
people In promoting the conflicts hat take
place between the belligerents on the
: ocean. Ifthis be once recognized as good
law through the authority which the pow
erful influence of Her Majestys Govern
ment can attach-to it, / dare not venture
to foresee how much reluctance there maj
be on the part of the people whom l have
the honor to represent to accept and act
upon it. Hitherto a want of eagerness OF
= the part of the most adventurous and leas
= s~crupulous portion of them to promote en-
= ~terprise ON behalf of any belliEerBht tina
promised personal advantage cannot b
charged upon them. The reference mad
= by YOUR lordship to the case of Spain ant
Portugal must have convinced you of thi
truth. The prospect Of IMMUNITY in sucl
: enterprises is all that is needed. Furthe
than this, l might only venture to sugges
> to your lordship to consider which Of tn
: nations of the world presents on every Sc
l around the globe the most tempting prize
in an event no friend would more deplor
: than myself, of its being again, as it has S
often been heretofore, doomed to be attilc'
I ed by the calamities Of a *ar."
Mr.. Adams next points out that tn
is cases spoken of by Earl Russell as prov
ing that the English law is sufficient, wei
lust those in which the government wei
: outside of the law. He expresses his SUI
r prise, not to say establishment, at the a
~sarfinn that because Great Britain ha
9 already passed a law as stringent al
effective as that of the United States, 81
is therefore justified in declining any pr
n posal to 60 on amending it. The two &C
rs are, however, very much alike. The Bri
shlaw omits the sections which were orr
70 inally enacted by the United States
le 1917, as a temporary law, on the complai
of the Portuguese Minister, and were ma
\, permanent in 1878" Mr.. Adams add
g " It is in these very sections that our e
ID p~erience has shown us to reside the bt
ID preventative force in the whole law"
they had been in the British law he thin
= that much of what complaint is ma
ot could not have happened, and he does L
think his Government can be blamed
- wishing to see the reciprocal legislation
he this respect more complete.
ly Mr.. Adams letter concludes as follow
But if the example thus set by h
US Majesty government should come to
ID generally adopted, and the principles
I'M neutrality upon which it rests be reco
ID. nized as a part of the code of information
mt law, then it is not difficult to foresee t
probable consequence. A new era in t
ID. relations of ~neutrals to belligerents on t
mt high seas will open. Neutral ports
that event will before long become t
ne true centres from which the most effecti
o. and dangerous enterprises against t
Nv commerce of belligerents may be &C
trived, fitted out and executed. The
le- isting restrictions upon the exploits
daring adventures will rapidly becOl
on obsolete, and no new ones will be adopts
TO Ships, men and money will always be
hand for the service of any Power SUI
GENTLY strong to hold forth a PROBABLE
mt of repayment in any form, or adr
1t enough to secure a share of the popul
to sympathy in its Undertakings. N
Sh Floridas, Alabamas and Shenandoahs "
appear on every sea. If such be the
BE cognized law, IWiU not undertake to G6fl
n that the country l0hich / hare the honor
tn represent could not IN the end be as able
ty accommodate itself to the neto circHmstan'
he as Great Britain.
e Understanding her Majestys Cover
gn ment to decline the propOsal of arbitratiC
er which 1 had the honor, under instruction
'e- to present, in any form, for reasons assig
ed by your lordship, l nevertheless
he happy to be informed that cher Majest
n Government are ready to consent to
appointment of a commission, to viii
at shall be referred all claims arising duri
Id the late civil war, which the two pow,
u shall agree to refer to the COMMISSIONS
have taken measures to make know
at the earliest moment, this proposal toI
a Government, and shall ask permission
I'LL await the return Of instructions before
~, ing a reply.
er Disclaiming all authority to express
1o.oa o1v oDipiOu on tho mart of 7