THE RIGHTS OF NEUTRALS " The sovoi-pigut.y of a natiou oxtciuls to it.s citizens and tlioir prop- erty upon the ocean. Nations at war have no natural right to intortere with citizens, or the commorce of citizens, of nations at peace." " The United States owes it to her citizens, and to her foreigu friends, to maintain a real neutrality." " The responsibility now rests upon Congress, at leai;fc equally with the Executive, to determine what arc the rights of citizens of neutral nations, and what should be done to maintain those rights." SPEECH HON. HOKE SMITH SENATE OF THE UNITED ST/iTES DECEMBER 10, 1915 ^m WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT I'RINTING OFFICE 1915 18300—14846 ^ ^%t SPEECH OF HON. IIOKE SMITH, OF GEORGIA. THE RIGHTS OF NEUTRALS. Mr. S^ITTH of Georgia. Mr. I^resident, more than 12 months .112:0 the British privy council hoAan passing orders to govern tiieir naval and prize courts ])roviding for tlie seizure and dis- posal of cargoes of merchandise helonging to citizens of neutral countries. They ceased to rely upon estahlished customs per- mitting helligerents to interfere with neutral commerce and pre- sumed to direct at pleasure the seizure and disposition of goods helonging to citizens of the United St;ites, and of other neutral nations. Step by step the rights of neutrals have been disregarded, until finally, on INIarch 1 and March 11, came tlie two orders from Great Britain virtually suspending tlie business of neu- trals in the neutral ports of Holland, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. These tAvo orders prevented shipments to or from those ports without regard to the character of the goods to be shipped. They Vv-ere based upon no contraband classification. They amounted simply to a blockade of neutral ports against the trade of citizens of neutral nations. The Executive Department, through the Secretary of State, lias three times protested to Great r>ritain tliat these orders were illegal, but no response has come from Great Britain yield- ing to neutrals their rights. The respoir-^ibility now rests upon the Congress, at least equally v.ith the Executive, to determine what are the rights of citizens of neutral nations and what should be done to maintain those rights. I propose, INIi". President, to submit authorities from Great Britain — the views of her ablest writers upon international law and decisions of the courts of Great Britain — showing that for a liundred years the British courts and the British text writers recognized rules of international law fixing the rights of neutrals that Great Britain to-day is recklessly disregarding. If the rights of citizens of the United States are being lawlessly disregarded by Great Britain, if their merchandise is being piled up illegally in British ports, if their trade with northern Europe is illegally suppressed, it is for the Congress to say what shoidd be done to induce Great Britain to respect the rights of neutrals. MR. JEFFERSON ON RIGHTS OF NEUTRALS. As early as September 7, 1793, the right of the commerce of our citizens to freedom from interference by belligerents was discussed by Mr. Jefferson, Secretary of State, in a letter to Mr. Pinckney, United States minister to England. Great Britain had passed an order in council providing for the seizure of neutral vessels loaded with foodstuffs destined to the ports of France, and providing that these vessels, when 2 18360—14846 4i^ «/_ 3 seized, should only be d[scliai\a"ed upon giving se^^iirity that they would go alone to ports in aniity with His INIn.jesty. Sec- retary Jefferson condemned the order vigorously. He declared : This article is so liianifestly contrary to the law of nalioiifi that nothing more Avould seem necessary than to observe that it is so. He pointed out that the only restriction on their natural rights submitted to by nations at peace were that they sh.ould — not furnish to either party implements merely of war for tlie .nnnoy- ance of the other, nor anything whatever to a place bloclvudcd l)y its enemy. He denied that foodstuffs were con.^idered contraband, and raid : It suffices for the present action to say that corn, flour, and meal are not of the class of contraband, and "conseciuently remain articles of free commerce. * * * We soe, then, a practice began v/hich strikes at the root of our agriculture, that Iiranch of industry which gives food, clothing, and comfort to ths^ great mass of the inhabitants of the States. * * « if ^yo pcnuit corn to be sent to (^reat Britain and her friends, we are clearly Icjuiid to permit it to France. To restrain it would be a partiality which might lead to a v/ar with France, and between restraining it ourselves, and permitting her enemies to restrain it unrightfully, is not different. « « * This is a dilemma which Great liritain has no right to force upon us. She may indeed feel the desire of starving an enemy nation, but she can' have no right of doing it at our loss, or of making us the instrument of it. niGlITS OF NEUTRALS. The sovereignty of a nation extends to its citizens and their property upon the ocean. Nations at war have no natural right to interfere with citizens or the commerce of citizens of nations at peace. The customs of nations have given to belligerents certain well-dehned privileges of interference with the commerce of neutrals. When interfer- ence takes place not authorized by the well-defined customs of nations the act of the belligerent nation so interfering with the commerce of a citizen of a neutral nation is hiwless and violates the sovereign rights of the neutral nation. BELLIGEnENT UIGIIT OF SEITIDRE. The customs of nations have given to belligerent nations the privilege of interfering with neutral commerce only on account of the existence of a blockade or on accoimt of the character of the goods. A blockade, meeting recognized requiren>ents, having been established by a belligerent against one or more enemy ports, the belligerent may seize the ships or merchandise of neutrals when engaged in the act of endeavoring to run the blockade. This privilege of seizure extends to goods of all char- acter, but is limited to those endeavoring to enter a blockaded port. To determine tlie privilege of interference on account of tho character of the goods, goods have been divided into three classes, termed, first, absolute contral)and ; second, conditional contra- band ; and, third, absolutely free. Tlie privilege of seizure on account of the character of goods is entirely independent of the question of blockade, and classifi- cation of goods under either one of these three heads has been going on for many years, so that the proper status of goods under any particular head has been substantially established. To absolute contraband have been assigned goods peculiarly suited to war; to conditional contraband, goods suited to war and to peace; and to the free list those especially useful for purposes of peace. 1S3G0— 1484G The absolute contrabaiKl are subject to seizure if being sent directly or through neutral ports to an enemy country. The conditional contraband are subject to seizure if being sent to the army and the navy of the enemy. Neither is subject to seizure if going to a neutral country to enter there the general stock of trade. The weight of authority, and the usual custom, frees conditional contraband from seizure when sailing to a neutral country. Goods on the free list, of course, are not to be seized under any circumstances except where seeking entrance to a blockaded port. BUITISH ORDERS OP MARCH. On March 1 Great Britain passed an order declaring— The British and French Governments will hold themselves free to detain and take into port ships carrying gcods of presumed enemy des- tination, ownership, or origin. On March 1 came the further order in council passed by Great Britain which declared a blockade of all German ports The first and second provisions of the order of March 11 declare a blockade of all the ports of Germany. Of course. Great Britain could not blockade the Baltic. She had no ves- sels in it. It was entirely free to the conuuerce of Norway. Sweden, and Denmark. Yet she assumed to seize the vessels and merchandise of citizens of neutral countries other than Norwav, Denmark, and Sweden, and carry them into her har- bors before they reached the straits which separate Denmark, Norwav, and Sweden, There is no principle of international law more completely recognized than that a blockade nmst apply equally to all countries. There is no English student of international law who for one moment would approve as legal the seizure of neutral vessels by Great Britain, before they reached the straits separating Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, when the Baltic Sea was free to the vessels of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. ^ , ^ , The third and fourth provisions of the order provided: Third Every merchant vessel which sails from a port of departure after the 1st of March, 1915, on her way to a port other than a G«>r- i-in Dort carrvins? ^oods with an enemy destination or which aie enennP propem mav he required to discharge such goods in a British o? allied port Any goods so discharged in a British port shall be Sfaced in the custody of the marshal of the prize court and unless they are contraband of war shall, if not requisitioned for the use of Us Mliestv be restored bv order of the court upon such terms as the couit may in the circumstances deem to be just to the person entitled *^Fourth Every merchant vessel which sails from a port other than a GerS port after the 1st of March, 1915. having on board, goods whiSi are of enemv origin or are enemy property, may be required to dischar-e such goods in a British or allied port. Goods so discharged in'aBi^tishpo?t shall be placed in the custody «f /he niai;sha of the orize court and if not requisitioned for the use of His Majesty shall he detained or sold in the discretion of the prize court. The proceeped. It is true that occasionally we beg through a vessel or beg some goods through. Senators, I resent such conduct; I re- sent any effort to beg through a little dyestuff, or a little medicine, or a little potash, when our citizens have the absolute 183G0— 14840 6 right to bring here all they please, and the interference is a lawless disregard of their rights. I have termed the treatment by Great Britain of neutral com- merce throiigli tlie ports of Holland, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden a blockade. We must keep In mind the fact that inter- ference with the commerce of neutrals by belligerents is per- mitted upon only two grounds — blockade or the unneutral char- acter of the goods. Seizure on account of the character of tlie goods is limited to contraband going to the military or naval forces of the enemy. It does not apply to goods coming from an enemy country. It applies only to a limited character of goods going into an enemy country. Yet Great Britain has or- dered the seizure of all goods of enemy origin or destination. In carrying this order into effect Great Britain has restrained all shipments to and from the ports of Holland, Denmark, Nor- way, and Sweden. The question of the character of the goods does not limit British seizures. The course of Great Britain is a blockade of tl.ese ports, and it is covered by uo belligerent right unless it falls under the head of blockade. The blockade of neutral ports by Great Britain and the claim by Great Britain of the right to seize goods upon the sole ground that they were of enemy origin or destination violate the sov- ereign rights of all neutral countries. KEUTIIAL RIGHTS OP TUADE SUPPOUTED BY TEXT WRITERS AND DECISIONS. The citizens of the United States and of other neutral nations have the right to ship goods to and from Germany and Austria through the neutral ports of northern Europe. In support of these propositions I ask attention to text writers and decisions, English as M'ell as American. NEUTRAL PORT CAN NOT BE BLOCKADED. Atherley Jones, in his work Commerce in War, page 92, calls attention to the fact that the right of a belligerent to conduct a blockade is a development of the rules of international law grow- ing out of the right of seige of an enemy's port or enemy's cities. Itis treated by the English writers and decisions as an act of war directed at an enemy through the port of the enemy. In Oppenheim's International Law^ volume 2, page 401, it is stated : A blockade can extend to a portion or all of the enemy's country. In Hall's International Law, page 713, it is stated : If one liank of a river is within a neutral state, or if the upper portion of its navigable course is beyond the frontier of a hostile coun- try, the l)el]iserent can onlv maintain a blockade so far as is consistent with tlie right of the neutral to preserve free access to his own ports or territory, and with the right of other neutrals to communicate freely with him. It will thus be observed that these authorities recognize a blockade as an act of war to be directed solely to an enemy's port. It can be extended to a portion or all of an enemy's coun- try. Where a river separates an enemy and neutral country, so strict is tlie rule that the blockade must not extend to a neutral country that the blockade of the enemy port on the river must be conducted in a way to avoid interference with the neutral rights on the other side of the stream. In the early part of 1908 Great Britain invited nine other great commercial nations to send delegates to a conference to be held at London, to meet with delegates representing Great Britain, the object of the conference being that the delegates 18360— 14S4G should codify the rules of international law applicable to naval warfare. Each of the ten nations furnished each of the others a memoranda giving its view of the law on the questions to be considered. Tlie English memoranda stated tliat it presented the views of the British Government, founded upon the decisions in the British courts, as to the rules of international law on the points enumerated in the program of the Conference of London. The British memoranda will be found in " Correspondence and Docu- ments Respecting the International Naval Conference, I'apers of Connnand, Miscellaneous No. 4, 1909." Hereafter, this memoranda will be cited simply as " British memoranda." On page 5, British memoranda, is found the following state- ment : A Wockado must be ronfinod to t.lio ports and roai^ts of tho enemy. * * * The blockading: forces may bo (lispo.sod of at any distance from tho ports or coasts blockaded that the naval authori'ties think ht, provided they are not so placed as to obstruct access to a neutral seaboard. In the rctcrJioff case (5 AVallace, p. 52) ;:ie question was wliether wliere a river separated an enemy country from a neutral country a blockade could be extended across the river to a port of the r.eutral country. After reviewing the cases on the subject the Supreme Court of the Unite;! States declared: We are not aware of any instance in which a bolligorcnt has at- tempted to blockade tho mouth of a river or harbor occupied on one side by neutrals, or in which such a blockade has bceix recognized as A-alid by any court administering tho laws of nations. * * * jj. is unnecessary to examine other cases referred to by counsel. It is sufficient to say that none of them support tho doctrine that a bellig- erent can blockade the mouth of a river occupied on one bank by neutrals with complete rights of navigation. NEUTliAL TRADE WITH r.ELLKiEUEXTS FUEIO EXCEPT WHEHE STOrrKD AS COXTnABAND Oil BY A LEGAL nLOCKADB. It has been thought by some, without examination of the rules of international lav/ or the customs of nations, tlnit Great Britain was excusable for interfering with neutral conunerce because the goods were eventually to go to the country of her ene- mies, or because the goods can.ie from the country of her enemies. There is no custom or rule of international law to sustain such an excuse. Neutrals have the right to trade with, bel- ligerents. Belligerents can only interfere with neutral trade on account of the cliaracter of the goods, or on account of a legally conducted blockade. The fact that goods not subject to seizure on account of their contraband nature, shipped to neut al ports, will ultimately reach the enemy of a belligerent gives no right of interference by the belligerent with those goods. The following authorities and decisions sustain both tho view that a neutral port can not be blockaded, and that through a neutral port neutrals have the right to ship to a belligerent country, and even to a blockaded port in a belligerent country. In Hall's International Lav/, i)ages 693-695, L is stated : At sea the rights of neutrals being equal to those of belligerents * * * the neutral has prima facie a right of access to the enemy country. In Godfrey Lnshingtou, Oxford, Manual of Naval Prize Law, page 37, it is stated : If the destination (referring to the port of destination of a vessel) bo neutral, then the destination of the goods on board should be considered 18360— 14S4G 8 neutral, notwithstanding it may appear from papers or otherwiKe that the goods themselves have an ulterior hostile destination to be attained by transshipment over land conveyance. Ill Westlake International Law, second edition, Cambridge, volume 2, page 238, it is stated : Where the mouth of a river divides a belligerent from a neutral State, the enemy of the former does not lose his right of blockade of the shore belonging to it, but he can not interfere with the trade of the other shore. * * * a blockade can not affect the commerce which the blockaded port carries on through a neutral port with which it has inland communication. The Ocean (3 C, Rob., 297) : In this case goods were shipped from Amsterdam, an enemy blockaded port, to Rotterdam ; Rot- terdam was not subject to blockade. The goods were Tor export from Rotterdam to the United Stiites. Sir William Scott, deliv- ering the judgment, said : I am inclined to consider this matter favorably as an exportation from Rotterdam only — the place in which the cargo becomes first conno'-tcd with the ship. In Avhat course it had traveled before that time, whether from Amsterdam at all, and if from Amsterdam whether by land carriers or one of thoir inland navigations, Rotterdam being the port of actual shipment, I do not think it material to inqu're. * * * On the land side Amsterdam neither was nor could be affected by blockade of naval forces It could be applied only externally. The internal communications of the country Avere out of its reach and in no way sub- ject to its operation. If the exportation of goods from Rotterdam was at this time permitted it could in no degree be vitiated by a previous Inland transmission of them from the city of Amsterdam. The i^tert (4 C. Rob.. Go) : The British Cx)urts of Admiralty in this case ruled that a blockade did not affect the trade carried on with neutrals by means of inland navigation. " It was," Sir William Scott said, " a mere maritime blockade effected by force operating only at sea." He admitted that such trade would defeat, partially at least, the object of the blockade, but observed : If that is the consequence, till that can be said is that it is an unavoidable consequence. The court can not on that ground take upon itself to say that a legal blockade exists where no actual block- ade can be applied. The J(jhn Pictcr, 4 C. Rob. 79, was a shipment from England to Emden. The goods were shipped with a final destination to Holland wiiich was under blockade. There was a question as to who really owned the goods ; an American claimed them, and America was a neutral country. Sir William Scott, de- livering the judgment, said : Supposing the cargo to be American property, I am not inclined to think it would be affected by a blockade on the present voyage. The blockade of Amsterdam is from the nature of things a partial blockade, a blockade by sea, and if the goods were going to Emden with an ulterior destination by land to Amsterdam, or by an interior canal to destination it is not according to my conception a breach of the blockade. The British memoranda before referred to, page S, states : Where the ship does not intend to proceed to the blockaded port, the fact that goods on board are to be sent on by sea or inland transportation is no ground for condemnation. Lord Russell, representing the Briti.sh Government during the Civil War, referring to the trade to Matamoras, and from Matamoras into the Confederate States, said : To pretend that some goods carried to Matamoras may afterwards be transported across the frontier to Texas does not vitiate the legiti- mate character of that trade. 183G0— 14846 9 The French Government in the French memoranda fur- nished in connection with the conference at London, used the followina: language: Ships bound for a blockaded port may be captured only when they try to pass the blockaded spot. Until then their being bound for a blockaded port or for a neighboring port with goods for a blockaded port does not constitute a breach of neutrality. (P. 30 translation.) In Lushington's Naval Prize Law, pages IG and 17, it is stated : It is true that a breach of blockade is not committed by a ves- sel which, herself beyond the blockade line, takes on board goods exported overland from the blockaded port or by a vessel which carries goods to an open port to be forwarded thence overland into a blockaded one, but in each of these cases the blockade line is not crossed by the goods. In other words, the blockade has not been broken. The Supreme Couit of the United States in the Pctcrhoft case, reviewed the p]nglish decisions in connection witli the question of ulterior destination to the Confederate States by inland conveyances of goods shipped to Matamoras, a neutral port, and the court stated : Upon this question the authorities seem quite clear. Calling attention to the facts and decisions in a number of cases in which it was held that the goods of neutrals could not be seized, the Chief Justice delivering the opinion of the court, said : These were cases of trade from a blockaded to a neutral country by means of inland navigation to the neutral port or a port not blockaded. The same principle was applied to trade from a neutral to a blockaded country by inland conveyance from the neutral port of primary destination to the blockaded port of ulterior destination. Goods belonging to neutrals * * * -were held not liable to seiz- ure. * * * These cases fully recognize the lawfulness of neutral trade to or from a blockaded country by inland navigation or trans- portation, * * * and the doctrines of international law lead irresistibly to the same conclusion. We know of but two exceptions to the rule of free trade by neutrals with belligerents ; the first is that there must be no violation of blockade or siege ; and the so<'ond, that there must be no conveyance of contraband to either belligerent. * * * The trade of neutrals with belligerents in articles not contraband is absolutely free unless interrupted by blockade. DECL.\nATION OF LONDON. The highest authority upon the law of naval warfare is found in the Declaration of the International Naval Conference, held in London during the winter of 1908-9, commonly called the " Declaration of London." The Governments of Great Britain, Austria-Hungary, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, Spain, the United States of America, and Holland were represented at this conference. The conference was held as the result of a letter sent by the British Government through Sir Edward Grey to the representatives of Great Britain in each one of these countries, tendering an invitation to tliem to hold the conference. The conference was invited to consider the rules of naval warfare, " including the circumstances under which particular articles can be considered as contraband ; * * * blockade, including the questions as to the locality where seizure can be effected ; * * * ^jj^ doctrine of continuous voyage in respect both of contraband and of blockade." The lette/ stated that the conference was to be held "with the object of arriving at an agreement as to what 18360— 1484G 10 are the generally recognized principles of international law" upon the subjects to be considered. TO EXPRESS CKNERALLY RECOGNI/iED RULES OF INTERNATIONAL LAW. In an oflicial letter of November 1, 1908, Sir Edward Grey describes the work of the proposed conference as follows : The proposed declaration should, in the opinion of llis Majestj^'s (Jovernmont, place on re(^OI•d that those poAvers * * * recognize that there exLsts in fact a common law >. f nations of which it is the purport of the declaration in common interest to set out tlie principles, that in thus defining the generally recognised rules of international law- the conference will put an end to many uncertainties and doubts which are a danger l)oth to peaceful commerce and to good political relations. Other quotations from tlie correspondence equally important could be made, but these are sufficient to establish the fact that (ireat Britain regarded the conference as authorized to make a declaration which would amount in fact to the common law of nations upon the sul)ject of naval warfare, and that the agree- ment of the delegates upon the questions submitted for their consideration was to bcK'ome an othcial declaration of the inter- national law upon the subjects con.sidered. Great I>ritain designated Lord Desart to be His IMajesty's plenipotentiary. His commission gave liim full power "to sign an international agreement which may result from the de- liberations of tlie conference." With Lord Desart were asso- ciated, representing Great Britain, Rear Admiral Sir Charles Otiey, secretary of the imperial defense; Rear Admiral Slade, director of naval intelligence, and IMessrs. Crow and Hearst, counsel of His INIajesty's Foreign OIRce. At tlie head of the French delegates was Monsieur Louis Renault, professor of law at Paris, legal advisor to the IMlnister of Foreign Aifairs, principal of the University of France, and member of the Permanent Court of Arbitration. The nine other nations designated their ablest students of in- ternational law to represent them at this conference. The coji- ference extended from early in December until late in Febru- ary. At the suggestion of the British Government, each of the countries furnished in advance to each of the otlier countries a memoranda of its views as to the rules of international law iqion the points to be considered by the conference. The conference, comprised of about 40 members, reached a unimimous agreement and embodied it in 64 articles, which th.ey prefaced with the following statement : The signatory powers are agreed that the rules contained in the following chapters correspond in substance Avith the generally recog- nized principles of international law. If tlie agreement of the conference, called the Declaration of London, had been ratified by the respective nations, it would have ])ecome binding upon all of them as a treaty agreement. Unratified it furnishes the world authority upon the rules of international law, considered by the conference far higlier than that to be found elsewhere. What matters it whetlier, by treaty {igreement, some country said: "We v,ill agree to obey the law"? Here v^'as the solenui decision of the chosen men of 10 great nations that these articles embodied the law. A treaty agreement with reference to it would have been simply an agreement between two or more nations that they would abide the law. Where will you find vvhat are the correct rules of international law on these sub- jects if you do not find them in this declaration? .\83G0— 1484G 11 Admiral Charles H. Stockton, the leading representative of tha United States in the conference, in his work on Outlines of International Law, page 58, referring to the Declaration of London, declares : Whother formally ratified or not by the signatory and other powers, it has the authoritative weight due to the unanimous vote of the representatives of the great maritime powers and to their declaration that it represents the actual principles of International law upon the subjects dealt with. In a letter of March 30 to the British Government the repre- sentatives of Great Britain In this conference rei)orted, with reference to the effect of the rules upon which they agreed, as follows : These rules do amount practically to a statement of what is the essence of the law of nations properly applicable to the questions at issue under present conditions of maritime commerce and v/arfare. We believe we have clearly vindicated this principle by securing the insertion at the head of the declaration of the preliminary provision which dominates the whole series of articles. This provision declared that in the opinion of the signatory powers the rules contained in the declaration correspond in substance with the generally recognized prin- ciples of international law. I think it unfortunate that the Declaration of London was not presented to the belligerent nations, and forcefully held be- fore them, not as binding by treaty but as the law, backed by an authority far greater than a mere treaty would make it as being the law. I dwell upon the Declaration of London, and its weight, as authority, because at a later day I shall desire to dis- cuss some questions, using the Declaration of London, to Vvdiich I do not expect to refer at this time. I wish to present it to the thought of Senators. I wish to answer the trivial, light mode in which certain newspapers have sought to sweep it away, be- cause it was not ratified through a treaty agreement. The Declaration of London was approved by the British House of Commons during the summer of 1911. In a debate upon the floor of the House of Commons Mr. McKinnon Wood, a member of the Government and representing the Government in the debate, declared that the Declaration of London contained the English view of the law of blockade " en bloc." No one questioned the correctness of his statement. The opposition to approving the Declaration of London in the House of Commons was principally because foodstuffs had not been placed on the free list. Mr. McKinnon Wood, representing the Government, replied, in substance, " We tried to put food- stuffs upon the free list, but we could not do it. But," said he, " we have placed cotton on the free list." Sir Arthur Balfour replied, in substance, " To be sure, but you have accomplished nothing. Through all time this commodity, so essential for the peacefvd purposes of the peoples of the world, has been on the free list." " But," he said, again, " you claim that Russia in 1904, during the Japanese War, put it on her con- traband list." " Yes ; and w^e promptly protested the legality of Russia's conduct, and Russia yielded." And the one exception abandoned, Mr. Balfour said, emphasized the true rule that the custom of nations has put cotton on the free list, " and you have done nothing for commerce by putting it there in the Declara- tion of London." Now let us turn to the Declaration of London and see what the representatives of the 10 great naval powers determined was the true rule of international law applicable to blockade, em- 18360—14846 12 bodying, as it did. tlie English view of tlic law *' en bloc." The Oeclaration reads : Articlo 1. A blockadr" must not extend beyond tbo ports and coasts belonging to or occupied by the enemy. Articlo IS The blockading forcevS must not bar access to neuiral ports or coasts. iNf. Itenaiilt pi'epared the explanation which acconi])anie(l the articles. In expiaJning- article. IS he used the following hm- giiage : Thi.'. rule has been tbou'^lii neccf^r.ary the better to protect th,-^ rom- merci.;! inlm-ests of neuir;\! roiuitrio:^. "it completes article 1, according to whirii ;> l)lockariiain is now doing. I do not know any law by which we ca.n punish the men wlio circulate such injurious slanders aga.inst their Government. They at least ought to have our intense contempt. The United Sta.tes never l>lockaded a neutral port durin^g the Civil War. That statement is as false as the statement that the United Stales declared cotton contraband during the Civil War. The last statement is stupidly false. What is a contraband order? It is an order to prevent un- neutral goods from going into an enemy country, where they will be used for purposes of war. Who would accuse Mr. Lin- coln of being so foolish as to wish to keep cotton from going into the Southern States? That is where it was raised. There 183G0— 14S4G 13 never v/as snch an order ; and to rest their case upon it Is another piece of ij!;norance, or worse. CIVIL WAR PRECEDENTS CONDEMN GREAT BRITAIN. An examination of the decisions of tlie Supreme Court of the United States destroys tliis excuse and condemns Great Britain. Tlie cases used to sustain the contention are tlie Springbok and tlie Bcrtmida. In tliese cases the Supreme Court of the United States laid down the rule tliat where mercliandise was sliipped from neutral ports, in vessels with a nominal destina- tion of Nassau but really intended to run the blockade of ports of the Southern States, or where the merchandise sailed upon ves- sels destined for Nassau but the shippers had arranged from the first to send the merchandise in other vessels to southern ports, running the blockade, the purpose of running the block- ade attached to the goods through their entire journey, and rendered them subject to seizAire. It will be observed that in these cases the right of seizure was based, not upon a blockade of a neutral port but upon the fact that the shippers liad arranged a continuous voyage for the goods by sea into a blockaded port, Jind the seiy.ures were solely justified upon the ground that the goods were being carried by a continuous voyage into a blockaded port. Nassau was not blockaded by the United States, but mer- chandise, the owners of which started it with the purpose of not s*:opping at Nassau but of continuing shipment by water into and through the blockaded ports of the Southern States, was seized upon the ground that the goods were really running the blockade into blockaded ports of the Southern States. In the Bermuda case the court said : Wc agvee to this. Neutrals Hiight convey in neutral ships from one neutral port to another any goods whether contral)and of war or not if intended for actual delivery at the port of destination and to become part of the common stock of the country or of the port. The cargo of this vessel consisted almost exclusively of goods lielonging to Frazier Trenholm & Co., at Liverpool, a branch of the house of John Frazier & Co., at Charleston, and the fiscal agents of the Confederacy in Great Britain, in which capacity they were largely engaged in fitting out cruisers and blockade runners. It consisted in part of — lawns with figures of a youth bearing onward the Confederate flag, mili- tary decorations, epaulettes, stars for the shoulder straps of officers of rank, many military articles with designs appropriate for use in the Confederate States, case of cutlery stamped with the name of merchants in Confederate cities, several cases of double-barreled guns stamped as inanufactured for a dealer at Charleston, a large amount of munitions of war, five finished Blakely cannon in cases, with carriages, six cannon without cases, a thousand shells, several hundred barrels of gunpowder, 72,000 cartridges, 2,500,000 percussion caps, 21 cases of swords, and in addition a large quantity of army blankets and other materials. There were residents of Charleston on board listed as common sailors under disguised names. Of the ship's real company, tlie master, the first mate, the clerk, and three seamen were citizens of South Carolina. The second mate, carpenter, and cook be- longed to other Confederate States. The ostensible owner of the ship was a British subject, but the day after her registration he executed a power of attorney to two citizens of Charleston, S. C, to sell the ship for any sum they might deem sufllcient. 18300—14846 14 At the timo of the capture and after the vessel was boarded the captain's brother, by his order, threw overboard two small boxes and a package which he swore he understood contained postage stamps and a bag which he understood contained letters and wliich he was instructed to destroy in case of capture. It v.-as held that the nominal ownership of the I'cmnida was a pretense and that tlie vessel was rightly condemned as enemy property. It was further heUl among other things that the con- signment of the whole cargo " to order or assigns " meant, in fact, to the order of John Frazier & Co., of Charleston. In the case of the Springbok it was found by the court that — T'pon the wholo case Ave can not doubt that the cargo v/a.s originally shipped -with intent' to violate the blockade ; that the ov/ners ol' the cargo intended that it should be trans-shipped at Nassau into some vessel more likely lo succeed in reaching saiely a blockaded port tban the .s'/;r;»//?)oA-. that the voyage from London to the blockaded port wa.s, as to cargo, both in law and in the intent of the parties one A-oyage. Both these cases were severely criticized by English law writers at the time. These cases were each based, however, upon the theory that the voyage was illegal because it was con- ducted for tlie purpose of entering a port in disregard of a blockade. They in no sense exe-use the effort of Great Britain to blockade the neutral ports of northern Europe. On the contrary the Supreme Court of the United States in the Pctcrhojf case considered the rights of ships and cargoes really destined to neutral ports. The Fefcrhoff sailed from England to Matamoras, Mexico. Chief Justice Chase delivered the opinion of the court. The Supreme Court held : First. That the mouth of the Rio Grande Avas not hicluded in the blockade of the ports of the rebel States, and neutral commerce Avith Mata.moras, except in contraband, is entirely free. Second. Neutral trade to and from a blockaded country by inland navigation or transportation is free. After reviewing a number of English cases the court says : The.se cases fully recognize the laAvfulness of neutral trade to or from a blockaded counti'y by inland navigation or transportation. * * * And the general doctrines of iuternatiojial Iuav lead irre- sistibly to the same conclusion. * * * The doctrine of the Bermuda case, supposed by counsel to have an important application to that l)efore us, has, in reality, no application at all. The Bermuda and lier cargo Avere condemned because engaged in a voyage ostensibly for a neutral, but in reality either directly, or by substitution o'f another vessel, for a blockaded port. The Pcterhoff Avas destined for a neutral port, Avith no ulterior destination for the ship, and none by sea for the cargo to any blockaded place. In the case of the Bermuda the cargo, destined primarily for Nassau, could not reach its ulterior destination Avithout violating the blockade of the re!)el ports; in the case before us the cargo, destined primarily for Mata- moras, could reach an ulterior destination in Texas Avithout violating any blockade at all. We must say, therefore, that trade botAveen London and Matamoras, even Avith intent to supply from Matamoras goods to Texas, violated no blockade and can not be declared unUiAvful. "Such trade," said the Court, "A\dth unrestricted inland commerce between such a port and the enemy's territory, impairs, undoubtedly, and very seriously impairs, the value of tlie blockade of an enemy's coast. But in cases such as that noAv in judgment Ave administer the public laAVS of nations, and are not at liberty to inquire what is for the particular advantage or disadvantage of our nation or another country." So, Mr. President, we make a.n overv/helming case — an irre- sistible case— against Great Britain for passing and enforcing these orders of March 1 and INIarch 11. Great Britain has sup- pressed the trade of neutrals through neutral ports, assuming the right to control the trade in free goods Avith her enemies. A great loss has been brought upon citizens of the United 183G0— 1484G / 15 States in consequence of this action. Are we simply to submit? Are we to continue to accord to Great Britain lier neutral priv- ileges while she tramples upon the neutral rights of citizens of the United States? I will not at this time discuss in detail tlie illegal efforts of Groat Britain to change the recognized status of goods based upon their character. While the blockade by Great Britain of the neutral ports of northern Europe continues, orders affecting the character of goods are immaterial, as all neutral goods are prevented from entering the neutral ports ; discriminations as to the nature of the goods do not affect them. It is, hov/ever, true that the British Government, through Sir Edward Grey, advised the British delegates to the London con- ference, referring to additions by belligerents to the list of ab- solute contraband, as follows : It appears to be generally agreed that no such additions ought in any caso^ to be admissible except in cases of articles which can not be utinzed for other than warlike purposes. The declaration of London, following this view of the English Government, declares : Article 28. Articles exclusively used for war may be added to the list of absolute contraband. In the PetcrlwfJ case the Supreme Court of tlie United States held : It is true that even these goods (referring to absolute contraband), "* ^,^'^ .^•x^"^^?^^^'^ *^^ ^^^^ ^° *^« market of Matamoras, would be free of liability, for contraband may be transported by neutrals to a neu- tral port if intended to make part of its general stock in trade. In the Pctcrhoff case the Supreme Court held that absolute and conditional contraband passing through a neutral port if shown to be for the army of an enemy could be held. Criticizing this opinion the Maritime Prize Commission of tM Institute of International Law, composed of members of the various nation- alities, and including W. E. Hall, of Oxford, Sir Travers Twist, an English writer upon international law, and M. Renault' professor of international law at the University of Paris, de- clared the cases to be— si-jversive of the established rule of the law of m.aritime warfare ac- cording to Avhich neutral property on board a vessel under a neutral flag, whilst on its way to another neutral port, is not liable to capture or confiscation by a belligerent. (Moore's Digest, vol. 7, pp. 731-732.) Differences of opinion with reference to the treatment of con- traband w^ere solved by the London conference, which deter- mined that the correct view of the rules of intei-national law made absolute contraband passing through a neutral port sub- ject to seizure where shown to be destined from the first to an enemy country, but as to conditional contraband the declaration declared, article 35 : Conditional contraband is not liable to capture except when found on board a vessel bound for territory belonging to or occupied bv the enemy or for the armed forces of the enemy, and when it is not to be discharged m an intervening neutral port. So that under the authorities, with the blockade raised in these neutral ports, the status of neutral trade would be about this : A belligerent can not add to a list of absolute contraband any goods which can be used for other than warlike purposes. Goods, properly upon a list of absolute contraband, can be seized though belonging to neutral citizens and sailing to neutral ports, if shown to be intended for an enemy country. 183G0— 14846 I O Kl^XJ 9A-T *.- 16 Conditional contraband sailinj;- to neutral ports, belonging- to neutral citizens, can not be seized by a belligerent. Goods neitlier al>solute nor conditional contraband can pass entirely free iroin interference. (Joods sailing to a neutral country, there to enter the general stock in trade, and really for sale in tlie markets of the country, Avould be free of liability to r;eizure. I have presented so fully the rules of international law, appli- cal>le to tlie rigiits of neutrals, because it should be kno^yn that ^Members of Congress appreciate how ]-ecklessly the rights of citizens of this country are being disregarderitain may desire to crush an enemy nation through the suppression of trade, " Imt she can have no right of doing it at our loss, or of making us the instrument of it." The United States, with other neutral nations, should demand from Great Britain that disregard of their rights cease. It may be necessary for the United States and other neutrals to let Great Britain understand that no " word or act " will be omitted to enforce their rights. We may hope Great Britain will comply, not alone because she must retain friendly relations witli neutral nations to supply her own population with the necessaries of life, but because the ])eople of that great nation, and those there in authority, must desire to obey the rules of international law they have contrib- uted so much to establish and to wliich they are so thoroughly committed. At the close of the last protest against the British orders of jVlarch 1 and 11, the Executive department, s])eaking through the Secretary of State, used the foUovving language: The task of championing Iho integrity of neutral rights, ■which have received the sanction of the civilized world, against the lawless con- duct of belligerents arising out of the bitterness of the great conflict which is now wasting the countries of Europe, the United [States iih- hesitatingiy assumes, and to the accomplishment of that task it will devote its energies, exercising always that impartiality which from the outbreak of the war it has sought to exercise in its relations with the warring nations. So far the protests of the Executive department against the lawless conduct of Great Britain have been answered by in- creased lawlessness. Step by step the rights of the citizens of neutral nations to buy and sell merchandise in foreign markets liave been suppressed. It is for Congress to determine what value it v.'ill be to tlie integrity of neutral rights for the United States to have become unhesitatingly their champion. 18360—14840 O LIBRARY OF CONGRESS^ lilllilillllllii^^^^^^^ 020 914 134 6