Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1866-10-09
ENaLAND's IDEAS OF NEUTRAL

NlSlOn VI Az
call for "serious consideration on the part
of the English Government" That is to
saw, while the English law on the subject
and our own are almost identical (their
Foreign Enlistment Act having been al
most copied from ours), the English deci-
sions on that law have completely rem
dered the spiri, of it void. Our applica-
tons for redress, or a change Of their laws,
or for arbitration, were all rejected. be-
cause they declared their laws to be equi-
table and sufficient. One. House Of
Congress therefore proposed to make our
laws conform to the English decisions
that is, not to pretend to restrain our peo-
pie from fitting up ships Of war for sale to
belligerents. but allowing the other bel
~ligerent to capture them il she an. For
the last FIVE years the English Government
have been acting on this principle. But
she sees the danger Of its being turned
against herself and in favor Of any nation
with which she may chance to get engaged
in a war. aud so the Time, TO- turna
round and proposes to adopt our con-
struction for the future, and make neutral
Governments answeraole ~pecuniarily for
the damage done by any Of their subjects
in fitting out ships, etc.
Now that we propose to relieve our
selves Of the duties imposed on neutrals,
so as to bring them to the English code
Of morals. the Tines says: Heavy as are
duties imposed on neutrals in time OF
war, they do not satisfy the demands Of
the state Of civilization AT which we have
now arrived" All Great Britain allowed
during the war was, that "neutrals should
be restricted from anything which may
give a preference or advantage to either
belligerent. Blu, it is now required that
we should go further than this, but alb
stain from aid which. though equally &C.
cessible to either party, tends to keep
alive, prosrsct and embitter the war;"
and, further, that the Government SHOULD
exercise ,ta power over its own subjects,
to prevent them in their private capacity,
and in the prosecution Of their lawful
gain, from assisting either b~elligerent with
the means Of was:ng war"
Now, all tina. is here put forth as a new
demand from the high civilization OF the
nineteenth century wss more than q half
century ago incorporated in our acts Of
Congress, and the President was "author-
lied to enforce" the duties Of this sort Of
neutrality. And 10 SO, George III. Oh. 50,
the English Foreign Enlistment act, copied
from ours, provides "for preventing and
Furnishing the offense Of fitting out armed
vessels" 1t prohibits "the equipping,
furnishing. fitting out and arming Of ships
or vessels for the service of foreign belig-
erens powers, and also the supply Of guns
or equipments Of war, so as to increase
the warlike force Of vessels Of war"
But the Times says " we have never yet
admitted that we are liable to foreign
Governments for acts Of individuals" (vio-
latiug these admitted principles Of neutral
ity), land we have on our side tie law Of
nations as at present understood. The
anciea, Greeks and Romans knew Of no
such thing as neutrality. They had no
word for it," at always used to be
assumed that we could not possibly remain
neutral in any wal that might be waged,
and so the decisions Of our Courts were
agains. neutrals and in favor Of belliger-
ents; we could not do better than
take our stand on a state Of things
favorable TO US, even il not absolutely
just" But now the English have found
out that they can do better; that
the interests Of England and those Of
America, as commercial nations, are in fa-
vor of peace, not wal /; and therefore that
" the right course for both countries, in
the even, of any future war by sea, is to
extend the liability Of neutrals much fur
Their than at present. The principle Of re-
curing pecuniary satisfaction adequate to
the injury sustained is free from objec-
ton" But, in the mainline, they say,
"Congres, proposes to repeal many Of the
existing provisions Of the American law,
avowedly for the purpose Of assimilating
the law OF America to the law Of Eng
land, but really with the view Of multi
plying causes Of ofense and trouble in fu-
ture years"
It is hard to resist q feeling Of indigna-
ton at the cool way in which the Tina,
talks Of all these things, not as matters Of
right and justice, but Of interest. to per-
suade its readers into more ready acquies-
cence. They declined arbitration about
the Alabama affair, because 1--WE have
never admitted that we can be legitimate
ly held liable to foreign governments for
the degree of skill and energy with which
our municipal law is put into execution"
say they are responsible for just that
very thing. +, as most expected in Eng
land, u government had oeen destroyed
bv the neglect or connivance Of the Eng
lish officials, what p~ecuniary compsusa-
ton could Great Britain have given to the
world for such psrfdy or non-observancs
Of her duties.
In less than one month from to-day the
election takes place. Now, re-
member two things: Registration for voters
closes on the 10th, and the next Legisla-
ture should ratify the Constitutional
Amendment. Every person entitled to
vote, on registration, should be registered,
and such a Legislature as will adopt the
Amendment should be elected. Duties
are plain to be seen, and Union men should
be diligent under mindfulness Of the above.
-~--
THERE is room enough and ground enough
for a positive and aggressive Union party In
every State OF the South. There are men
enough to lead it, and there will be voters