Gold Hill Daily News

Saluting A Traitor.-Peru having made a fuss because our naval officers on its coast would not be civil to its Admiral Tucker for the reason that he had deserted our naval service, served in the rebellion, and when that failed gone into the Peruvian service and become the head of its fleet, Secretary Seward undertook to smooth over the matter, and say our officers should have saluted the Peruvian flag, and forgotten or ignored the person that marshalled it; but Secretary Welles, of the navy, redeemed his old reputation and covered a multitude of sins by rebuking Mr. Seward and sustaining our officers, in a pungent letter, whereof we give a specimen:-

Gen. Washington would not have extended courtesy to Benedict Arnold because Great Britain gave him a commission and uniform; nor would any general officer in the American army have treated him with respect. Were the French government to appoint Mr. Slidell, or the British government Mr. Mason, minister to the United States, I cannot suppose that our government or its executive officers would receive either of those unpardonned rebels, or extend to them official courtesy. By the same rule I believe that our Naval officers should be governed as regards their intercourse with the late Commander Tucker, who, while yet a rebel against our government, has been placed at the head of the Peruvian navy. If the Peruvian government thinks proper to receive into its service criminals and fugitives from the United States, we cannot prevent it; but having failed in comity towards the United States, that government cannot, I think, complain of any disrespect or want of courtesy on the part of our naval officers in declining to exchange civilities with such fugitives or criminals from our country.

This, no doubt, has had a share in the discharge of the rebel admiral by the Peruvian authorities. That agreeable fact is just reported from Peru.