Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-04-25
PRIvATEERING.

BY the Spanish royal decree, pro-
muieated Yesterday. Spain reserves the
right to engage in privateering, but
announces that for the present she
will restrict herself to fitting out aux
Hilary cruisers. The distinction ap-
pears to be a small one, and the end
will probably be that Spain will turn
a lot of nondescript vessels loose
against our commerce. That they will
venture to this side of the ocean, how
ever, is scarcely to be expected.
Privateering was once the universal
resort of nations at war with each
other. OF late years, however, the
practice has been in disrepute, and at
the Paris conference of 1856 the
signatory powers declared that "priva-
teering is and remains abolished.
This was only binding, however. upon
the parties to the contract, and neither
Spain nor the United States were par
ties to the agreement.
Under Article of the Constitution,
Congress has the right ito grant let
tiers of marque and reprisal, and make
rules concerning captures on land and
water and we have heretofore awaited
ourselves Of this authority, notably in
the last war with Great Britain.
There are two sorts of privateers
which may be authorized by nation
reserving to itself that right. One is
authority given by a letter Of marque
to the owner of a private vessel sail
ing under the colors of ration at
war, which constitutes a commission
to wage warfare upon the commerce
of the other nation. This letter gives
the owner, commander and crew of
such ship an interest in all prizes
taken f.om the enemy, the share OF
said owners, commander and crew be-
ing generally one-half. the other half
of the proceeds of the sale OF the prize
and her cargo going to the govern
ment issuing the commission. The
second sort is where a letter of marque
is issued to a vessel of neutral nation
by a belligerent nation. This latter
class Of privateering is particularly OBJ
jectionable, and is probably what is
referred to in the Spanish decree of
yesterday as foreign privateers.'
While in times past availing itself
Of privateering, this government has
upon various occasions sought to
abolish the custom, commencing the
effort through Dr. Franklin, as long
ago as 1885. In 1924 we urged the mat
ter upon the attention of Great Brit
ain, and in 1856, after the convention
of Paris, offered to agree to its action
il an additional clause was inserted
in the agreement as follows
And the private property of the sub
iects or citizens of belllgerent on the
high seas shall be exempted from seizure
by public armed vessels of the other bel
ligerent except 1t be contraband
This proposed amendment was not
generally adopted. and as result the
assent of the United States to the
abolition of privateering did not be-
come effectual. Again in 1861, Secre-
tary Seward, acting for this govern
ment. offered to assent to the concln-
sions of the conference of Paris, but
Great Britain and France declined.
largely or entirely from sympathy
with the Confederacy.
1t will thus be seen that We still
have the right to embark in that par
ticular species of warfare, but have
disclaimed our intention of doing so
in the present instance, and this
declaration will hold good until force
of circumstances may compel q
change.