Year: 1861

entitled to respect, even in war, and
he who refuses to regard them forfcits
his claim, if captured, to be considered
prisoner Of war, and must expect to
be dealt with as an offender against all
law, human and Divine. But not con-
tent with violating our rights under
the law of nations at home, they have
extended these injuries to us within
other Jurisdictions.


The distinguished gentlemen whom,
with your approval at the last session,
were commissioned to represent the
Confederacy at certain foreign courts,
have been recently seized by the cap
tain of a United States vessel of war,
on board British mail steamer, while
on voyage from the neutral Spanish
port of. Havana to England. The Uni.
ted States have thus claimed a gene
raj jurisdiction over the high seas,
and entering British ship sailing un-
der its country's flag, violating the
rights of embassy, for the most part
held sacred even among barbarians,
by scizing our ministers while under
the protection and within the dominion
of neutral nation. These gentle
men were as much under the jurisdic-
tion of the British government upon
that ship and beneath that flag, as if
they been on its soil, and claim on
on the part of the United States to
seize them in the streets of London
would have been as well founded as
that to apprehend them where they
were taken. Had they been malcfac-
tors and citizens of the United States,
they could not have been arrested on
board a British ship or on British soil,
unless under the express provisions of
treaty, and according to the forms
therein provided for the extradi:ion of
criminals. .....a .. .. ...


In conducting the war we have
sought no aid and proposed no alliance
Offensive or defensive-abroad. Per-
haps we had the right, if we had cho-
sen to exercise it, to ask to know
whether the principle that the block
ade, to be binding, must be elective
solemnly announced by the Great
Powers at Paris--is to be generally
enforced, or applied only to particular
parties. | have caused the evidence
to be collected, which proves the utter
inei1iciency of the proclaimed block
ade Of the Southern coast, and shall
direct it to be laid before such gov
ernmcnts as shall afford the means of
being heard ..... .....


But although we should be bene-
fitted by the enforcement of this law,
SO solemnly declared by the great
powers Of Europe, we are not depen-
dent on that enforcement for the sue
cessful prosecution of the war; As
long as hostilities continue the Con-
federate States will expedite a steady
increasing capacity to furnish their
troops with food, clothing and arms.
If they should be forced to forcgo ma
ny of the luxuries and some of the
comforts OF life, they will at least
have the consciousness of knowing
that they are becoming more and more
independent of the rest Of the world.


While the war is wagcd to take
from us Seif-SoNefnment, lhat emu can
never be attained. 1t remains to be
seen how far It may work revolution
in the industrial system of the world,
which must carry suffering to other
lands as well as our own. In the
meantime, we shall continue the strug-
gle in humble dependence upon "a
Providence from whose searching
scrutiny we cannot conceal the secrets
of our hearts, and to whose rule we
confidently submit our destinies. For
the rest, we shall depend upon our
selves. Liberty is always won, where
there exists an unconquerable will to
be free and we have reason to know
the strength that is given by con-
scious sense, not only Of the magni-
tude, but of the righteousness of the
cause. .1 ug.@ ..a .......sr t.s.