The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1869-05-20

, on the use of the word BLOCKADE" by
President Lincoln. Had he used any 9TH
: er word, the concession of belligerency
, would have been without Justification,
, even such as is now imagined. 1t was
J this word which, with magical might,
opened the gates to all those bountift1l
supplies by which the hostile expeditions
/ were equipped against the United States
; It opened the gates of war. Most appal-
ling is it to think that one little word un-
: concjously used by trusting President,
llcould be caught up by a friendly power
land madeto play such part.
: / may add that there is one other word
) often invoked for apology. 1t is "neu
3 ltrality," which, til said, was proclaimed
sibetween two dbelligerents. Nothing could
be fairer. always provided that the "neu-
J, trality" proclaimed did not begin with o
7 concession to one party, without which
this party would be powerless. Between
: two established nations, both independ-
! ent. as between Russia and France, there
NAV be neutrality for the twoare already
4 euual in rights, and the proclamation
i would be precisely equal in its operation.
But where one party is an established ma
combination of rebels, the proclamation
is most unequal in operations; for it begins
by solemn inv esture of rebels with all
the rights of war, saying to them, as was
once said to the youthful knight, "Rise !;
here is sword use it. To call such an
investure a proclamation OF neutrality IS a
lnisnomer. 1t was proclamation OF equal
Iity between the National Government OH
the one side and rebels on the other, and
no plausible word dan obscure this distinc-
tive character Then came the bnildingl
of the private ships, one after another.
i While the Alabama was still in the ship
! yard 1t was apparent that she was intend
ed for the rebels. Our Minister at London
and our Consul atLiverpool exerted them
Lselves for her arrest and detention. They
were put off from day to-day. " On the
gath of July, 1862, Mr,Adams completed
! his evidence" accompanied by an opinion
from the eminent barrister, Mr.. Collier,
afterwards Slicitor. General, declaring the
plain duty of the British Government to
stop her. Instead of acting promptly by
the telegraph, five days were allowed to
run out, when at last, too tardily, the me-
cessary order was dispatched. Mean
while the pirate ship escaped from the
port of Liverpool by strategem, and her
voyage began with music and frolic.
Here, beyond oil question, was negligence
or according to the language Of Lord
; Brougham on another occasion, 7"crass4
negligence" making England Justly re-
sponsible for all that ensued a'&s2
II The pivate ship found refuge in an
: lobscure harbor of Wales, known as Noel
fra Bay, where she lay in British waters
from half past seven o'clock P. M. July,
j goth, to three o'clock A. M. July 31st
} being upward of thirty-six hours, and
during this time she was supplied with
men from the British steam tug Hercules,
, which followed her from liverpool. These
thirty-six hours were allowed to elapse
without any attempt to stop her. Here
J was another case Of "crass negligence"
Thus was there negligence in allowing
: the escape from Liverpool, and negli-
} gence in allowing the final escape from
the British coast Lord Russell while
/ trying to vindlcate his Government and
, repelling the complaints of the United
/ States, more than once admitted that the
, escape of the Alabama was scandal and
reproach,P p which, to my mind, is very
like a confession. Language could not
be stronger. Surely such an act cannot
, be ablameless. If damages are ever awarded
} to a friendly Power for injuries received,
it is difficult to see where they could be
more strentiously claimed than in a case
Il which the First Minister of the offending
Power did not hesitate to chara cterize SO
I strongly. The enlistment OF, the crew
4 was not less obnoxious to censure than
the building Of the ship and her escape
1t was part OF the TRANSACTION. 7 The
1evidence is explicit Not to occupy too
much time, refer only to the affidavit of
i William PassmOre, who sweafs that he
. was engaged with the express tind erstand
4 ing that the ship'was ito fight for the
i Government Of the Confederate States
tofAmerica;' that he Joined her at Laird's
, yard at Birk enhead, near liverpool, re-
naming there several days; that he found
! about thirty old man of-war's men on
board, among whom it was swell known
that she was gong out as a pfivateer for
: the Confederate, Government to fight
: under commission from Mr.. Jefferson
Davis" Ina list of the crew now before
: me, there is large number said to be
from the '''Royal Naval Reserve" nigh:
add to this testimony. The more the case
} is examined, themore clearly do we dis
, Germ the character of the transaction. The
+ dedication of the ship to the rebel service
from the very laying of the keel, and the
organization Of her voyage with England
} as her naval base, from which she drew
her munitions of war and men, made her
: departure as much hostile expedition as
, if She had sailed forth from Her Mai estyss
dock yard Att moment of profound
peace batweent the United States and ENG.
Hand there was an expedition against the
fUnited States 1t was III ho,iustgsense al
jcommescial transaction, but an act Of war
The case is not yet complete. as1o 5fT