New-York tribune., 1871-10-20
4 NEEDLESS COMPLICATION.

1t is unfortunate that just as England and
the United States are entering upon an era OF
good feeling vexatious complication should
be forced upon US. Statesmanship requires
years to smooth away international difficult
ties and then the whole work may be put
in jeopardy by q single wrong-headed act
Such an act was the cutting out Of the
fishing smack E. A. Horton from the harbor
of Guysborough, Nova Scotia. We can
excuse much to men harassed as our fisher
men have been by supercilious foreign officials;
and public opinion may largely favor the
brave and hardy mariners who rescued the
vessel and thus put an end to the laws de-
lay. It is natural to admire the dash and
boldness of our fishermen it was these
qualities which gave the best reinforce
ments to our young navy when the new Re
public was fighting for existence; but none OF
these considerations can cOndOne the hagTancy
of this breach of international law.
The American schooner E. A. Horton was
seized by the Dominion authorities Tor an
alleged infraction of fishing laws, which.
though onerous and vexatious to us, are bind
ing on all friendly nations. She was taken
into Guysborough, and, pending adjudication
of the case, was secretly cut out and brought
back to the United States. 1t was reported
that q British cruiser followed the fugitive,
and the people along the coasts of New
England lashed themselves into frenzy at
the bare suggestion that an American vessel
should be pursued by foreign man-of-war,
or that "British frigates should patrol
"the ports of the Great Republic"
The excitement was needless; if any
cruiser followed the stolen schooner, it
could only have been with the hope
of overtaking her in Canadian waters. On the
high seas, whatever the original provocation
of the vessel, she was exempt from seizure;
and it was the duty Of the United States Gov
ernment to give strict orders that she should
not be recaptured. The agents In the abstrac-
ton of the Horton are of no special import
ance in the case now; their daring act con-
summated, they disappear from tho complica-
ton, and we have only to follow the schooner,
which is received at Gloucester with the BOOM
ing of rural cannon and the jubilation of Gen.
Buffers constituents. The enthusiasm is nat
ural, and the act which evoked it is the result
not only of the courage and lawlessness of the
captors, but of the teachings of one Of tho
most mischievous and INSCRIPTIONS politicians
in the State of Massachusetts. Our friends
have had their little glOrifcatiOn over the
deed; but there may be an after-accOunt.
$50 comes q reckoning when the banquet 8 DER,
The dreadful reckoning, and men smile more"
It would be wise for the Dominion Govern
ment to smile at this little escapade as a good
Joke, aud say no more about it; but that is
not the Dominion way, especially when they
happen to be in the right Cutting out the
Horton from Guysborough harbOr, while she
was in the custody of the legally constituted
authorities, was gross breach of international
law. The perpetrators have escaped or ar
not known, but the vessel is in an American
port; and, if the British Government makes
demand for her, she will have to be given
up, CALLING though such a sacrifice may
be. 1t is we'll to cheer the brave captors and
toss caps in air when the gallant little craft,
with the Stars and Stripes flying, comes into
harbor; but the facts in the case are as pitt
less as they were when we surrendered the
prisoners from the Trent, or would have given
up the Rebel cruiser cut out from Bahia if
she had not been accidentally sunkn in
Hampton Roads. We are in q fair way to
settle all great international disputes with
amity and much goodwill. Perhaps the Cana
dians, who have just joined hands with us on
the line Of the European and North American
Railway, may, in the fervor of fresh frateInal
enthusiasm, overlook this cause for complaint.
At any rate, wrong confessed is half re-
dressed.