Year: 1860

At the monthly meeaing of the Board of Trade
held yesterday at the room in the Merchants Ex-
change Building, Jno. c. Bruno, Esq, President
in the chair and nearly all the members present.
The following business was transacted:


A. Schumacher from the Committee on Com
merce submitted the following reports, which
were unanimously adopted


The undersigned Committee on Commerce. to whom
was referred the circular and resolutions of a meeting
held at Bremen the I'd of December last to consider
the necessity radical change in the existing nterna
tional maratime laws in their application to state Of
war, beg leave to report:


That the subject has had their full attention involving
does principles of equal importance to the American
merchants and ship to their
in Europe The United States NAV indeed claim for one
of her nobest sons, the illustrous Benjamin Franklin,
the merit of having been among the first to advance the
doctrine that private property should be held nvioae
in war when the high sea the treaty concluded by
him with the King of Prussia at the Hague in the year
17S5 containing provision to that effect.


This sentiment that the peaceful mariner engaged in the
pursuit of lawful commerce. ought not to be molested
though not vindcaed in subsequent treaties steadily
been gaining friends and has received in recent times
most able exposition at the hands of Governor Marcy
late Secretary of State, in his justly celebrated ad
dressed to the Minister Of France the 2Sh of July


Your committee could not add to the incontroYertbe
arguments used by that great statesman could they
express their views clearly than by quoting
letter committee our citizens in answer to their in
vtation public dinner, in which he says. 1.-The re-
cognition of the principle referred tohe immunity of all
private property the high in time of war-I am





limits of beligerent rights have been gradually
contracted civilization has advanced and the spirit Of
the age calls for a mitigation of the rgors of war


The benefcent principle proposed by this Government
exemptng property upon the from pillage the
the same extent that it is exempted upon land by
the usage of modern warfare has teen received with IA
vor by all enlightened nations, and the way seems be
already prepared for its introduction the code of in
ternatinna maratme law' Apart from all considera
tons of justice and humanity self interest manfetly
points to the same line of policy The interests of nations
have become interviewer and attained such vast dmen-
sons that any serious damage to the of
en is felt by all Though trust that this country
be obliged to take active in the European
wars the apprehension that its neutrality
preserved cannot fail to prove injurious and even mere
rumors ofimpending conflicts among the Powers In Eu
rope must always damage business.


The mitigation of the evils OF war, by placing private
property out of the pale hostile arrays so clearly in
the interest of all nations that the ultimate recognition Of
this principle cannot be doubtful public opinion must
eventually overcome all opposition enforce uni
vsrsal adoption. In urherance of that object as an
expression of the sentiments of this Board your commit
tee would offer the following resolutions:


Reolred That this Board has witnessed with deep in
teres the efforts making in Europe for the introduce
ton of code of international law which snail abolish
privateering the same time interct the seizure
persons and private property by public vessels
articles contraband of war only excepted.


ReSolred That it behooves the Government of the Uni
ted States to take active part in bringing these
changes equally demanded by the march of civilization
and the true interests Of people, and take such
measures for the promotion of that object its wisdom
may seem best calculated to secure its early success


Respectfully submitted


A. SCHUMACHER Chm, !