The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1866-03-31
Registry of Vessels.

Inc law requiring AiuSIiCSau oWhCiS
who elected to sail under British colors during
the rebellion, to abide by their choice now
that the rebellion is ever, is of course objec-
tionable In the view of owners whose inter
est is Immediately affected and Of politicians
who during the war and since have consistent
ly defended deserters and skulkers and open
rebels. The Advertiser, which is nothing If
not positive, fairly howls with anguish, because
the other day we mentioned a "rumor," that
one of these owners is obliged to leave us and
become a British subject in order to claim his
property under the British flag. The ADDER
tiser takes us to task because we did not pub
lish all. the particulars as facts, saying in one
breath, that the article would have been "no
more pointed" had the, name been drought
out in bold capitals" and the in next complain
ing that ''rumor would damn every man in
the community" 4+. -....i...--. .r......rI
How anything so vague as nameless "rI-
NOR can nevertheless be so pointed as the
Advertiser alleges, we leave for the Adcertis-
er to explain, merely calling attention to this
characteristic confusion of thought. The sto-
Nv C1IlC W III stS a luulOl, Ahu VIC puDlioACa ~
without note, name, or comment. We pub
hshed it as an item Of news, and called it ru-
NOR because it was rumor. The Advertiser
publishes its rumors as facts, but we are not
ready to adopt that practice, IN, ~,
AS the Advertiser challenges discussion, we
are compelled to comment upon this desertion
of the country's flag in time OF war. The pro-
lection of their precious persons and proper
ty seems to have been the sole thought of a
small class of American citizens during the
war. Some of these people ran away to Can
ada to escape CONSUMPTION. Some of them
transferred their vessels to foreign agents, to
lessen their insurance rates. 1t was a coward
lybusiness and ifthey suffer for it now they will
get little sympathy. This government belongs
to the people; it is their duty to defend the
government which they themselves have
made. An American ship, we are told, lay in
port at Rio de Janeiro when the war broke
out. When the captain, who was also owner
in part, got news of the war, he did not put
board couple of guns, drilled his crew in the
use of them sailed for New York, and on
landing came straight home to Augusta,
where he sought and obtained commission
as captain of flying battery. That man had
been Democrat; he was not aCopperhead,
His thought was not, What advantage can l
obtain by carrying the flag? but how shall l
defend. the flag? aaie.ris.fi t sara s.s.
That the government may properly discrim-
mate in favor OF such men as this, is so plain
as to render argument almost superfuous.-
Nothing however can be better than the state
ment of Mr.. Lynch, the author Of the meas
ure to which the Advertiser objects. When
the bill came up in the House of Representa-
tives, Mr.. Lynch in closing his remarks on the
subject used the following words: ID ~
The question arises, whet her it is right to
allow vessels to come back in this way by an
p evasion of the spirit of the laws; whether it
is just to those owners of vessels who have re-
fused to desert the flag of their country in her
hour Of peril? 1t is cowardly argument to
offer In behalf of these ship owners, to say the
country could not protect them. On the
same principle the whole population might
leave with their property and place them
selves under foreign protection. 10 Is for the
p6Opte 10 pTOt6Ct GVt COuHUy M CSWto W tOuT,
they are part of the''coantry, and ought not to
desert her wAen Ia danger 1t would certain
ly be dangerous policy for nation to offer in
ducements for its citizens to desert with their
property and identify their interests with its
enemies in time of war. $50 RI .z7t5
Let me for a moment call the attention of
members OF this House to the position Of
these American ship-owners while their YES
sells enjoyed the protection of a foreign ma
ton during the rebellion. Their interests
were not only alienated from their own corln-
try, but were benefited with foreign ship
owners, whose interests were promoted by
destruction of American commerce. EreYy
american ship-owner whose ressel sailed un-
der the flag Of England during the rebellion
had precisely the same pecuniary interest In
the destruction of american comm rec as had
the English ship oscner. vIi-
Now, is it policy for the Government to al
low, to encourage her citizens to desert her
during war, and then to return with the re-
turn of peace and have the same advantages
as those who have suffered by standing by
her. SOD a. e-oHi tJh ''-ii t % ~
The House passed the bill by vote OF 80
yeas to 50 nays, the whole Maine delegation
voting with the majority. =.