The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1865-01-21
A 0aestIOn for the Past bat not for
the Future.

the Future,
The Richmond Dispatch, Of June
18th, says
It will be recollected that we pub
lished last Summer some portions Of
correspondence Of Mr. z. A. Pollard,
with the British Minister, relative to
the capture of the British blockade
runner Greyhound, the grounds of pro
test being that the vessel was taken
outside of the jurisdiction asserted by
the United States, and had not been
chased from the blockade lines, but
was waylaid on the ocean highway by
the Yankee cruiser We learn from
Mr.. Pollard since his return to Rich
nond that his correspondence on
this subject with Lord Lyons was only
partially published, that he was com
PEELED TO make a temporary abandon
ment Of the case after he was thrown
into prison, and could stir it or no
other contested matter on his parole;
and that he proposes very soon TO pros
ecute the matter by q correspondence
with the Home Government OF En-
gland, as he has had encouragement
from the highest sources Of legal opln-
ION in the North to do so, and has been
advised, even by British officials, that
the question was a new one to their
Government, and could not be avoided
by it if there was q firm resolution to
press it on their attention
The unpublished letter of Lord LIZ,
ons, to which Mr.. Pollard refers, ap
pears 10 the Examiner He merely
tells Mr.. P. that he has carefully read
his comments, and assures him that he
will see that all British subjects shall
have every facility extended them to
try the validity of their claims in a
prize court This is a damper on
Pollard, for he well. knows that
that was given by the Ameri
can Government; and that the as
sumption of Lord Lyons is only a
polite way Of saying that the British
government would take no action, but
would abide the decision Of the Amer
lean prize courts. But this,does not sat
isfy Pollard. as the Examiner an
nounced be win try his luck with the
Home government direct Of the
probable, or possible results, the Elk
aminer says
1t is TO be hoped, indeed, that dis
tinct determination in this matter viii
be obtained from the British Ministry,
as 1t really involved practically the
most important question Of the block
ade; for the Yankee practice Of taking
prizes has been not so much to chase
vessels from blockade lines as TO inter
cept them on the high seas by cruisers
The Yankee blockade IS really, to a
great extent, System Of rowing com
missions, and most of their captures on
the high seas have been acts Of piracy
There has been a convenient silence
about the abuse of the blockade, and
it would be interesting to know what
grounds the British Government could
find to excuse such Outrages as
that of the Greyhound, oppressed to the
necessity OF distinct and authoritative
on the subject.
We have no doubt that if the ques-
ton can be brought TO practical issue,
many captures heretofore made by the
Yankees will be found to be subjects
of idemnity, and, what is more, very
important guide obtained by which the
blockade may be run hereafter with
some certainty as to consequences other
than what Yankee caprice and inso-
lence may decide.
This was written before the fall OF
Fort Fisher, noao, the guns of the bate
ries commanding the Cape Fear river,
will supercede all rowing commits
sions;" and Mr.. POLAND may spare him
self a great deal of literary labor