Vicksburg weekly herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1868-1883, 1869-12-11

BILE shape. The other measures set
down for legislation are the bills
for taking the census, the Paraguay
an controversy, revenue, and recon-
struction in the cases of Virginia,
Mississippi aud Texas for readmis-
sion. AS usual. the army is likely
TO get another blow from the mill
iary failures who have managed to
get into Congress, and have proved
as much of an embarrassment to
Congress as they were to the army.
-----~a~-----------.
THE NEUTRALITY LAWS SAID
50 RECOGNAZE 6 THE CCBANS.
Ono G. p. Lowery, Esq, OF
York State, flies into print, most
recklcssly, in the declaration that
the neutrality laws protect the Gu
bans. This Mr.. Lowery, If we un-
derstand Alright, is a Northern man,
writing for Northern approval, and
what is more, We think he is in
tensely Radical. Upon the Cuban
question he observes that the neu-
trality act Of 1918, which alone is
now in force, was intended by
Congress to guarantee to revOlu-
tionary colonies or peoples the
same neutrality on the part of the
United States as we observe to-
ward belligerent princes, pOten-
tates, or States that are recognized
automatically by our Government.
It seems not only that was this the
plain intention of Congress- at the
time, but that the courts have re.
peatedly so decided. For instance,
the right of the people of VeneEue-
IL 10 commission vessels Of war,
and to capture the vessels Of Spain,
was maintained under the law OF
1878 by the Supreme Court Of the
United States in several cases,
while Venezuela was only revolt
ed colony, not yet recognized by
our executive authorities.
II has no doubt been the opinion
of many lawyers aud publicists,
that there must be q proclamation
by the President declaring the bel
ligerent rights Of revolted colony
before the courts can take cogni-
zance OF those rights; but Mr.. Low
ry demonstrates that this opinion Is
founded OH error. He demon
strates also that the law as it stands
is only In accord with reason and
right; since if it be otherwise,
while Cuba may be forbidden to
violate our neutrality, as in the case
of the alleged fitting out of the Hor-
net, she would not be entitled to
any corresponding benefit or pro-
lection; or, as Mr. Lowry express
es it, the law would thus become
in the case OF civil war both n
sword and shield in the hands OF one
helligerent alone"
This being so, It follows that our
relations to the two parties in the
pending struggle in Cuba are al
ready determined by law, and that
no recognition by President Grant
is necessary to secure 10 the Cubans
their rights as belligerents. Spain
can as little be allowed 10 violate
the neutrality act as can the Gu
bans and the officers Of the law are
| just as much bound to enforce the
statute against the one party as
against the other. This statute, il
should be understood, prohibits the
building and fitting out of ships and
the enlistment of soldiers and sail
ors in our country for the service
of either bellgerent, but does not
prohibit the sale to them Of arms or
warlike material.
Now, these views Of Mr.. Lowry
are very beautiful and pleasantly
presented. Bot suppose that, in
stead of coveted Cuba and imbecile
Spain being the parties used in il
lustratiou, the late bravely contend
ing Cofederate states and the
United States should be the
parties interested, how would
Alr. Lowry and his Radical
friends relish such reasoning,
or rather how was it liked as prac-
ticed in Great Britain? 1t is sim
gular that the Radical mind is inca
pable of applying the same princi'
pie to the same subject wherever
found. British recognition Of bel
ligerent rights, as pracliCed in tho
late war, was contrary to the neu-
trality and TO all international law
yet when the great and fearless Uni
ted States proposes to apply this
law to puerilc Spain in her conflict
with one OF her rchelling colonies
new Interpretation ia put upon
the same law which is sought to bC
SO vigorously applied in an entire
different form IN a treaty Will
another power. This law and logic
is simply Radical, nothing more
aud, as a consequence, is perverted
THE latest "lOil" wrinkle is &c