The New York herald., 1869-04-15


Liverpool. These thirty-six hours were allowed 10
e,apse without any attempt 10 stop her Here was
another stage OF crsss neg!igence." Thus was there
negligence allowing the building 10 proceed,
negligence IN allowing tie escape from Liverpool,
Rps,s ssa nr usle s,e h,i, ryn 20 yindeate
his government and repeiling the complains oi the
United states, more than once admitted tni. Tue
escape OF the Alabama was a scandal aud re-
proaeh,r which to my mind is very like confession.
Language could not be stronger. Surely such an act
cannot be hlameess. II damages are ever awarded
to friendly lUwer injuries received it is difficult
to where they could lie more strenuously claimed
taau m case which tie First Munster of the odend-
ing Power did not hesitate TO characterize so
strongly. The enlistment Of the crew was not less
obnoxious 10 censure than the building OF the
transaction. The evidence Is explicit. Not To occupy
too much time, refer only TO the AFFIDAVIT o William
PassiB0re, who swearS tnat he was engaged win the
express understanding that the ship was Ito night
for the government Of the Confederate States Of
Ameriea;' that he Jo.ned ner at Laird's yard % ai
days. that he found about thirty Old MANOR
wars-men on board. among whom 1t was wel
known that she was gong out as Q pr1vateer
for the Confederate government, 10 fight under
q commission ron Mr.. Jefferson Davis" Ina hst
OF the crew now before me there is large
number said to be lrom the '.rOyal naval reserve"
might add to this testimony The m ore the case is
examined tie more clearly 90 we discern tne char,
acter Of Tie transaction. The dedication OF the snip
to the rebe service from the very laying OF the keel
and the organization OF her voyage with England
as her naval base, from which she drew munitions
OF war and men, maize her departure as much u
hostile expedition II she had sailed forth from her
SSss unsd sse and ID
there was hostile expedition against the United
states. 1t WAS In no Just sense commercial tran
The case is nos yet complete. The Alabama, whose
building was III defiance Of law, international and
proach," ana whose enlistment Of her crew was q
ft sequel to the rest alter being supplied with an
armament and with q rebel COMMANDER, entered
upon her career Of piracy Mark now new stage
OF completely. Constantly the pirate ship was
within reach OF British cruisers and from time to
fllnQ vvtt Of v
days unn0lested she enjoyed the pleasant hos
palIty Of Kingston, In Jamaica, obtaining freely
vocation. But no BRUSH cruiser, no British
magistrate ever arrested the offending ship, whose
to the British sovsrnmsnt Tns excuse @ for this
strange license Is o curious technica ity, as II
tecnncality could avail in this case at any stage.
Borrowing phrase from Lhnt master OF Admiralty
jurisprudence, Sir william Scott IL ts said that the
ship deposited" her original SIN at the conclusion
less. But the Alabama never concluded her v0y-
age until sne sank under The guns Of the
own. She Was no better than the F y ing putcn
man, and so long as she sailed was liable for
that original sin which had mpregnaied every plank
with an indelibe dye. No British cruiser could al
low her to proceed, British port could give her
shelter without renewing the completely Of England
The Alabama case begins with fatal concession by
which the rebels were enabled to build ships In Eng
land and then to sail them without being liable as
pirates; 1t next shows itself In the building OF the
ship IN tine armament and in the escape with so
much OF negligence the part Of the British govern
ment as to constitute suieranoe II not conniyance;
and then again the case reappears In the welcome
and hospitality accorded by British cruisers
and by the magistrates Of British ports to
the pirate ship, when her evasion from British urls
dctlon was well known. Thus, at three different
stages the British government Is compromised
In the concession Of ocean belligerency, which al
depended; secondly, In the negligence which allowed
the evasion of the ships i'll order to enter upon the
hostile expidition TOR which she was built, manned,
armed and equipped; and, thirdly, IN the open COM
plicitv which, alter this evasion gave her welcome
and supplies in British ports. fhus her
laftn Th.s
all proceeded from England which Dy three different
acts lighted the torch TO England must be traced
also al! the Widespread consequences which ensucd.
take the OF the Alabama, because 1t is the
best known, and because the building, equipment
most obnoxious 10 judgments; but 1t viii not oe for
gotten thar there were conSort ships, built under
the shelter OF tnat fatal proclamation issued IN such
eclipse OF just principles, and, like the ships 1t
unloosed s.rgged with curses dark.n One after the
other, ships were built; one alter the other, they
escaped on their errand; and, one alter the other
they enjoyed the imnunfies Of British ports
Audacity reached Its height when tron-clad rams
were built and the peryersty OF the British govern
fusal TO arrest these destructive engines OF war,
destined TO be employed against the United States
THIS pr0tracted hesitation, where the consequences
were so menacng, IL part OF the case.
II is plain that the ships which were built under
which stole forth from the British shores and after
ward cuioyed the tmmunties OF British ports-were
not only British origin, but British III equioment
British in armament and British in crews. They
were British In every respect except IN their coIn-
ship was sinking owed his safely to BRUSH yacni
symbolic ing the omnlpresent support Of England.
The cheers OF Brush passenger slllr crossing the
path OF the Alabama encouraged the work of piracy
and the cheers VI the House Of Commons encouraged
the builder OF the Alabama, while he defended what ne
had done and exclaimed, In aunt to him who Is now
an illustrious member of the British Cabinet Jonu
BIignt, that he 'wOuld rather he handed down to
posterity as the builder er dozen Alabamas" Than
DC the author Of the speeches OF thas gentleman
"crying up" the Institutions Of the United States,
which the builder OF the Alabama, rising with his
reducing tie very name OF liberty TO an utter aDsur-
,,.ss;" while the cheers OF the House o. Commons
ecioe,. back his words. Thus from beginning 10 end,
from the issal proclamation to the rejoicing Of the
accidental ship aud the rejoicing OF the House OF
Commons was this hostile expedition protected ana
encouraged by England the same spirit which die
tated the swift concession OF he gercncy with all It's
deadly incidents ruled the hour, entering into and
possessing every pirate ship.
There are two circumstances by which the whole
case IL aggravated. one Il found In the date OF the
prociamation which lifted the rebels To an equality
with the national government, opening ~ them
everything thai was open To us, whether shipyard,
foundries or manu- actories, aud giving to them
nag on .ne ocean coelua WIN .e @ " @ ue @ wn,on s
before the arrival Of Min ster In England SO that
when. after an ocean voyage, he reached tho
British government TO which he was ac-
credited, he found this great aud terrible indig
nty TO his country already perPetrated aud tue
hal A!sssi5l i.s,.oduced he Was daily expected. The
British government knew OF his coming. But In
hottest haste they did ti5 thing. Tue other aagra-
vatlOn IS lOuhu III lss IdyTalti uuuttuiu ucpurtulc
from that anti. slavery rule which, by. manifold
declarations, legislative political and diplomatic,
was the avowed creed OF England. often was this
rule proclaimed but II We accept the great act OF
emancipation, never more pontedly titan In the
famous circular OF Lord pamerston, white Minister
OF Foreign Affairs. announcing 10 all nations that
England was pledged TO tae universal abolition OF
slavery. And now, when Shareholders. IN the very
madness OF parbarlsm, broke away from
the national government and attempted
20 found new empire with slavery
a. lis declared corner stone, anii-savery England
without a days delay, without even waiting the
ARRIVAL Of our Minister who was known 70 be on
his way. made haste 10 decree that this shameful
ani Impossible pretension should enjoy equal rights
with the national government IN her sniryards.
fOundries aud manufactures and equal rights on
the ocafn such was the decree. Rebel savehold-
err. occupied Ia hidcors attempt, were taken Wy
the hand, aud thus. With the Official protection and
the Godspee1 of antislavery England, commenced