Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1876-06-09
oun RELATIONS WITH ENGLAND.

puR RELATIONS WITH ENGLAND.
The Fenian prisoners. hsld In custody
By England in Western Australia have
Ill escaped but one. The rescue was
made BY . ship which vss ~osssnsih'y an
American vhalsr. Al al events. ID vas
IN American ship. and sailed under
American colou. The capture seems TO
been the result Of . dssp-laid
which vas originated aud fos-
In this country. Money vas -
cretly collected In New York. and &C.
TO one Of u contemporaries
81. 400 was subscribed In Virginia City.
for this object. The ship vas ntssd out
and cleared - . vhalsr. although NO
such notion ~ that Of pursuing the fss-
tive whale was harborsd BY the persons
ON board. Meantime. the fsnian prisr
oners In Australia vsrs made acquainted
with the scheme for securing thar frss-
dom. and matters we're managed % that
they were all except n concentrated
upon q part Of the coast. Then this
American 'vhalsr" swoopsd down up
ON them and carried them Cd In . body.
Such Ia the story which comes TO the
press from veil authsntisaisd sources,
and ihsrs ID no reason 70 doubt tn truth.
Il Ia announced BY an Austrian paper
that tho Colonial Government steamer
Georgetts ga dispatched in pursuit Of
the vhalsr and fell In with her. This
IL probably untrue, - II the Gsorsstis
had overtaksn the ship . battle would
doubtless have occurred. and the gov
eminent vessel would have recaptursd
the Fsnians- Ordinary merchant ships
can scarcely stand against the guns Of .
govsrnmsnt vessel. However this may
DO, the fact remains that . ship clearing
from an American port. belonging TO
American citizens. and flying the Amer
lean iag. has deliberately sntersda port
in the doninions Of England. and taken
from IL persons held In psuai ssrvitude
by the Government OF Great Britain.
This fact Is enough 10 u diplomatic
d~ificultiss between the two nations.
The question now arises. what IL Eng
Land going to do about IL?
That the United States Government ID
not morally responsible Tor this breach
Of It's friendly relations with England IL
certain. The "vhalsr" was cleared al
the Custom-houss in this country. in
good faith. II wa supposed that she
won't TO catch whales, not fsnians, and
nothing aroused the suspicious Of our
national .oficials. But moral rsspon-
ability. in international Affairs. 10
scarcely considered. Az . nation the
United States Is legally responsible for
the acts OF its citizens on the high seas.
whom these acts are directed against n
other country. England has . right to
demand by International Law. and prob
ably will demand. satisfaction for this
Outrage upon her. However much we
may respect the motives Of the men .
gagged In il, this Transaction vas most GER
tainly an offense in law. and nations are
governed BY Law and not BY ideas
Of abstract Justice. This action ON the
part ofthe United States citizens has given
Great Britain a legal right to complaint,
and that she will enforce that right and
demand ample restitution there Is no
doubt.
During the war Of the Rebellion Mason
and Slidsll. two Confederate Commits
sionss 10 England. we're seized on an
English ship by an American man-oi-
var There wa al that time much to
excuse the patriotic sailor Who commit
ted this breach Of international comfy. |
But what was the resaltf America vas
forced to humble itself In the dust.
- ID were. and return 10 England
the men whom they had cap
tured. although they were known to
be plotting treason against their country.
II England then hal Just cause Of COM
plant. how much moro grounds has abe
now. when q deliberate conspiracy has
been formed and executed In this
country. to take away her political
prisoners FROM her own soilf
In all probability. 10 these rescued
prisoners arc landed in the United States,
they will BE- ut oncs arrested and re-
turned to the authorities OF Great
Britain. We have the utmost respect
for the cause Of the Irishmsn. Who are
honestly laboring 10 secure the freedom
OF Ireland. Their cause 10 Just one,
and must command the good will Of
every citizen Of a fres rspublic. But Ne
cannot. as . nation. afford to smbroii
Ourselves with a friendly power even to
aid . good a causs rs that Of Ireland.
Our laws must b respected. and our
relations must be respected.
BY every citizen who claims the benefit.
from u institutions. Serious
trouble Is likely to arise from this rescue
Of the Fsnians. and in the diplomatic
battle which Ia sure 10 follow. America
Is extremely liable to como out second !
best.
HONOR To orr MINERs |,