The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1869-06-02

her voyage, so that afterward she was blame
less. The Alabama never concluded her
VOYAGE until she sunk under the guns Of the
Ksarsaqe, because she never had port OF her
own. She was no better than the ffytng
Dnchnd5l, and as long as she sailed was la
Bile for that origional sin which had impreg-
mated every plank with an indelible dye. NO
British cruiser could allow her to proceed,
no British port could give her shelter with
out renewing the completely OF England
The Alabama case begins with the fatal con-
eession by which the rebels were enabled to
build ships in England, and then to sail them
without being liable as pirates; It next
shows itself In the building Of the ship, In
the armament and in the escape, with so
much negligence on the part Of the British
Government as to constitute suffrance, II
not connivance; and then again the case
reappears in the welcome and hospitality ac-
corded by British cruisers and by the Mag
istrates Of British ports to the pirate ship,
when her evasion from British jurisdiction
was well known. Thus at three different
stages the British Government 10 comprom-
ised; first in the concession Of ocean bellig-
erency on which all depended secondly, In
the negligence which allowed the evasion OF
the ship in order to enter upon the hostile
expedition for which she was built, manned,
armed, and equipped; aud thirdly, In the
open completely which, after this evasion
gave her welcome hospitality and supplies in
British ports Thus her depredations and
burnings, making the ocean blaze, all proceed
ing from England, which by three distinct
acts, Lighted the torch. To England must
be traced, also, all the wide spread conse-
quences which ensued. take the case Of
the Alabama because 1t is the best known,
and because the building, equipment and
escape of this ship, were under circumstances
most obnoxious to judgment; but 1t will not
be forgotten that there were consort ships,
built under the shelter of that fatal procla-
nation, issued in such an eclipse Of just
principles, and, like the ships 1t unloosed,
"rigged with curses dark" One after the
other, ships were built; one after another
they escaped on their errand, and one after
the other they enjoyed the immunities of the
British ports.
Audacity reached its hight when iron-clad
rams were built, and the perversity Of the
British Government became still more con-
spicuous by its long refusal to arrest these
destructive engines of war, destined to be
employed against the United States. This
protected hesitation, where the consequences
were so menacing, is o part of the case. It
is plain that the ships which were built un-
der the safeguard of this ill-omened proclaim
ton, which stole forth from British shore and
afterward enjoyed the immunities of British
ports, were not only British in origin, but
British in equipment, British in armament,
and British In crews. They were British In
every respect, except In their commanders,
who were rebel, and one of these, as his
ship was sinking, owed his safety TO British
yacht, symbolizing the omnipresent sup
port Of England. British sympathies were
active in their behalf The cheers of a British
passenger ship crossing the path of the
Alabama encouraged the work Of piracy, and
the cheers of the House of Commons en-
couraged the builder of the Alabama, while
he defended what he done, and exclaimed,
In taunt to him, who is now an ilustrious
member Of the British Cabinet, John Bright,
that he "would rather be hahded down to
posterity as the builder Of dozen Aldbdmds'
than be the author OF the speeches Of that
gentleman "crying up" the institutions Of
the United States, which the builder of the
Alabama rising with his theme, denouced
" as of no value whatever, and as reducing
the very name of liberty to an utter absur-
dity," while the cheers of the House of
Commons echoed back his words Thus
from beginning to end, from the fatal pro-
clamation TO the rejoicing of the accidental
ship and the rejoicing of the Honse Of Com
mons, was this hostile expedition protected
and encouraged by England. The same spirit
which dictated the swift concession of belli-
gerency with all its deadly incidents, ruled
the hour, entering into and passing every
pirate ship.
There are two circumstances by which the
whole case is aggravated. One Is found in
the date of the proclamation which lifted
the rebels to an equality with the National
Government, opening TO them everything
that was open to us, whether shipyards,
foundries or manufactures; and giving
them flag on the ocean cocqual with the
dag of the Union. This extraordinary mani
festo was issued on the day befor the arrival
Of our Minister in England, so that when, after
IN ocean voyage, he reached the British Gov
to which he was accredited, he found
his great and terrible indignity to his conn
.ry alreaty prepetrated, and the foodgates
opened to infinite woes. The Minister had
been announced; he was daily expected. The
British Government knew of his coming.
But in hottest haste they did this thing The
,ther aggravation is found in its fragrant,
departure from that anti-slavery
-ule which, by manifold declaration, legis-
ative, political and diplomatic, was the avow-
proclaimed, but, If we except the great Act
If Emancipation, never more pointedly than
n the famous circular Of Lord Palmerston,
While Minister of Foreign Affairs, announc-
ng to all nations that England was pledged
o the universal abolition of slavery And
low, when the Shareholders, in the madness
If barbarism, broke away from the National
government and attempted to found a new
mpire with slavery as its declared corner
tone, anti-slavery England, without days
lelay, without even waiting the arrival Of
,ur Minister, who was known to be on his
gay made haste to decree that this shame
ul and impossible pretension should enjoy
Qual rights with the National Government
n her shipyards, foundries and manufacto-
les, and equal rights on the ocean. Such
vas the decree. Rebel shareholders, occu-
=. y l. a.N. - Al
and, and thus with the official protection
nd Good-speed OF anti-slavery England
commenced their accursed work. / close
his part of the argument by the testi-
nony of Bright, who, In speech at Roch-
ale, among his neighbors, February 3, 1858,
hus exhibits the criminal completely OF
,Dgland:
II regret, more than / have words to ex.
ress, this painful fact, that of all the eoun-
ries in Europe, this country is the only one
Ehich has men in 1t who are willing TO take
teps in favor of this intended slave govern
nent We supply the ships; we supply the
rms the munitions Of wer; we give aid and
omfort to the foulest Of crimes. English
1en only do it."-[Bhght's Speeches. vol
239
The FINS OF FIsHEs.-ln a paper addressed
0 the French Academy Of Sciences. NJ.
iourlet treats of the fms Of fishes, and en-
eavours to determine their swimming quail
lies. Thus, he states that sharply pointed
n aids the fish to swim rapiply, especially
I il be bent In scythc-like shape II the
q be deeply sealloped, the result il the
lme; and, conversely, fms that are rounded
fl generally denote slow swimmers. Again,
apidity is determined by the comparatively
lrge size and number of these appendages;
nd In the case Of fish, the centre Of gravity OF
'hich lies nearer the head than the tail, the
rs are inserted nearest this spot In order
be better to support II.
HYPooRIsY.-Thwsatt, the little Senator