The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1866-01-01
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

The PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
[From the London Times, Dec 1911
The passage in President Johnscn's |
Message which especially concerns this |
country ought, we think, to be accept
ed in a friendly spirit. He could not do |
less than review the history of the Ala |
bama claims and in reviewing them he |
could hardly say less, at least to an
American Congress, than he has said.
There are, however, some things which |
the President did not say, and which |
are, nevertheless very material. No one |
can deny, for instance, that "the accord |
ance of belligerent rights to the insurgents |
was unprecedented Lord Russell ad- |
mitted as much in his correspondence
with Mr.. Adams /; but the question is |
| whether the civil war was not unprece- |
dented too; whether the United States |
did not assert belligerent rights with
out consulting precedents, by declaring |
| blockade and whether neutral State |
could do otherwise than follow their ex-
ample. Further, it is perfectly true, as
matter of fact, that England furnished
more efficient aid to the COnfederates
than any other Power. 1t could not be
I otherwise, considering that England. of
America, and possesses the largest pri-
'vate docks in the world; but 1t is equally
| true that, being also the best market for
| arms and ammunition, she contributed
more than any other nation to the sup
preston of the rebellion. Again, it is
/ an undoubted fact that cruisers built,
though not equipped, in 0unqborts "drove
American commerce from the seas and
transferred it, to neutral bottoms nor
can we be surprised tint some confusion
should have existed, in the minds of the
merchants who suffered thereby, be-
tween this consequence and the
motives Of our government. 1t
should have been remembered, how
ever, even by those who were
least disposed to rely on goodsfaith that
owners were opposed to those of every
, other class in the community. Liver
pool does not dictate our national policy,
to the exclusion q Manchester<and the
, great manufacturing districts, which
, lost far more by the continuance of the
war than was ever gained by our mer-
!. camille marine. We ought not, there
: fore, to be suspected of favoring the
] creation of Confederate navy on self
0 | ish grounds, and the failure of our gov
' eminent t. prevent evasiOns of our law
, in one or twosoases ought not to be re-,
: corded without some recognition OF it's
4 successful Intervention on other occA.
t Nv, , ~, ~ ,srot -
m' the nnnsass,ya 1 cossesrn.|s 90
re- aIIoo" v ,ybiah tha law nff;c. nf To-
= Gro,u,, sSute,ad ,,non the Nm. n !.
7 ,ist,.ant oct and Inc em6Arro laid unon
!. .ms isyn ,ron.claa rams was certnif,iy mi,
V arbitrary exercise or executive author
Il i.y. These considerations should not
+ ~ -sqrgotten seyelsil America nssd the
q Rod of un.sa iYirulfv shonId be
e meas H.. IS. ,sses fnHiefed on
It American uAae, but By the ds Is OF
I .eafra,ity.
= Tire President has canaills W re-
ciated the reasons upor " bhh aEe'9 We
4 have declined MI eward's proposa.Of
r arbitration Our liability Of poa-iiabiIi-
< t. fae ths fiAvages Of the Alabama AND
q har sonsofls turns out no disputed facts
or points oihonor, such as may .propsf-
: ly be referred to third party, but "on
2 questions Of public law" The position,
1t however, taken by Lord Russell ON be-
Q half of England is not quite accurately
y stated by Mr.. Johnson. We are not
l. hitherto crested his ustificatiOn on the
If ground that the principal law ola ma
e ton and the domestic interpretation
1t thereof are measures that ia conclus We
l. measuresy of its duty asa nedtral.p No
~ one conVersant with international law
le and practice would venture, we. should
y, thinks to advance so unq0ssified pro
+ position; nor does our case at aii depend
h upon it. To put an extreme pposi-
t. ton, it would be simply absuis CON
tend that neutral might lake active
l. part in warfare without foreltsng neu-
A. trail rights, because no municipal statute
D prohibtts It. Nor eoinfns bearer TO pro-
IS liabilities, wonld any one for moment
argue that decision 9f ~ own law
d courts, however pergefse e3Hld sheltei
Ie , neutrai against the Just demands Of an
n Injured beiligerent Z What has really
d bee asserteiy1sf Cur part is that, 80 long
q ~ weAhaye yioial no,obligation, any
y loss - the United States, is
81 isN against Us, dotn'nEn sine injurid
es 9s4E ldent Johnson and Mr.. Seward will
"A hMaiy demnf to tAis proposition
aud, II tbel do not, itus Tor them tt
d show w Obligations we have.violated
be unless t-be a general obiigation, un
ls know 10 Jurists, to insure foreign bel
IN bgerents against any damage by the
ut acts OF British subjects. The utmost
I'd that can pc SAID IL that neutral IL
ld bound to have n Foreign enlistment