Abridgment of the Debates of Congress, from 1789 to 1856.

DEBATES OF CONGRESS. 137 JANUARY, 1825.] Suppression of Piracy. [SENATE. accomplish the object-those means are point- ed civilians of the age, possessing your entire ed out by the third section of the bill, and are confidence, who have been drilled in diplomacy not such as transcend the necessity of the case. by a forty years' experience, who have spent Mr. LLOYD, of Massachusetts, said, in express- their lives in advocating the rights of neutrals, ing his opinion he must be allowed to take a and grown gray in turning over the works of very brief historical view of the subject. At Grotius, and Vattell, and Puffendorff, and Ward, the commencement of the session, on the open- and Azuni, and a host of other authors, with ing of Congress, we were informed by the whom I can boast no acquaintance. President, in his message, that "'the piracies In reference, therefore, to the source from now complained of are committed by bands of whence the recommendation is derived, as well robbers who inhabit the land, and who, by pre- as to the feeble lights of his own understanding, serving good intelligence with the towns, and he denied the soundness of the inferences that seizing favorable opportunities, rush forth, and had been drawn; and without even making fall on unprotected merchant vessels, of which any more recondite research than to an elementthey make an easy prey; that the pill-age thus ary work, an humble one in some respects, he obtained, they carry to their lurking places, would contend, that the major proposition and dispose of afterwards, at prices tending to includes the minor; the whole embraces all its seduce the neighboring population. "This con- parts; and that, if you have justifiable cause of bination," the President says, " is understood to war against Cuba, or against Spain, you have be of great extent, and is the more to be depre- the right to mitigate the evils of war, by the cated, because the crime of piracy is often adoption of any milder course you may think attended with the murder of the crews; these proper to pursue. robbers knowing, if any survived, their lurking It is true, if you blockade a single port of the places would be exposed, and they be caught island of Cuba, Spain may be authorized to deand punished." clare war, and perhaps be joined by her allies, The Secretary of the Navy, in his letter to if she and they choose it; and this would unthe President, accompanying the message, fully doubtedly be attended with great injury to us. confirms this account; and further states, that Peace is the polar star of the interest of our there are now few, if any, piratical vessels of a country; but, if it is only to be preserved at large size in the neighborhood of Cuba, and that the expense of the continued murder of our none are seen at a distance from the land; but citizens, and the plunder of our property with the pirates conceal themselves, with their boats, impunity, then, for one, he was ready for war; in small inlets, and finding vessels becalmed, or and how much soever of injury it might entail, in a defenceless situation, assail and destroy it would be accompanied with one consolation, them, and when discovered, retreat into the derived from the experience of the last war; country, where, by the apprehensions they which was, that, whatever nation chose to go create, and the plunder they have obtained, to war with the United States, it would carry they remain secure, and mingle, at pleasure, in them forward in their progress to maturity, per the business of the towns and the transactions saltem, half a century at a jump. of society, and acquire all the information they But We are told, other nations will take umwant to accomplish their purposes. Against brage at this: that, although blockade is a belsuch a system as this, the Secretary observes, ligerent right, and we impose it, we are still no naval force, within the control of the Depart- not at war. ment, can afford complete security, unless aided What have other nations to do with this by the local authorities; and, unless this co- question? It belongs exclusively to us and to operation be obtained, additional means should Spain. When two nations go to war, who conbe intrusted to the Government, to be used in stitutes, without their consent, a third party to such manner as experience may dictate. determine who is right, or who is in the wrong? We have thus obtained, in the most formal All other nations have a right to demand, is, and official manner, direct, unequivocal infor- that, in the prosecution of the quarrel, the mation, of the existence of these atrocities, of rights of humanity shall not be outraged, and the inability of the navy to suppress them, and that the usages of war shall be observed as reof the additional means necessary to be in- gards them. What have they then a right to trusted to the Executive, and referred to in the require, as it regards a blockade? simply, that message. These means, as before stated, are, you shall not entrap them-that you shall give pursuit on shore, reprisal, and partial block- them due notice, a sufficient warning, and that ade of the offending ports. The committee you shall keep up a close, rigorous, unremitting recommend the mildest of these alternatives, investment, by a sufficient force; if you do this, the blockade, which is, however, denounced by you perform all your duties as regards them — the highly respectable and able gentleman from all the rest lies between the party blockading Virginia, as being an interpolation on the law and the party blockaded. of nations; as breaking down the moral force But, we are asked, suppose we find these unof the Republic, and as a just cause of offence, offending neutrals in the den of robbers, in the if not of war, to other nations. lair of these wild beasts, at the time we invest Sir, from whom is this advice received? it, what will you do with them? It is answerFrom men ranking among the most distinguish- ed, give them the right of egress precisely in

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Title: Abridgment of the Debates of Congress, from 1789 to 1856.
Author: United States. Congress.
Canvas: Page 137
Publication: New York, [etc.]: D. Appleton and company [etc.]; 1857-61.
Subject terms: United States -- Politics and government

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Abridgment of the Debates of Congress, from 1789 to 1856.

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