Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1891-01-16
WAR LORE.
MODE OF BEGINNING HOSTILE
TIES IN RECENT CONFLICTS.
Usually Thore is no Formal Declara-
tton ofSNnr-The Dismissal of an
Ambassador is Consideicd
o. Sufficient Warming.


the custom sprang up, and was generally
adopted, OF issuing manifesto or notice
OF the commencement of war, not neces-
sarily to the enemy, but to the diplo-
matte agents of other nations, who were
required to observe the laws of ncu-
trality.
I, The opinion of tho great jurists of this
century, since the close of tho Napolc-
onic wars in 1915, have been more
equally divided on the necessity of de-
claration. Several of the leading Con-
tincntal authorities still maintain that
some form of notice to tho enemy is i'm
perativc. Others, along with the mere
+, influential British and American authori-
ties, take the opposite view. Let us
glance at tho practice in tho matter as
shown in the greater recent wars.
In neither the war with England In
1872, nor with Me xico in 1916, did the
United States issue either manifesto or
declaration. OF the smaller wars, down
to 1870, in which European power was
engaged on ono side or the other, Eng
lands unimportant contest with Persia
In 1888 affords what seems to be n soil
tary instance of declaration. The Opium
War of 1910, the Italian War. of 1S47-
~, the Anglo-Persian War of 1856, as
well as the Danish struggle about
| Schlcswig- Holstein in 1868, and the
war between Brazil and Uruguay in the
following year, all commenced by acts
OF hostility, preceded, indeed, in several
instances by diplomatic notes and mnni-
!estoes, but in no case heralded by
declaration of war.
In November, 1883, after prolonged
negotiations had already taken place,
the Ottoman Porte protested against
Russian claims, and intimated its inten-
ton of going to war. To this tho EN-
peror Nicholas responded in very elab-
ordtc declaration, emitted at Moscow.
Hostilities did not actually commence
till the fourth of November, three DAYS
after tho Cars proclamation, of which
the Sultan had thus time to become
aware. Relations between the Car and
| the English aud French Courts became
moro and more strained during the next
few weeks. On the Sth of February,
1854, the Russian Minister left England.
On the 21st Nicholas issued manifesto
complaining of the unfricndly attitude
of England and France. On the 9th.
Captain Blackwood was sent to St. Pc
tcrsburg with an ultimatum, his instruc-
tons being to wait six days for ian an-
swcr. Before that time had clapaed, the
Emperor declined to give any reply; but
the Russian Foreign Minister stated pri-
vately that his master would not declare
war. On the 23d of March message
from the Queen. was read in, tlo House
of Lords -uass:..lIngs war. On tho 21st,
according to a quaint old custom, the
High Sheriff and other chief CITY dirni-
taries of London attended in their robes
and proclaimed the war from the stems
of the Exchange.
In the Austro-Italian war of 1859. the
Emperor's ultimatum was presented on
the 23d of April and two days after
ward Victor Emmanuel announced to
tho army the outbreak of the war, end
on the 18th operations commenced.
Our Civil War presents an interesting
instance of the modern tendency to rely
ON facts rather than forms. As the
North never recognized the Southern
States as being other than rebels, of
course they were precluded from declar-
ing war against them, but in q way
which may be readily summarized, q
state of war came to be recognized as
having in point of fact supcrvened on q
state of Instruction. The secession
movement, which began in South Caro-
lima on the Goth of December, 1860.
speedy spread to the other Southern
States. On the 9th of January, 1861,
the first shot was fired from the batteries
of Fort Sumter on the Star of the
West attempting to enter Charleston with
reinforcements. Notwithstanding this,
Lincoln, on the 4th of March, still char.
acterlzed the movement as insurrection-
nry. Nine days later, Charleston sur
rendered to the Confederates, and war
votes were then asked for. On the 18th
of April, letters of marque were issued
by the South, and blockade proclaimed
by the North. On the Sd of HAY, larger
war votes were asked, and Mr.. Seward
announced in letter to the American
Minister at Paris that the Government
had accepted the Civil War as an ineyi.
table necessity" England and Franco
thereupon recognized the rights of the
South as belligerent State, and issued
proclamations of neutrality. This action
they justified on the ground that al
though there had been no declaration of
war, the credits voted and the proclama-
ton of blockade were facts consistent
only with astatc of war, not of mere in
surrection.
The Seven Weeks War of 1866 began
with the rupture on the 18th of June of
diplomatic relations between Prussia and
Austria, followed on the same day by
declaration of war by the former power
against Saxony, whose territory was en-
tered on the 18th. On the 18th, Austria
intimated her intention of supporting
saxony, aud this Prussia interpreted as a
declaration of war. A bellicose mani
festo addressed "To My Armies" was is-
sued by Emperor Francis Joseph. On
the 22d, Prince Fritz Carl complained of
the violation of the Silesian frontier bv
the Austrians, without any formal decla-
ration of war. This complaint is curious
l. u -